This vegan jalapeno popper grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food! Read on for all the tips to make the best grilled cheese.
recipe originally published November 18, 2010
Table of Contents - jump to any section
- How To Make A Jalapeno Popper Sandwich
- Tips for the Best Grilled Cheese
- Vegan Sandwich Recipes
- Vegan Jalapeno Recipes
- Jalapeno Popper Sandwich Recipe
Jalapeno Popper Sandwich
Also known as My Favorite Grilled Cheese.
With good reason – the jalapeno popper is a quintessential party or game day food. I have transformed that very thing into an epic vegan jalapeno popper sandwich – gooey cream cheese poppers and melty cheese take this sandwich to new heights of comfort food.
Comfort with a bit of a spicy kick.
Spicy Grilled Cheese
We love to serve this melty sandwich while watching the game - see more of our favorite Game Day Recipes.
This vegan jalapeno popper grilled cheese is legendary among early readers of spabettie - truly a cult like following from year one. We have readers turned friends that still talk about this deliciousness. Y'all know who you are.
Enjoy any time of year. Warm summertime grilling on the patio, and that perfect winter dipper for a bowl of tomato soup.
Vegan Spicy Pepper Sandwich
The many dozens of Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese I have made in the last decade have all plant based - dairy free - vegan.
As commercial dairy free cheese continues to improve in both taste and texture, so have our Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese. The grated cheese you see melting away in these photos is Violife brand, because it is our current favorite.
You can also make your own cheese.
How To Make A Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese
For all things jalapeno, we love this jalapeño corer knife. We use it all the time.
As one might guess, this vegan Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese recipe has a bit of prep. So you are going to seed, possibly grill, slice and fill your jalapeno poppers before you even think about heating up the skillet.
If you want your jalapeno popper sandwich less spicy, remove all the seeds and grill / roast the jalapeno before filling and grilling the sandwich.
- Slice each jalapeno in half lengthwise.
- Fill each half with cream cheese.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat.
- Add (dairy free) butter to skillet to melt.
- Place each slice of bread in skillet, completely covering with melted butter.
- Add generous amounts of shredded cheese to each slice of bread.
- Arrange the filled jalapeno poppers on one slice of the bread, filling in the entire surface
- See tips below for the best methods for melting cheese.
Tips For The Best Grilled Cheese
- Choose a good bread - I love a hearty rustic bread or sourdough. Any bread will work, choose your favorite that will make a great grilled cheese.
- Use grated cheese - even better if you grate it yourself. Grated cheese melts more evenly, and with this jalapeno popper sandwich, melts down in between the peppers...
- Use (dairy free) butter - this is not the time to be oil free! Melt it in the pan or spread on outsides of each slice of bread.
- If you don't have butter, use (vegan) mayo! this is my favorite fun trick for a crispy golden grilled sandwich with rich flavor.
- Pan fry each slice of bread open faced until the bread gets golden brown and crispy and cheese is melted. Carefully flip the cheese side over on top of the cheese and jalapeno side.
- If cheese needs help melting? cover with lid to keep heat in pan.
- Another cheese melting tip: add just a few drops of water to the pan to make a steam, and cover with the lid for another minute or two. (this is at the end of cooking, after the bread is golden brown and toasted, if you need the cheese to melt.)
- For a flavorful grilled cheese, use this easy homemade vegan butter!
Vegan Sandwich Recipes
- Vegan BLT Sandwich - an easy shiitake bacon recipe is the star of this lunchtime stack! all the classic flavor we love.
- Sunrise Stack Breakfast Sandwich - tofu or scramble, cool creamy avocado, fresh ripe tomato, and perfect romesco sauce make this a breakfast you will crave.
- Caramelized Onion Kabocha Sandwich - ultimate comfort food sandwich - sweetly savory kabocha squash and caramelized onions just go together so well on a fresh soft bun.
- Epic After Holiday Sandwich - the one we wait for every year - truly epic!
- Chef’s Mojo Cubano - a favorite film inspired this vegan take on a sandwich I could not stop thinking about...
- Roasted Garlic Chickpea Salad Sandwich - the plant based version of chicken salad gets a umami update with roasted garlic!
Vegan Jalapeno Recipes
- Spicy Jalapeño Sesame Salsa - a unique flavor combination you will always want on hand.
- Pineapple Jalapeño Poppers - an often requested party favorite! sweet and salty, with a buttery crunch topping...
- Black Bean Soup - basic black bean soup gets a spicy upgrade for a quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe.
- Spicy Margarita - a spicy pepper update to everyone's favorite sipper
- Jalapeno Popper Pepper Jacks - a super fun dinner for Halloween night!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Follow spabettie on Instagram and tag us with #spabettie
We love seeing your recipe photos and remakes - thank you!
Jalapeno Popper Sandwich
the ultimate grilled cheese! serious comfort food you crave: melty cheese and spicy poppers between golden toasty bread.
Ingredients
- 1 - 2 tablespoons dairy free butter, for frying
- 2 slices bread (seen here: gluten free sourdough)
- â…“ cup grated dairy free cheese
- 3 fresh jalapeno peppers
- 2 tablespoons dairy free cream cheese
Instructions
- Cut the top from each jalapeno, and use the jalapeno corer tool to remove seeds and membranes. Alternatively, slice each jalapeno in half lengthwise and scrape out the insides with a spoon.
- Fill each of the 6 jalapeno halves with cream cheese. Set aside.
- Place a skillet on a burner over medium heat.
- Add 1 - 2 tablespoons dairy free butter to skillet to melt.
