We eat a lot of chili peppers in our house. A lot. It’s not often that I run to the grocery store and leave without a couple extra, just in case we’re running low at home. At the farmers market, I fawn over the many varieties available and often leave with my bag full of a rainbow of peppers.
Like most ingrained habits, I blame my mother.
My mamma ate fire
My mom grew up in the White Mountains of Arizona, close to the border of New Mexico. As such, she grew up eating and making some of the best southwestern food on earth. Even after moving to the Pacific Northwest, my mom would have a few cases of hatch chilies shipped in each year from New Mexico that she would roast and preserve to be used in enchiladas, Navajo tacos, chilis, tacos, and salsas throughout the year.
Mom didn’t stop at the mild hatch. She was an equal opportunity chili opportunist and liked to take it up a notch or 7 when she cooked. It was well known that her breakfast hash would melt your face off. I regularly looked across the table at dinners to see sweat literally rolling down my brother’s face while eating her red enchiladas, and I could regularly find her standing in front of the fridge eating hot marinated peppers right out of the jar like they were pickles. I’ve never been able to match her tolerance for heat, but I have inherited her love of chili peppers and the flavors they can bring to a dish – just on a much less mouth-burny level.
I especially love the classic jalapeno and the magic they create with these Jalapeno Poppers with Sausage and Cream Cheese.
Spicy Misconceptions
Did you know that chili peppers aren’t all spicy? Technically sweet peppers like the bell pepper, banana peppers, and pimento are all types of chili peppers. Their capsaicin (the naturally occurring compound that is responsible for a pepper’s heat) levels are just much lower; or in the case of the bell, non-existent.
You may have also heard that a pepper’s capsaicin is found in the seeds. This is only sort of true. The capsaicin is actually found in the highest concentrations in the pith and ribs of the pepper (the white part that is often removed in partial or full). The seeds are surrounded by the pith and ribs and, therefore, are often spicy due to close contact. So, if you want to lessen the heat of a pepper a bit, scrape as much of the white pith and ribs out as you can.
Pro Tip
Plan on wearing gloves or popping your hand into a sandwich bag to clean out the seeds, pith, and ribs when you make these Jalapeno Poppers with Sausage and Cream Cheese. If you like to live dangerously and go hand commando, just remember that the capsaicin will linger on your skin for a long time. I have not yet found a successful way to wash it out of my skin and it does not feel great when you go to remove your contacts before bed.
A note for special diets
These Jalapeno Poppers with Sausage and Cream Cheese are grain-free, gluten-free, Keto, and can easily be made SIBO-friendly (if you choose to use a lactose-free cream cheese).
Jalapeno Poppers with Sausage and Cream Cheese
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield about 40 halves
Ingredients
- 1 lb jalapenos (about 20)
- 1 lb Italian sausage, ground
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (I prefer Green Valley Organics Lactose-Free)
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 cup reserved)
- 1 cup green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
- On a cutting board, slice the top of each jalapeno just under the stem, then slice them in half length-wise. Scoop out all of the seeds, taking as much of the white pith and ribs as you prefer. I always like to give my peppers an extra rinse afterward, to make sure all the seeds have come out.
- Pop the seeded jalapeno halves onto the baking tray, lining them up with their empty bellies exposed. Set to the side.
- In a large skillet or saute pan, brown the sausage, breaking it up with your spatula as you go.
- Add the green onions, softened cream cheese, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese to the pan, reserving the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar for later.
- Once the filling has been adequately combined, remove from heat.
- Spoon the filling into each jalapeno half.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese across the tops of each popper.
- Pop that beautiful tray in the oven for 25-30 minutes. I usually pull them out when the edges of the pepper start to look slightly darker and the cheese is melted, but not so late that the pepper is supremely squishy - I like to keep a bit of crunch!
Notes
If you're not a fan of pork, these are also great with ground beef or ground turkey and some Italian herbs; basil, oregano, thyme, cilantro, and rosemary are all nice choices. If you are opting for a meat-free version, these are wonderful just simply stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, herbs, and green onion.
Courses Appetizers & Bites, Mains
Cuisine Mexican
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 2 halves
Amount Per Serving | ||
---|---|---|
Calories 153 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 13 g | 20% | |
Saturated Fat 6 g | 30% | |
Cholesterol 41 mg | 14% | |
Sodium 266 mg | 11% | |
Total Carbohydrates 3 g | 1% | |
Sugars 1 g | ||
Protein 6 g | 12% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Jenni, these look fantastic! Can’t wait to give them a pop into my bella!
For all the spicy food lovers…these would be awesome. It would be fun to experiment with different sausage flavours….a fun party appetizer for sure.
What a delicious appetizer. I love jalapeno poppers but I don’t make them much because hubby is a wimp! He even admits it! I think I’ll make your recipe the next time my sister comes over because she loves poppers as much as I do!! Awesome recipe!
