Bacon Jalapeño Poppers
Jalapeño halves stuffed with a cheddar–cream cheese filling and wrapped in crisp bacon — no breading, no deep fryer, all crowd-pleaser.
Nutrition per serving
4 popper halves- Net carbs
- 3.9g
- Calories
- 244kcal
- Protein
- 11g
- Fat
- 20g
- Total carbs
- 5.1 g
- Fiber
- 1.2 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Vegetarian (no bacon): Skip the bacon wrap and bake the poppers under a golden Parmesan crust instead. Faster, too.
- Fill the peppers as written, set them on a parchment-lined sheet (no rack needed) and sprinkle the Parmesan over the filling.
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15–18 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the tops are bubbling and golden.
Sausage-stuffed: Browned Italian sausage mixed into the cream cheese filling makes a heartier popper that needs no bacon wrap.
- Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into fine crumbles, until no pink remains (160°F/71°C), 6–8 minutes. Drain and cool 5 minutes.
- Mix the sausage into the cream cheese filling and mound it into the peppers — there is more filling, so heap it up.
- Bake on a parchment-lined sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 18–20 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the tops are browned.
Buffalo chicken: Shredded chicken and hot sauce stirred into the filling turn the poppers into two-bite buffalo chicken snacks.
- Finely chop the shredded chicken and stir it into the filling with the hot sauce.
- Fill, wrap and bake as written, adding 2–3 minutes since the peppers are fuller. Serve with blue cheese dressing or ranch.
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12 slices regular-cut baconleave out - Also add
-
12 slices regular-cut baconleave out - Also add
- Also add
Estimated cost $5.48 for 6 servings ($0.91 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
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Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Set a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet.
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Wearing gloves, scrape the seeds and white ribs out of each jalapeño half with a small spoon. Leave a few ribs in if you like more heat.
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Mash the cream cheese, cheddar, green onion, garlic powder and smoked paprika until evenly combined. Fill each pepper half so the filling is level with the edges.
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Wrap each half snugly with a half-slice of bacon, tucking the ends underneath (or pin with a toothpick). Arrange on the rack, seam side down.
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Bake 20–25 minutes, until the bacon is browned and crisp and the filling is bubbling. For extra crunch, broil 1–2 minutes, watching closely. Cool 5 minutes before serving — the filling is molten.
Tips for success
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Regular-cut bacon crisps in the same time the peppers soften; if you only have thick-cut, par-bake it for 5 minutes first. - Don’t skip the gloves — capsaicin oil lingers on your skin for hours and finds its way to your eyes.
- Make ahead: assemble, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours, then add 3–4 minutes to the bake time.
Nice to have, not needed
- A jalapeño corer or grapefruit spoon makes seeding quick — a small teaspoon does the job.
- A wire rack lets the bacon crisp underneath; on a parchment-lined sheet the bottoms are just a little softer.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 2 months
Reheat: Reheat at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes, or in an air fryer, to re-crisp the bacon.
Prep tip: Freeze assembled, unbaked poppers on a tray, then bag them; bake from frozen at 400°F (200°C), adding about 10 minutes.
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes or in an air fryer to re-crisp the bacon.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosVegetarian (no bacon)
DietSkip the bacon wrap and bake the poppers under a golden Parmesan crust instead. Faster, too.
- + ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- no regular-cut bacon
3.7 g net · 163 kcal · 5.6 g protein · 14 g fat · ≈$0.74 per serving (−0.2 g net carbs vs the original)
Sausage-stuffed
ProteinBrowned Italian sausage mixed into the cream cheese filling makes a heartier popper that needs no bacon wrap.
- + 6 oz hot or mild Italian sausage
- no regular-cut bacon
4.4 g net · 232 kcal · 8.3 g protein · 20 g fat · ≈$0.91 per serving (+0.5 g net carbs vs the original)
Buffalo chicken
FlavorShredded chicken and hot sauce stirred into the filling turn the poppers into two-bite buffalo chicken snacks.
- + 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
- + 2 tbsp Louisiana-style hot sauce
3.9 g net · 282 kcal · 18 g protein · 21 g fat · ≈$1.27 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
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Pin this recipe to your keto board so it’s there when you plan next week.
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