Baked Jalapeño Poppers

All the goodness of a classic Jalapeño Popper without the frying, it's a win-win!

Finger. Lickin’. Good. That’s pretty much all I have to say about these Baked Jalapeño Poppers. I should also give fair warning that you’ll be wishing you’d doubled the recipe if you’re serving more than just yourself. Three of us fought tooth and nail over these and I’ll be making them again before the week is out!

To give these an extra punch of flavor without having to do lots of chopping, I added salsa verde to the cheesy mix. I picked a mild one because the jalapeños had enough heat, but if you like it spicy 🌶 🔥 then go for the hot stuff!

Xoxo Kirsty

Ingredients for 12 poppers

• 6 jalapeño peppers

• 4 oz (115g) cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1/3 cup (40g) shredded cheese, Monterey Jack or cheddar

• 3 tablespoons mild salsa verde

• 6 strips of bacon

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice the jalapeño peppers in half lengthways. Use a paring knife to remove the stems, seeds and ribs. If you love spicy food, leave the seeds and ribs in!

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese and salsa. Divide the mixture amongst the jalapeños.

Slice the bacon strips in half lengthways and wrap each strip around a jalapeño half. Place the wrapped peppers cheese-side up on the baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the bacon looks crispy. Dive in!