Yess! These look incredible! I like a little crunch to my poppers, too!
I make these poppers all the time minus the sausage. This is such a good idea! I am going to try this next time
I’m going to grab some jalapeños today and whip this up! Looks perfect for days like today when I’m painting and need a quick meal.
What a fantastic appetizer for a party! Love the original touches you gave it. Yum!
These look like such a crowd pleaser! I know lots of family and friends that would just love these!
These would be so perfect as an appetizer at the holidays – going to have to add this to my list!
we adore spicy food in the family and I think I can compete my husband for who is best hot pepper eater ! Will try your recipe soon !
They look awesome, but I’m sure you will see sweat rolling down my face as I can tolerate only a very mild spiciness 🙂 . Perfect for my husband and stepson, though, they love everything spicy!
OH this would be great for those who love spicy food. But I have realized that once you actually stuff them and removing their seeds they really are so much less spicy. I love such big pepper and I always end up eating them myself cause no one want to try them. Ha!! v
I have a whole bunch of jalapenos sitting around just waiting to be used! Saving this for later!
These look great – they would be an excellent addition to a game day party!
Yum! I love jalapeno poppers but I’ve never tried one with sausage. It sounds delicious and addictive.
Yum! These look delicious! Will definitely be wearing gloves when I make these. 🙂
Hey…I live in Arizona!!! We don’t eat peppers that often but when we do they are divine!! I’ve had a recipe similar to this and it’s AMAZING!! I do love a good pepper! Sounds amazing! Love your story!
These would be the perfect Super Bowl appetizer! Holy cow, tons of flavor! Thanks so much for sharing!
What a spicy little appetizer to get the party started. Hubby loves jalapenos…so he would welcome these for sure.
I’ve got a friend that loves spicy hot stuffed peppers. I’ll have to make these for him – and maybe even experiment with some of our other peppers we are growing.
My brother and father would LOVE this recipe. They love jalapeno anything and this takes it to a whole other level! I should make it over the holidays for them! 🙂
I feel embarrassed to say it, but I’ve never had jalapeño poppers before! Your recipe looks way too simple (and your photos way too beautiful!) for me not to give it a try asap!
I’ll have to make these for my next tapas party! These look so good!
Oh my I need to make this soon!! I was thinking of getting jalapenos yday but I wasn’t so sure what to make of them for the holidays. Cheese, italian sausage and jalapeno, I am in!!
I’m excited to try these – they look mouth watering!
These look delicious and perfect for playoff football!
Oh man, jalapeno poppers are so good! I’ve never thought about making them with sausage, what a great idea! A nice savory touch without using bacon.
These are the kind of thing I hover over and seriously don’t want to share! These look so delicious!
I don’t ever either, so I often make a double batch!
These look fantastic – ready access to fresh jalapenos is one of the things I really miss since moving to Europe! I love that your mother had a crate of chiles shipped to her from New Mexico!
Have you considered growing a batch? They seem to fare well in a large pot and they did ok this past year in our gray Portland climate. I hope you get your fix of jalapenos soon!
These look like the perfect party food! I love jalapeno poppers! Actually I love jalapeno in every way 😀
Same. I’ve never considered myself a spicy food fan, but I tend to put jalapenos in everything I can so I might be underestimating myself.
I’ve never tried making my own jalapeno poppers, but you’ve definitely inspired me to give it a try!
I hope you do! They’re super easy to make and even easier to eat 🙂
We love jalapeno poppers and have them all the time since they are low carb! I haven’t tried them with sausage though, but it sounds delish!
I love sausage in jalapeno poppers! It adds just another layer of flavor to an already fabulous appetizer. I don’t wear gloves, and have unfortunately tried to take my contacts out when I didn’t wash ALL the heat off my hands. Yeah…NOT FUN 🙂
Yum! What a fun appetizer!
Perfect for our tailgate this weekend. Thanks for the tip on the lactose free cheese- definitely going to give that a try.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these poppers! Perfect combination of all ingredients. That looks so mouth watering! Looks very tasty. And I want to make these asap.
What a awesome appetizer. This jalapeno poppers in combination with sausage and cheese sounds perfect. A great recipe for me and my family. Tasty and beautiful! THANKS!
I love that you made these different and not just with cheese. I know everyone will go nuts over the addition of sausage in them
We love our spicy food and these appetizers would go like wildfire at a family gathering. Even the young grandsons love spicy. It would be interesting to try out different types of cheese and sausage. Great recipe.
I love jalapeno poppers but I usually never make them at home. I’m the only one who enjoys them. My husband and kids won’t be near anything spicy. This looks so good.
Yum! I love spicy foods and would love a plate of these right now. I really like the idea of adding sausage to it too