Easy Baked Jalapeno Poppers that don’t require a grill, made right in the oven, and stuffed full of cream cheese and Italian sausage.
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What I like about these Easy Baked Jalapeno Poppers
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it can be made inside, right in your oven. They are really easy to make and are full of cream cheese and spicy Italian sausage.
Ingredients for Stuffed Jalapenos with Cream Cheese and Sausage
- Jalapenos
- Cream Cheese
- Spicy Italian Sausage (ground)
- Pepper Jack Cheese
How to Cut a Jalapeno
To cut a jalapeno for poppers, start by slicing the jalapeno lengthwise. Leave the stems on so that you have a full bowl shape to work with. Take a small spoon or your fingers and remove all of the ribs and seeds from the inside.
How to Make Jalapeno Poppers in the Oven
- Take each individual jalapeno and slice it longways. Wash, trim and remove all ribs and seeds leaving a hollow core. You can save the seeds and ribs to add back to the cream cheese if you’d like it spicier.
- Place jalapenos on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven and par-roast just until they start to soften and roast (blacken slightly), about 5 minutes.
- While the jalapenos are roasting, brown your Italian sausage in a skillet.
- Once the sausage is cooked through, add the cream cheese to the skillet and stir frequently until it is melted and mixed through.
- Remove sausage and cream cheese mixture from the stove and add in the pepper jack cheese.
- Take your cheese mixture and stuff each jalapeno until it’s mounded at the top.
- Place jalapenos back on the baking sheet and put them back in the oven to complete roasting.
- Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before serving. We like ours with ranch and a little cilantro!
Tips and Tricks for Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
- You can use a jalapeno corer to remove the seeds and ribs from the inside before cutting lengthwise. It makes easy work of it.
- If you’re having trouble getting all of the seeds out, rinse them with water.
- Par-roasting them ensures that they get completely roasted and softened without making a giant melted cheesy mess in the oven. You don’t want to lose all of your cheese!
- If you like yours extra spicy, you can take the seeds and ribs and add them back into the cheese mixture when you stuff them.
- Freshly grated cheese works better than pre-shredded. Pre-shredded as a preservative on it to keep it from caking together which can make it harder to melt.
FAQs for Jalapeno Poppers in the Oven
They can. In fact, you can make them to completion and then freeze them. You just need to heat them back up when you’re ready to serve them.
One trick I’ve always used to purchase jalapenos is to look at the stretch marks. If there are little white lines (stretch marks) down the jalapeno, it was left on the plant longer which means it will likely be spicier. If it’s smaller and smoother, it will likely be milder.
To make jalapeno poppers less hot/spicy, there are a few steps you can take.
1. Make sure to use mild or sweet Italian sausage instead of Hot or Spicy.
2. When choosing jalapenos, be sure to get ones WITHOUT stretch marks. Jalapenos with stretch marks will be spicier.
3. When cutting the jalapenos, be sure to remove the ribs and seeds completely. A majority of the heat lies within the ribs and seeds so leaving them in there will result in a lot more spice.
When cutting the jalapenos lengthwise, be sure that you do it down the center so that each side forms a small bowl shape. By leaving enough of the sides intact for each piece, the cheese will stay in the popper when cooking.
Yes, you can cut your jalapenos in advance. Be sure to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them.
If you want to prepare jalapeno poppers in advance and freeze them, I’d recommend heating them in the oven at 400°F for 20 minutes.
Jalapeno poppers will soften on their own in the oven. By pre-roasting them for a few minutes, it’ll ensure that you have a fully cooked popper once the cheese filling is added.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Jalapeno Poppers with Sausage
Leftover jalapeno poppers with sausage should be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer. To reheat, add the poppers to a baking sheet and reheat in the oven at 400°F for 10-15 minutes.
How do you store cooked jalapeno poppers?
The proper way to store cooked jalapeno poppers is in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How long do uncooked jalapeno poppers last in the fridge?
I would not recommend keeping them more than a day or two in the fridge before cooking.
Alterations to Lower Calories or WW Points
- You can use reduced-fat (Neufchatel) or fat-free cream cheese.
- I would use turkey Italian sausage.
- If you can find it, opt for either reduced-fat paperback cheese or reduced-fat Monterey jack.
How many carbs are in jalapeno poppers with cream cheese?
These jalapeno poppers with cream cheese have 2g of carbs making them both low carb and keto-friendly.
What Goes With Jalapeno Poppers?
Jalapeno Poppers are an excellent appetizer that pairs well with other finger food. Some great items to serve with it include:
- Jalapeno Artichoke Dip
- Chips and Salsa
- Sheet Pan Nachos
- Green Chile Queso Blanco Dip
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Baked Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
- 10 jalapenos
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 lb spicy italian sausage
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Instructions
- Take each individual jalapeno and slice it longways. Wash, trim and remove all ribs and seeds leaving a hollow core. You can save the seeds and ribs to add back to the cream cheese if you’d like it spicier.
- Place jalapenos on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven and par-roast just until they start to soften and roast (blacken slightly), about 5 minutes.
- While the jalapenos are roasting, brown your Italian sausage in a skillet.
- Once the sausage is cooked through, add the cream cheese to the skillet and stir frequently until it is melted and mixed through.
- Remove sausage and cream cheese mixture from the stove and add in the pepper jack cheese.
- Take your cheese mixture and stuff each jalapeno until it’s mounded at the top.
- Place jalapenos back on the baking sheet and put them back in the oven to complete roasting.
- Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before serving. We like ours with ranch and a little cilantro!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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