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This Jalapeno Popper Dip is a go to appetizer recipe for parties and game day. I mean, how can you resist diced up jalapenos mixed with cream cheese and sharp cheddar cheese, topped with buttery crisp panko bread crumbs and parsley? Sounds delicious to me!

This easy appetizer is a deconstructed version of the stuffed jalapeno poppers. Everything is cut up, mixed together, and made so that it can be scooped up with tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetables. This dip is quick, easy, and oh-so gooey delicious.

Who would have thought that this jalapeno popper dip would become one of my daughter's favorite dips. She, along with her friends, request it for every party that she has. Since it's quick and easy to make, I have no problem making it. Oh, and it's also very affordable.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE JALAPENO POPPER DIP

For a full list of ingredients and instructions, please scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the page.

Jalapenos (fresh, canned, or jarred)
Cream cheese
Sharp cheddar cheese
Colby Jack cheese (optional, and can use any other cheese)
Parmesan cheese
Sour Cream
Butter
Panko Bread Crumbs (or regular bread crumbs)
Salt & other seasonings to taste
Parsley flakes

When I first discovered this dip, I was a little skeptical to even try it. I'm not the biggest fan of jalapenos. However, when my friend said “Cheese”, I was in. She broke it down to tell me what's in it and I took it from there. There are a few ways to make this and I'll explain.

HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY JALAPENO POPPER DIP

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, wash your jalapenos (if you're using fresh). We don't want any dirt or whatever else has touched it along it's journey to get into your dip.

Remove the seeds and the white stem on the inside of the jalapeno. I sometimes leave some seeds from one pepper just to get some heat. Then you want to chop them up very small. You can use a manual food processor like the one pictured. Or, you can use a handy knife. Either way will get the job done.

Mix the cream cheese and sour cream together. Once that's nice and fluffy looking, mix in the jalapenos and other cheeses. I used sharp cheddar, parmesan, and Colby jack. You can use your favorite kind of cheese. On this particular day, I chose to use pre-shredded cheese. Block cheese is way better because it melts best and the taste is phenomenal. However, I wanted to use what I had on hand. Taste it to see if you need to add salt, pepper, or anything else. I used a little pinch of salt, garlic pepper, and onion powder. Add it to your casserole dish.

Prepare the topping by mixing the parsley, panko bread crumbs, and melted butter together. I used fresh parsley but you can also use dried parsley flakes. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the mixture.

Bake your jalapeno popper dip for 15-20 minutes, or until hot and topping is golden brown.

TIPS FROM CHEF PATRICE

The jalapenos can be from a can, a jar, or fresh jalapenos as you see above. The texture will be different depending on which one you use. You can roast your fresh jalapenos first if you don't like the flavor or if you want to make them softer. I prefer a little bit of a crunch so I left mine raw. The jalapenos that sit in brine, like in the jar, will also give it a bit of a tangyish (is that even a word…🤔) flavor.

Choose the cheeses that you like. I like bold flavors so I tend to reach for sharp cheddar cheese. Block cheese is better but I am a huge fan of use what you have on hand and the pre-shredded is what I had this time. I've also used Monterey jack, pepper jack, and mozzarella cheese before and they all turned out great.

The bread crumbs is also a personal choice. I've used the regular bread crumbs, the flavored bread crumbs like the Italian and the parmesan. Every one of those were great and add a different feel and flavor. The panko bread crumbs gave it more of a crunch for me, which is what I like. I know I mentioned crunch earlier with the jalapenos, trust me I'm not sitting there crunching a lot when I eat this. I just like different textures.

If you don't have sour cream on hand but have Greek yogurt, you can definitely use that. It'll work great too.

WHAT TO EAT WITH THIS DIP

Listen, this jalapeno popper dip is so addictive that you can just grab a spoon and eat it, but this is great with:

Tortilla chips
Any kind of chip really
Crackers
Raw vegetables like carrots, celery, etc
Put it on top of a bagel
Stuff it into a chicken breast or crescent

The possibilities are endless with this. You can get very creative. Oh, and top it with some bacon or even add crispy bacon in with the cheese mixture (if you're feeling really bold 😁).