Jalapeño Popper Dip (Options for Dairy and Dairy-Free)
This Jalapeño Popper Dip is the perfect appetizer to serve for Game Day and can conveniently be prepared ahead of time and baked up right before serving! It has all the classic flavor of Jalapeño Poppers without having to individually make them and can be made with or without dairy.
Servings: 6 -8
Ingredients
Dairy Version:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
- 1 cup chopped baby kale optional
- ½ cup pickled jalapenos drained and chopped (see note)
- 3 slices bacon cooked and crumbled, divided
- 2 green onions sliced thin, divided
Dairy-Free Version:
- 1-1/4 cups cashews for cashew cream, see this post for directions
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chopped baby kale optional
- ½ cup pickled jalapenos drained and chopped
- 3 slices bacon cooked and crumbled, divided (optional)
- 2 green onions sliced thin, divided
Instructions
Dairy Version:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and grease a 3-cup oven-safe baking dish.
- In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in mayo and slowly mix together on low speed until fully combined (do not overmix or the mixture will separate).
- Add in garlic powder, salt and pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and kale. Set aside a few pieces of the jalapeno, bacon and green onion and place the remaining inside of the cream cheese mixture and mix on low until fully combined.
- Place mixture inside of prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining set aside bacon and jalapeno and cheese.
- Bake at 400 until the cheese is bubbly and melted, about 20 minutes.
- Top with remaining green onions and serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetable crudite.
Dairy-Free Version:
- Make cashew cream (with increased amount of cashews).
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and grease a 3-cup oven-safe baking dish.
- In a bowl whisk together cashew cream and mayo, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until combined.
- Add the kale to the bowl. Set aside a few pieces of the jalapeno, bacon and green onion and place the remaining and the inside of the cashew cream mixture, and combine.
- Place mixture inside of prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining jalapeno and bacon
- Bake until heated through (you can check by inserting a butter knife in the center and checking to see if the mixture is hot), about 18 minutes.
- Top with remaining green onions and serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetable crudite.
Dairy Version:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and grease a 3-cup oven-safe baking dish.
- In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in mayo and slowly mix together on low speed until fully combined (do not overmix or the mixture will separate).
- Add in garlic powder, salt and pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and kale. Set aside a few pieces of the jalapeno, bacon and green onion and place the remaining inside of the cream cheese mixture and mix on low until fully combined.
- Place mixture inside of prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining set aside bacon and jalapeno and cheese.
- Bake at 400 until the cheese is bubbly and melted, about 20 minutes.
- Top with remaining green onions and serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetable crudite.
Dairy-Free Version:
- Make cashew cream (with increased amount of cashews).
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and grease a 3-cup oven-safe baking dish.
- In a bowl whisk together cashew cream and mayo, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until combined.
- Add the kale to the bowl. Set aside a few pieces of the jalapeno, bacon and green onion and place the remaining and the inside of the cashew cream mixture, and combine.
- Place mixture inside of prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining jalapeno and bacon
- Bake until heated through (you can check by inserting a butter knife in the center and checking to see if the mixture is hot), about 18 minutes.
- Top with remaining green onions and serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetable crudite.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD: You can make this up to two days ahead without baking, and then bake when ready. You may need to add a couple of extra minutes cook time.
If you like things spicy, you can up the jalepenos to ⅔ cups
If you aren’t including the bacon increase the salt to ½ teaspoon in dairy version.
For dairy-free version check out this post for more information to make cashew cream. You’ll need to increase the amount slightly to get the correct amount for this recipe with a ratio of 1-¼ cups cashews to ½ cup of water.
To double either of these versions to feed a large crowd simply double all of the ingredients and cook for about 10 minutes longer.
To make this vegetarian leave out the bacon.
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.6g | Protein: 6.5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3.3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 424mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 2.4g