- Once butter is melted, place each slice of bread in skillet.
- Add grated cheese in an even layer on both slices of bread.
- Cover the skillet with a lid to allow the cheese to melt a bit.
- Add the jalapeno poppers (cream cheese filled jalapeno halves) face down on one slice of bread, evenly spaced to fill the surface of the bread slice.
- Return the lid to the skillet to continue cooking and melting the cheeses.
- Once fully melted and bread is golden brown, remove from heat.
- Using a spatula, carefully place the slice of bread with cheese onto the slice of bread with cheese and jalapeno poppers.
- With the spatula, remove the jalapeno popper sandwich from the skillet.
- Let rest a few minutes before slicing and enjoying!
Notes
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
Tips For The Best Grilled Cheese
- Choose a good bread - I love a hearty rustic bread or sourdough. Any bread will work, choose your favorite that will make a great grilled cheese.
- Use grated cheese - even better if you grate it yourself. Grated cheese melts more evenly, and with this jalapeno popper sandwich, melts down in between the peppers...Â
- Use (dairy free) butter - this is not the time to be oil free! Melt it in the pan or spread on outsides of each slice of bread.
- If you don't have butter, use (vegan) mayo! this is my favorite fun trick for a crispy golden grilled sandwich with rich flavor.
- Pan fry each slice of bread open faced until the bread gets golden brown and crispy and cheese is melted. Carefully flip the cheese side over on top of the cheese and jalapeno side.
- If cheese needs help melting? cover with lid to keep heat in pan.
- Another cheese melting tip: add just a few drops of water to the pan to make a steam, and cover with the lid for another minute or two. (this is at the end of cooking, after the bread is golden brown and toasted, if you need the cheese to melt.)
- For a flavorful grilled cheese, use this easy homemade vegan butter!Â
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 369Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 222mgCarbohydrates: 29gNet Carbohydrates: 24gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 22g
nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.
about Kristina:
Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more...
spabettie / Kristina Sloggett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Meg says
Bobby Flay = DREAMY haha I love him. And that sandwich looks amazing, I love jalepenos and who doesn't love cheese, right? 😉
spabettie says
we love B Flay at our house... I think I've given Jason all of his grilling cookbooks! 🙂 I know, I love jalapenos too!
Paige is Running Around Normal says
Yum!! Totally going back to this recipe when I need a lunch idea 🙂
spabettie says
oh good !! 🙂 ENJOY !!
Catherine @ Life 2.0 says
OMG, I think this is the best idea I have ever seen! I'm stopping by the grocery on the way home and making this tonight! You are amazing!
spabettie says
AWESOME Catherine!! 🙂 (and thanks!!) I hope you LOVE it... let me know!
kalin says
i adore cream cheese on grilled sammies, and i always forget to put it on. sooo good!
spabettie says
me too... in wraps, too... since I'm not a big mayo fan, cream cheese is perfect!
Liz says
Oh my gosh, this sandwich looks amazing!! Seriously, it's making me hungry. Okay. My fave Food Network chef? Hard to choose. I love Alton Brown's wit, but how can you not dream of being the Barefoot Contessa? And I'd like to have the Italian cooking skills (and looks) of Giada. Oh, and Bobby and Tyler are cuties. Haha, I could go on and on...
spabettie says
yes yes and yes, I agree with you on all of these points... and I'll add Jason's FN girlfriend, Nigella. 😉
nocemoscata says
Wow, it seems really delicious! You're great! 😀 Sandwiches are one of my typical comfort and tv food. Maybe sometimes I skip the butter part because I'd like to be 'light', but I know well that butter or olive oil is what makes a sandwich a comfort food! XD
spabettie says
yes, I think that is what turns it into comfort food!! 🙂 I love sandwiches in general, even cold deli sandwiches and wraps...
Katie @ Healthy Heddleston says
I think mac and cheese is a great comfort food but I don't really eat it too much.
By the way, I didn't see you in my spam folder so you are good on the healthy heddleston site 🙂
Katie @ Healthy Heddleston says
Oh and I really like Michael Symon since he's from Cleveland and has many awesome restaurants!
spabettie says
I like him too!! Did you do a blog post sorta recently about his restaurant?? I saw somewhere... his menu looks GOOD and I like his stance on "no substitutions"... chefs blend flavors for a reason, I totally understand not wanting to mess with it! 😀
spabettie says
thanks for checking on the spam... it isn't happening EVERYWHERE, thank goodness! 🙂 mac & cheese is definitely comfort food... and I don't eat it much either... kinda like this sandwich! 😀
hbobier says
I love soup! So warm and comforting, especially when it gets so dang cold here.
As for fave chef? I really like Chris Chris Cosentino. I don't even know if he has a show anymore, but yeah. He's a lot of fun to watch.
spabettie says
I like Cosentino also!! I love the Chef Vs City show... soup is a GOOD comfort / warming food... I LOVE it!
Shannon [Tropical Eats] says
man i really wish i had cable!!! bet the episode was awesome last night. i kept up with her tweets to figure out what was going on lol.
That's one good lookin sammich! My fave FN chef is definitely bobby flay.. he is dreamy (heheh)
spabettie says
hee!! everyone says he's dreamy. he's not BAD to look at, I suppose! 😉 we love his cooking! and we went to MESA Grill a couple years ago... YUM. It was a fun episode - I can't wait to see her blog about it!
Lisa @ I'm an Okie says
now that looks delightful!
spabettie says
mmm, yep!! it was, absolutely. hope you are having a great day today, Lisa! XO