Spicy Jalapeño Popper Soup with Grilled Cheese Dippers
Creamy, Cheesy, Spicy—and Totally Addictive. 🧀🌶️🍲 If you love the heat and flavor of jalapeño poppers, this soup is your next obsession. It’s rich, creamy, loaded with smoky bacon and roasted jalapeños—and finished with melty cheddar and a swirl of cream cheese for that signature popper vibe. Add buttery grilled cheese dippers on the side, and you’ve got the ultimate cold-weather comfort meal, made for dipping, dunking, and devouring. With clean, high-quality ingredients from Passanante’s Home Food Service, this crowd-pleaser comes together effortlessly—and tastes even better the next day (if there are leftovers!).
Ingredients:
For the Soup:
- 1 lb Passanante’s thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 2–3 fresh jalapeños, seeded and diced (leave seeds in for more heat)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Optional: ¼ tsp smoked paprika or cayenne
Toppings:
- Extra shredded cheese
- Crumbled bacon
- Sliced green onions
- Extra jalapeños
For the Grilled Cheese Dippers:
- 4 slices of sandwich bread or sourdough
- 4 slices cheddar or American cheese
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
How to Make It:
1. Cook the Bacon
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 1 tbsp of bacon grease in the pot.
2. Sauté the Veggies
Add diced jalapeños and chopped onion to the bacon drippings. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
3. Simmer the Base
Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add softened cream cheese and stir until fully melted and smooth.
4. Add the Cheese & Cream
Reduce heat to low. Stir in cheddar cheese, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika or cayenne if using. Simmer 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
5. Blend for Creaminess (Optional)
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup partially (or fully, if preferred). This gives it a thick, velvety texture.
6. Make the Grilled Cheese Dippers
Butter the outside of each slice of bread. Place cheese between slices and cook in a skillet over medium heat until golden and melty. Slice into strips for dipping.
7. Serve & Garnish
Ladle soup into bowls and top with crumbled bacon, extra cheese, jalapeños, and green onions. Serve with grilled cheese dippers on the side.
🧡 Passanante’s Tip:
- Make Ahead: Soup stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer Friendly: Freeze in airtight containers without toppings for up to 2 months.
- Reheat Tip: Reheat gently on the stovetop and add a splash of cream to loosen the texture if needed.
