Description
You know those appetizers that disappear from the table before you can even grab a second one? These jalapeño poppers with sausage are exactly that - creamy, spicy, and absolutely irresistible. The combination of savory sausage, melty cheddar, and tangy cream cheese creates something pretty special.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 large jalapeños
- 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 pound ground pork sausage, casings removed (226 grams)
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened (226 grams)
- 1 cup freshly-shredded sharp cheddar cheese (100 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons everything BBQ rub or store-bought (16 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons minced green onions or chives, plus more for garnish (10 grams)
- Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup good-quality ranch dressing (112 milliliters)
- 2 Tablespoons Sriracha (30 milliliters)
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 400-425°F (204-218°C), or oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Cut each jalapeño in half lengthwise through the stem using a sharp knife.
- Use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds and white ribs inside each pepper half.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add sausage, breaking it up into crumbles with a wooden spoon as it cooks for 6-8 minutes until browned.
- Transfer cooked sausage to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, then chop into smaller pieces if needed.
- In a large bowl, combine sausage crumbles, softened cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, BBQ rub, and green onions.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and mix until well combined and creamy.
- Use a rubber spatula or butter knife to spread the filling evenly into each jalapeño half.
- For grilling: Grease grill grates and cook poppers for 6-10 minutes until filling is melty and bubbly.
- For baking: Place poppers on prepared sheet pan and bake for 16-20 minutes until peppers are softened and filling is golden.
- While poppers cook, whisk together ranch dressing and Sriracha in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle poppers with extra green onions before serving with Sriracha ranch.
Notes
These freeze really well! Freeze stuffed jalapeños before cooking, then bake directly from frozen at 400°F for 25-30 minutes. For milder poppers, remove all seeds and white ribs. Let cream cheese soften completely for best mixing results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 popper
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg