Jalapeño poppers are the perfect crunchy appetizer – the only problem is finding something to eat with them! That’s why I’ve broken up this article into different sections.
These sections cover what sauces work best with jalapeño poppers, what meats go with jalapeño poppers, and what sides to eat with jalapeño poppers.
And don’t worry if you’re asking about a certain type of jalapeño popper, I’ve got it all covered here! From classic breaded cheese to bacon-wrapped jalapeños, there’s something for every shape, flavor, and size of pepper!
I’ve added a table at the end with different sauces, poppers, and meats that you can mix and match to pair together! In addition to this, I’ve added a list of meatless sides that you can have a look at.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to find exactly what you’re looking for!
Table of Contents
Types Of Jalapeño Popper
Jalapeño poppers come with all sorts of fillings and shapes. But store-bought or fast food poppers are usually a little different from homemade, being more of a hybrid between cheeseballs and popper.
Rather than breading and frying like you would a cheese ball, homemade poppers are made by stuffing halved jalapenos with fillings. Some people wrap theirs in bacon, while others opt to cover their jalapeño with a light dusting of breadcrumbs (this works especially well in cheese-filled poppers).
Some people like to make jalapeño poppers with a little meat inside, while others opt to wrap the jalapeño in bacon.
A great way to get some ideas for pairing foods is by making them yourself! This way, you can customize everything to match just so. If you’re interested in making your own jalapeño poppers, I’ve put a list of different ideas below! But before you get started, make sure to figure out which color and variety of jalapeño is right for you.
Jalapeño Popper Filling Ideas:
- RedLeicester
- Try making jalapeño poppers with a red Leicester cheese for a spicy twist on red Leicester melts!
- CreamCheese
- Another variation of the cheddar cheese popper, cream cheese jalapeño poppers are guaranteed to add that extra layer of gooey decadence.
- Bacon
- An easy way to upgrade your breadcrumb-topped jalapeño popper is to wrap it with bacon instead! If you haven’t tried this classic, now is a great time to start.
- Rajas Con Crema Poppers
- Traditionally made with poblano chiles in heavy cream, butter and onions, you can change things up by swapping out jalapeños for Poblanos and making a crema sauce for filling!
- Mushrooms
- Mushroom jalapeño poppers are great for any veggies that want to try a different filling! They bring out some comforting, earthy flavors and save you from having to choose between jalapeño poppers or stuffed mushrooms.
- GroundBeef
- Ground beef is an excellent choice of filling that pairs well with any side or sauce (but especially some sweet Thai chili – YUM!)
- Lingüiça
- Lingüiça jalapeño poppers may not be on your radar, but I promise you they’re worth trying. Lingüiças – referring to traditional Brazilian sausages – make a great filling to pair with some of the hotter sauces available.
- Buffalo Chicken
- Buffalo chicken jalapeño poppers combine two American favorites into one dish!
- Chipotle
- Chipotle poppers are a return to the jalapeño popper’s roots. Mix some chipotle into your breadcrumbs for a classic appetizer with a smokey kick. Plus, its jalapeño over jalapeño! Surely you can’t go wrong with that. To really crank up that fog machine, you can even add some smoked bacon.
Now, that you’re ready to make some jalapeño poppers, scroll down and see what you can serve with your bacon-wrapped jalapeños!
What To Pair With Jalapeño Poppers?
What Sauces Go Good With Jalapeño Poppers?
It’s easy to get caught up in trying to pair your dish with a good sauce to fit your sides. The good news is that I spent some time researching sauces that go well with jalapeño poppers so you don’t have to! Here’s a list of some of the best sauces to eat with jalapeno poppers:
Sauces To Eat With Jalapeño Poppers
| Sour cream Garlic aioli Garlic Mayo Ranch Lime-cilantro dip | Queso Barbecue sauce Chipotle Thai sweet chili sauce Tabasco sauces* |
Side Dishes that Go Good with Jalapeño Poppers
All Apps!
- Bruschetta
- Mozzarella sticks
- Cubed cassava fries
- Bloomin’ onion
- Garlic bread
- Chicken wings
- Nachos
- Patatas Bravas
- Empanadas/empadas
Classic Sides
- Coleslaw
- Mac n’ cheese
- Grilled vegetable skewers
- Grilled chicken
- Corn on the cob
- Beet salad
- Collard greens
- Southern-style rum baked beans
- Whipped cream corn salad
All ‘Taters
- Potato salad
- Oven-baked rosemary-butter baby potatoes
- Semolina roast potatoes
- Tater tots
- Fries
- Baked Idaho Potatoes
- Crispy diced potatoes
Latin
- Empanadas
- Rice and beans
- Tacos
- Stovetop Quesadillas
- Pastel salgado
- Farofa
- Pernil
- Chili con carne
Pairing Table
For the best results, mix and match on this table to find different flavours that compliment each other. Some more sides are listed below!
| Sauces | Poppers | Meats | |
| Mild | Garlic aioli, garlic mayo, sour cream, queso dip, lime-cilantro dip, ranch, artichoke dip | Red leicester poppers, cream cheese poppers, bacon wrapped poppers, mushroom poppers, ground beef poppers | Chicken kebab, chicken breast, pan-seared beef, turkish lamb kebab |
| Sweet and hot | Thai sweet chili sauce | Lingüiça poppers, bacon wrapped poppers | Stir fried sweet chili beef, buffalo wings (zesty), sweet chili meatballs, spiced lamb or beef shish kofta |
| Hot | Tabasco | Buffalo chicken poppers, lingüiça poppers | Chili con carne, hot wings, jerk chicken, buffalo wings |
| Smokey | Tabasco, chipotle, barbecue sauce | Buffalo chicken poppers, lingüiça poppers, chipotle poppers, smoked bacon wrapped poppers | Chargrilled chicken, barbecued beef cuts, chili con carne |
Get Making!
Whether you choose the spiciest tabasco or the mildest aioli for your jalapeño poppers, I sincerely hope that this article has helped you find the right pairing for your dish. If you’re cooking the sides yourself, try to take some time to experiment with different ideas and find what works best for your tastes! And of course, remember to make sure that any leftover stuffed peppers are reheated safely.
So, what are you waiting for? Get on out there and start cooking!
