Easy & Mild Jalapeño Popper Dip

Whether you’re looking for the perfect snack for game day or an easy appetizer for your next party, this Mild Jalapeño Popper Dip is about to become your go-to recipe.

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Pass the Dip Please!

I may be biased but I think the best part of any party is the food, especially a football or Super Bowl party! You can always find me near the snack table at these events. There’s just something about watching sports and eating wings, dips & pigs in a blanket. The two just go hand in hand!

So, if you’re going to your next game day party and looking for the perfect easy dish to bring, this is for you! This low maintenance and quick recipe comes together in less than an hour and yields an addicting result. A few great things about this Jalapeño Popper Dip are that it’s filling without being too heavy, gluten-free, and mild! Not everyone can handle spice, and I’m definitely in this category. So if you’re like me and love the flavors of jalapeños but not the heat, this dish is perfect for you.

What’s in a Jalapeño Popper Dip?

This dip is derived of the classic bar snack, the jalapeño popper. While there are a lot of different variations of this appetizer, the classic jalapeño popper consists of a sliced jalapeño stuffed with cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Sometimes the jalapeño is then wrapped in a slice of bacon before being cooked. Other time, the jalapeño isn’t sliced in half and instead is hollowed out and stuffed, then fried. Like I said, there are some many delicious variations!

So, let’s talk about the dip. Much like its origin, the dip has countless different varieties as well. The common theme is a mixture of roasted and diced jalapeños, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese. Green chilis, breadcrumbs, bacon, and mayonnaise are all potential additions. Again, it really just depends on where you go and the recipe itself as to what’s in it.

What’s in MY Recipe?

Now that we’ve covered the basics, you may be wondering… how is this recipe different?

For starters, this dish is perfect if – you’re like me – and have a low tolerance for heat. Unlike other recipes, this dish has no green chilis to add additional spice. Plus, the jalapeño to cheese ratio is skewed towards the cheese! So, this dip is much more mild compared to others. Second, while you can’t have jalapeño popper dip without cream cheese, this recipe uses very little. To balance out the heaviness of the cream cheese paired with more cheese, Greek yogurt is used! Greek yogurt is great in this recipe because it gives the dip a bit of tang and keeps an otherwise heavy dish on the lighter side.

There are a few other differences in this recipe compared to classics that make it addicting! I’m a firm believer that you can’t have jalapeño popper dip without bacon! Let’s be honest, bacon just makes everything better. But the big difference here is one of the last steps of this recipe. You may notice from the pictures that the top looks crunchy and broiled with a creamy interior. This crunchy top is a combination of parmesan cheese, gluten-free breadcrumbs, and melted butter! When combined and then baked, it gives the dip a thin but crispy exterior. Trust me when I say that this addition really ties the whole dish together!

The Jalapeños

Before we can get to the dip, we have to address the star of the dish! While the jalapeños will be incorporated into the dip later in this recipe, they first need to be roasted. Before they can be roasted though, they first need to be prepared. If you’ve bit into a jalapeño before, then you know the seeds are where most of the heat is. Start by slicing the jalapeño in half, lengthwise. Then, cut off the stem and carefully remove the seeds from the center of the vegetable. Once the seeds are removed, wash the jalapeño and then dice. Repeat this process with a total of four jalapeños (six if you’re feel adventurers).

Next, add the diced jalapeños to a small bowl. When it comes to seasoning them, we’re going to keep it light so that the natural flavor of the jalapeño can really shine. Add two teaspoons of olive oil to the bowl with one teaspoon of lime juice, and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix in the bowl, then spread across a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. We’re going to bake the jalapeños for 15 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roasting the peppers will soften them so that there’s no crunch from the peppers in the dip.

The Filling of the Dip

Once the jalapeños are roasted and cooling, it’s time to make the dip itself! Take a large bowl and add the diced jalapeños to it. Then, add six ounces of room temperature cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese is a bit softened so that it will be easier to mix. Next, add one and a half cups of plain Greek yogurt, one tablespoon of lime juice, one grated garlic clove, two cups of shredded cheddar cheese, and three fourths cup of grated parmesan. The final ingredient for this dip is the bacon- we can’t forget that!

To make the bacon, take two large strips and dice into bite-sized pieces. Then, add the bacon to a small pot and cook over medium heat for a little less than five minutes. Use a spatula to continuously move the bacon to prevent burning. Once the bacon begins to firm up and become a darker pink/ brown color, remove from heat. Allow the bacon to cool before adding to the dip. When the bacon has cooled completely, stir it into the dip. Finally, transfer the dip to a 9″ by 9″ baking dish.

The Final Step

Don’t worry, we’re almost done! The last thing to do before we cook this jalapeño popper dip is to make the topping. Start by pouring one cup of gluten-free breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Then, add one fourth cup of shredded parmesan cheese and four tablespoons of melted butter. Mix the ingredients in the bowl, then spread a thin layer over the dip. As much as possible, try to create an even layer. If the mixture begins to clump over the dip, use a fork to break it up and disperse it.

Once the mixture is over the jalapeño popper dip, it’s finally time to cook it! Pop the dip in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Before pulling the dip out, broil it on high for three minutes. This final step will create that golden finish on the dip. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this step! Once broiled to perfection, turn off the oven and allow the dip to cool for five to ten minutes before serving. Serve with toasted gluten-free crostinis and enjoy!