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It snowed for the first time this winter over the weekend. And actually, the puny 6 inches that fell to the ground didn’t amount to much, considering the 15 inches we got socked with in October. 

Needless to say snow makes me crave grilled cheese. This probably goes back to my childhood where grilled cheese and tomato soup were standard fare on snowy days but on Saturday, I didn’t feel much like tomato soup. I was feeling spicy! Like, spicy grilled cheese!

Jalapeño popper grilled cheese, my friends! It was a creative sandwich I had seen on Foodgawker months ago and I filed it deep in the recesses of my brain to make another time. This was before my Pinterest boards were built, of course.

I already had a opened can of pickled jalapeños in the fridge which needed to be used up and this sandwich was the optimal way to do so. And let me tell you, I freaking loved this sandwich. 

I’m not a crazy hot and spicy lover but the pickled peppers mute the heat and I was sure to remove all of the seeds and ribs from the pepper before adding it to the sandwich.

For the cheese, surprisingly, I only had good ol’ deli-sliced yellow American cheese in the fridge, so that’s what I used. That’s usually my cheese of choice for grilled cheese anyway so I wasn’t making a sacrifice here. 

To round out the idea of actually eating a jalapeño popper inside a grilled cheese sandwich, I also slathered on some cream cheese. The cream cheese melts so nicely and if you’re a fan of jalapeño poppers stuffed with cream cheese, then THIS is the way to go for this sandwich!

With a mellow level of spice and lots of cheesiness, this sandwich was just like a really good jalapeño popper should be – leaving you craving more and more!

If you’re a jalapeño popper fan, you might also enjoy these other recipes:

 

jalapeno popper grilled cheese

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese

Yield: 2 sandwiches
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes

Jalapeño popper grilled cheese sandwiches are for any sort of spicy food fan but especially for the jalapeño poppers lovers of the world. Made with pickled jalapeños, cream cheese, and good ol' American cheese, these sandwiches are always a big hit in my house, especially on cold and blustery days.

Ingredients

  • 4 slices sandwich bread
  • Butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
  • 4 to 6 pickled whole jalapeños, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed, and patted dry
  • Sliced American cheese (or whatever cheese you choose), 2-3 slices per sandwich depending on the thickness of the cheese

Instructions

  1. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat.
  2. Lightly butter one side of all the bread slices
  3. Divide the cream cheese between two of the slices, spreading it out evenly on the un-buttered side of the bread. Lay the jalapeños halves over the cream cheese. Lay the American cheese over the jalapeños and add the second piece of bread, butter side up.
  4. Place the sandwiches in the pan and cover the pan with a lid or piece of aluminum foil; this will help to retain the heat in the pan and melt the cheese. Heat each side of the sandwich until desired darkness and until the cheese inside is melted. Slice and serve warm.

Notes

adapted from BS in the Kitchen

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Leave a Comment

  • January 23, 2012 at 7:02 AM

    Oh. My. God. Brilliant!

  • January 23, 2012 at 7:28 AM

    This is why I wish I could eat lunch at home!

  • January 23, 2012 at 8:39 AM

    I’m a sucker for grilled cheese – especially love the twist!

  • Ashalia
    January 23, 2012 at 8:43 AM

    I love to see a simple yet yummy recipe!!! Thanks for sharing:)

  • January 23, 2012 at 11:10 AM

    that looks soooo good! I know what im making for tea 😉

  • January 23, 2012 at 4:49 PM

    OMG I want this now. It warms my foodie heart 😉

  • January 23, 2012 at 7:19 PM

    Yes. This looks SO good! I’m not a big fan of super-spicy foods, but I think the pickled peppers are a great idea.

  • January 23, 2012 at 7:34 PM

    The sandwich looks great! Soooo cheesy 🙂 I like the twist with the pickled jalapenos, sounds interesting!

    – Bob

  • January 23, 2012 at 8:30 PM

    Brilliant! I can’t believe I never thought of this.

  • January 23, 2012 at 8:35 PM

    This is a go-to recipe in our house. I made them a few months ago and we fell in love. They are incredible! We roast our jalapenos under the broiler for 8 minutes and remove the skins…and use colby jack cheese, but other than that, they are the same recipe!

  • January 23, 2012 at 9:05 PM

    Ah why does everyone always post the most delicious looking grilled cheese sandwiches?! I want this. Now. Looks so good!

  • Viviann
    January 24, 2012 at 3:53 AM

    *facepalm* Why didn’t I think of that?! It’s so simple! Thanks for sharing!

  • January 24, 2012 at 2:50 PM

    I wish I could reach into the computer and grab that sandwich – Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

  • January 24, 2012 at 4:15 PM

    This looks unreal! Michael and I are huge grilled cheese fans (who isn’t?) so we’ve got to have this. YUM!

  • January 24, 2012 at 8:08 PM

    Those look delicious! Thanks for the idea!

  • January 26, 2012 at 12:00 AM

    Jalapeno poppers are one of my favorite indulgences. I must try out this sandwich version! My mouth is watering.

  • January 29, 2012 at 8:02 PM

    What a great idea! These are on the absolute top of my to-do list!

  • February 21, 2012 at 10:34 AM

    Sounds great. My kids will love this one! Here’s another to try, not as spicy.
    http://frenchtwistedwoman.com/2012/02/13/grilled-cheddar-cheese-and-kiku-apple-sandwich/

  • Jen
    May 18, 2012 at 12:49 AM

    PINNED. Thank you for sharing this recipe! This is perfect for my jalapeno-crazy boyfriend, and since the peppers are pickled, I’ll be able to handle the heat, too.

  • Mollie
    January 13, 2013 at 3:38 PM

    Not feeling well today I am wanting grilled cheese. Although I have made a simple grilled cheese many, many times, was looking for something different and came upon this. It looks amazing and has me craving jalapeno poppers! With that said, I often enjoy my poppers with raspberry jam. Perhaps a thin layer of said jam on this sammich? Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!