Name: Cheesy Jalapeño Poppers with Sausage
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 24 jalapeño poppers
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 jalapeños; 1.5 teaspoons olive oil; 0.5 lb ground pork sausage; 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese; 1 cup freshly-shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 2 tablespoons BBQ rub; 2 tablespoons green onions; Kosher salt & black pepper; 0.5 cup good-quality ranch dressing; 2 tablespoons Sriracha

Cheesy Jalapeño Poppers with Sausage cover

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Cheesy Jalapeño Poppers with Sausage

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Instructions

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Sausage Jalapeño Poppers

Preheat the grill to 400-425°F (204-218°C). If you're baking the poppers, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Using a sharp knife, slice the jalapeños in half length-wise through the stem. You can remove the stems if you'd like, but I usually leave them attached as a little handle. Then, use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds & ribs. Feel free to leave some of the seeds in the peppers for extra spice.

Next, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink and has caramelized spots on the edges. Transfer the sausage crumbles to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any extra grease. Once it's cooled, chop the sausage into small crumbles.

In a large bowl, combine the sausage crumbles, cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, BBQ rub, and green onions. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Then, using a hand mixer, stand mixer, or rubber spatula, mix the filling until it's well-combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Use a rubber spatula or butter knife to evenly spread the filling between the halved jalapeños.

Gril: grease the grates of the grill with neutral oil. Line the jalapeño poppers on the grill and bake for 6-10 minutes, until the filling is melty and the jalapeños are slightly softened. Sprinkle with extra green onions or chives, for garnish.

Bake: place the poppers in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 16-20 minutes, until the peppers are softened and the filling is bubbly. Garnish with extra green onions or chives.

Sriracha Ranch

Combine the ranch dressing and Sriracha in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Taste and add more Sriracha, if desired. Serve the Sriracha ranch with the warm jalapeño poppers and enjoy!

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Prevent Soggy Poppers with Proper Drying 🌶️
Pat jalapeños completely dry with paper towels after halving and removing seeds—excess moisture will steam the poppers instead of crisping them during cooking.
Mix Cream Cheese at Room Temperature 🧈
Soften cream cheese for 15 minutes before mixing with sausage and cheddar to ensure a smooth, evenly distributed filling that binds all ingredients together perfectly.
Freeze Filled Poppers Before Cooking ❄️
Refrigerate filled jalapeños for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) before cooking to prevent cheese from leaking out and ensure a creamy center with crispy exterior.
Brown Sausage First for Better Flavor 🍖
Cook ground sausage separately in a hot skillet until deeply browned before mixing into the cheese filling to develop rich, caramelized flavors that elevate the entire dish.
Layer Your Cheese for Texture Contrast 🧀
Reserve some freshly-shredded cheddar to sprinkle on top of each popper after filling—this creates a golden, crispy cheese crust while the interior stays creamy and rich.