Made with Greek yogurt for a protein boost and pickled jalapeños for a flavor kick, this Jalapeño Popper Dip is perfect for gameday.
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It’s a well-established fact that the best part of the Super Bowl is the snacks. I couldn’t let football season pass us by completely without sharing this gorgeous Pickled Jalapeño Popper Dip. For this recipe, I used my Healthier Jalapeño Popper recipe as inspiration but added a little twist by using pickled jalapeños from a jar for maximum flavor. I promise this dip will be the star of the show!
Why This Jalapeño Popper Dip Works
- Pickled Jalapeños: Choosing pickled peppers over the fresh variety amps the flavor way up and creates a necessary nuance and depth. You can choose to purchase mild or hot varieties depending on your spice tolerance. You’ll want to drain these babies very well and pat them dry before dicing, as too much brine can cause the cheese mixture to curdle (no thank you!).
- Just Enough Cheese: This recipe prioritizes deliciousness without overdoing it on the heavy dairy. I use Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream and mayonnaise that’s traditional in these types of dishes, and limit the cheddar to just over a cup.
- The Breadcrumb Topping: This out of this world buttery breadcrumb situation shows up in a couple of my other recipes (see my Pumpkin Mac and Cheese and Tuna Casserole Stuffed Peppers). It’s just a bit buttery, crispy, cheesy, and golden brown. Perfect in every way. I wouldn’t change a thing about her.
Keys for Success
- Mise en Place: In other words, everything in its place. Go ahead and prepare your veggies, cheese, and other components before you start cooking. Things will come together more smoothly this way.
- The Cast Iron Skillet of It All: I strongly prefer using an 8 or ten-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe, as it makes the stove top to oven process super simple. However, if you don’t have one, you can simply use a medium saucepan to heat the cheese dip before transferring to a prepared 9×9 or 7×11 baking dish.
- Gentle Heat: It’s tempting to turn that heat way up to cook this dip more quickly, but I do not recommend it. Heat the cream cheese and yogurt gently over medium-low so the dairy doesn’t curdle. Similarly, allow the dip to bake at 375° F until golden brown and bubbling. This helps to maintain the dairy integrity of the dip.
I hope this Pickled Jalapeno Popper Dip is the star of your Super Bowl party! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and review as this helps enormously with Google rankings. It also warms my little heart to hear what you have to say. You can always connect with me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest!
More Amazing Game Day Recipes
- Roasted Carrot Pistachio White Bean Dip
- Healthier Caramelized French Onion Dip
- The Best Vegan Queso
- Maple Sriracha Cauliflower Wings
- Incredible Vegetarian French Onion Pizza
- The Best Vegan Creamy White Chili
Pickled Jalapeño Popper Dip
Made with Greek yogurt for a protein boost and pickled jalapeños for a flavor kick, this Jalapeño Popper Dip is perfect for gameday.
Equipment
- medium cast iron skillet (or medium saucepan and 9×9 or 7×11 baking dish)
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
Ingredients
- 1 8-oz block cream cheese cut into 8 cubes
- 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1¼ cup sharp white cheddar cheese freshly grated and divided
- 1 12-oz jar pickled jalapeños well-drained, patted dry, and roughly chopped (reserve 8-12 jalapeño rounds for the top of the dip)
- ¼ cup green onions (green parts only) finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (ensure vegan as needed)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp salted butter melted
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs gluten-free if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. For the easiest, cooking experience, I recommend preparing all components before you get started as this recipe moves rather quickly. In other words, drain and dice the jalapeños, chop the green onions, mince the garlic, grate the cheese, and melt the butter. This is called "mise en place" (putting in place) and basically means you're setting everything up before cooking.
- Heat a seasoned cast iron skillet or medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cut cream cheese into 8 cubes and add to the skillet, whisking consistently until fully melted. Fold in Greek yogurt until fully incorporated and warmed. Add ¼ cup of the freshly grated white cheddar cheese and fold until completely melted.
- At this point, fold in diced pickled jalapeños, finely chopped green onions, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix until combined and gently warmed through. If you're not using a cast iron skillet, you'll want to transfer this mixture to a prepared 9×9 or 7×11 baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, toss remaining cup of cheddar cheese with the breadcrumbs and melted butter. Evenly distribute across the top of the cheese dip.
- Transfer the cast iron skillet from the stove to the pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the dip is bubbling and that gorgeous breadcrumb topping is golden brown. The dip may take longer to bake if you're using a baking dish rather than a cast iron skillet.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, crostini, carrot sticks and celery, whatever your heart desires!
Notes
Storage: Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can re-heat in the microwave or in the oven in an oven-safe baking dish on 350° F until warmed through (about 15 minutes or so). To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs
Photography by Hope Agresti
