Cheesy Jalapeño Poppers with Sausage
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Cheesy, spicy, rich, and perfectly seasoned. These jalapeño poppers with sausage, cheddar cheese, and BBQ seasoning are about to become your new favorite appetizer. You can throw them on the grill in the summer for a smoky snack, or bake them up in the oven to keep things quick and easy. Serve them with beer and you’re ready to party!
I’m hesitant to say that we’re officially in spring, but I did leave the house without a jacket today and I’m in a constant state of “am I sick or is it just allergies?”. So it might actually be happening, friends. But hopefully I’m not jinxing us all by uncovering my grill, guess we’ll see!
The end of soup season is always a little sad for me because it’s my favorite time of the year. But with the end of soup season comes the beginning of grill season so it’s a good trade off. And this year, I’m kicking things off with jalapeño poppers which just scream “warm weather” to me.
I first learned how to make jalapeño poppers when I was in culinary school, and we added bacon to the filling like I do in my slow cooker jalapeño popper dip. But I actually like using sausage these days because it’s a little cozier, heartier, and the hint of spice is amazing with the cream cheese and BBQ seasoning!
I also like to grill the poppers for a little smokiness. But don’t stress, cause just like these jalapeño popper pinwheels, you can also bake them in the oven for year-round snacking.
Breakfast or Italian sausage
I’ve made this recipe with breakfast sausage, hot Italian sausage, and sweet Italian sausage and all three are amazing! Just make sure you’re using ground sausage and not a smoked sausage like Kielbasa. And don’t forget to remove the casings!
In this recipe, we’re cooking the sausage until it’s caramelized on the edges, which gives the poppers lots of extra flavor.
How to prep the peppers
To prep the jalapeños, you’ll want to start by cutting the peppers in half lengthwise. I like to keep the stems on as a little handle, but you can cut it off if you want. Then, just use a teaspoon to scoop out all of the seeds and ribs. Feel free to leave some of the seeds in there for a little extra heat!
If you’re impatient like me, you can also just use your fingers to pull out the seeds and ribs (a.k.a. the white, spongey insides of the pepper). Just make sure you’re using gloves or you’ll end up with spicy fingers which I can tell you from experience is absolutely no fun.
Make the filling
Bake or grill
- Bake – place the poppers on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400°F (204°C) for 16-20 minutes.
- Grill – heat the grill to 400-425°F (204-218°C). Grease the grill with neutral oil and place the poppers in a single layer. Grill for 6-10 minutes, until the peppers are softened and lightly charred.
Sriracha ranch
A make-ahead option
I’ve found that these poppers hold up super well in the fridge! Just fill them, cover the poppers with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let the poppers come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before you grill or bake them.
Storing & reheating tips
To store leftovers, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. You can reheat them in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for 10-15 minutes, until hot. Just make sure to cover them with foil so the cheese doesn’t burn!
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Quick & Easy Jalapeño Poppers with Sausage
Ingredients
Sausage Jalapeño Poppers
- 12 large jalapeños
- 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
- 226 grams ground pork sausage, casings removed (1/2 pound)
- 226 grams full-fat cream cheese, softened (8 ounces)
- 100 grams freshly-shredded sharp cheddar cheese (1 cup)
- 16 grams everything BBQ rub or store-bought (2 Tablespoons)
- 10 grams minced green onions or chives, plus more for garnish (2 Tablespoons)
- Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Sriracha Ranch
- 112 grams good-quality ranch dressing (1/2 cup)
- 30 grams Sriracha (2 Tablespoons)
Instructions
Sausage Jalapeño Poppers
- Preheat the grill to 400-425°F (204-218°C). If you're baking the poppers, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the jalapeños in half length-wise through the stem. You can remove the stems if you'd like, but I usually leave them attached as a little handle. Then, use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds & ribs. Feel free to leave some of the seeds in the peppers for extra spice.
- Next, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink and has caramelized spots on the edges. Transfer the sausage crumbles to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any extra grease. Once it's cooled, chop the sausage into small crumbles.
- In a large bowl, combine the sausage crumbles, cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, BBQ rub, and green onions. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Then, using a hand mixer, stand mixer, or rubber spatula, mix the filling until it's well-combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Use a rubber spatula or butter knife to evenly spread the filling between the halved jalapeños.
- Grill – grease the grates of the grill with neutral oil. Line the jalapeño poppers on the grill and bake for 6-10 minutes, until the filling is melty and the jalapeños are slightly softened. Sprinkle with extra green onions or chives, for garnish.Bake – place the poppers in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 16-20 minutes, until the peppers are softened and the filling is bubbly. Garnish with extra green onions or chives.
Sriracha Ranch
- Combine the ranch dressing and Sriracha in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Taste and add more Sriracha, if desired. Serve the Sriracha ranch with the warm jalapeño poppers and enjoy!
