Habaneros pack a hefty punch of heat, shishitos taste divine when charred and bell peppers are great for stuffing with whatever leftovers we have in our fridge. But jalapeño peppers have our heart, since they’re versatile, subtly fruity and spicy without being overwhelmingly hot. Whether you like them fresh or pickled (we add the brine to everything), they can always be counted on for a pop of brightness and spice for everything from tuna salad to mac and cheese. Read on for 30 jalapeño recipes that showcase its deliciousness.
30 Jalapeño Recipes That Put the Spicy Pepper Front and Center
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Published Mar 5, 2023
1. Jalapeño-Avocado Mac and Cheese
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
Canned green chiles and a generous dose of pickled jalapeños liven up the white cheddar cheese sauce just right, while butter and avocado round out the spice.
2. Bacon Jalapeño Smashburgers
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, <10 ingredients
Behold: the most exciting chicken burger you’ll ever eat. Each patty is topped with onion and fresh jalapeño, which are smashed into the meat and browned to perfection.
3. Honeydew, Feta, Jalapeño and Lime Salad
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, no cook, <30 minutes
Yeah, cantaloupe and prosciutto are a tasty pairing…but expected. No one at the picnic will see this Insta-worthy refresher coming.
4. Fried Chicken BLT with Jalapeño Honey
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy
With jalapeños in the honey, sriracha in the mayo and hot sauce in the breading, this sammy is not for the spice averse. Save yourself some time before dinner by infusing the honey up to a week in advance.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegan
We have nothing against traditional pico, but it truly doesn’t get more refreshing than this watermelon-based condiment. Pile it onto tacos, burrito bowls or tortilla chips.
6. Cheater’s Sicilian-Style Pizza with Jalapeños and Honey
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Spicy, savory and topped with pepperoni—what more could you want in a pie? The pizza starts with store-bought focaccia, so it’s decidedly low lift.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, make ahead
This twist on hummus, created by True Food Kitchen, is as easy to prepare as it is to devour. It comes together in a food processor—no cooking required.
8. Quick and Easy Spicy Coconut Black Bean Soup
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
A whole jalapeño is blitzed with black beans and coconut milk for a touch of heat. Substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock to make it vegan.
9. Instant Pot Coconut Salmon with Fresh Herbs and Lime
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, special occasion-worthy
Who knew a few rounds of jalapeño could make a dish look so elegant? With the help of a pressure cooker, you’ll pull this impressive fish main off in 20 minutes flat.
10. Crispy, Spicy Cauliflower Tacos with Jicama-Carrot Slaw
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, special occasion-worthy
Minced jalapeños are mixed into the citrusy slaw, as well as the dairy-free cilantro crema, which is made from hemp seeds. Use rice flour and wheat-free breadcrumbs on the cauli to make the dish gluten free.
11. Cowboy Caviar
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, no cook
Since its invention in 1940s Texas, this humble side has gone viral, thanks to TikTok foodies. Cowboy caviar is basically a confetti-like mix of black-eyed peas, beans and fresh veggies in a simple vinaigrette.
12. Jalapeño Poppers with Bacon
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
Game day is woefully incomplete without these cuties on the table. Fill them with flavored cream cheese, like one peppered with scallions or pickled jalapeños, to make them even tastier.
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes (plus pickling time)
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, <10 ingredients
Prepare ’em once and you’ll never go back to the store-bought kind again. Feel free to substitute honey, agave or maple syrup for granulated sugar.
14. Salsa Verde
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegan
Broiled tomatillos, whole jalapeños and fresh cilantro make for a zingy, vibrant salsa that tastes good on just about everything. We’re talking fried fish, carne asada, nachos and beyond.
15. Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Because the only thing that could make the timeless app even tastier is buttery bread. Swap pickled peppers in for fresh to give the grilled cheese a sour tang.
16. Jalapeño-Cheddar Corn Spoon Bread
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Serve this at one summer barbecue and it’ll become an annual tradition at first bite. The bread will be peak delicious if eaten alongside pulled pork, brisket or ribs.
17. Jalapeño Lime Chicken Soup
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, one pot
Crowned with a spritz of lime, sour cream and cilantro. If you don’t finish it with crumbled tortilla chips on top, you’re missing out.
18. Honey-Jalapeño Tofu Nuggets
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, gluten free, beginner-friendly
This comforting recipe will make a tofu lover out of you. Be sure to press as much liquid out of the tofu as possible before breading it, so it turns out ridiculously crisp.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Whether you’re dunking crackers, crostini or raw celery, you’ll be tempted to scarf down the whole dish in one sitting. Overcook the bacon topping a bit so it stays extra crunchy.
21. Jalapeño Salsa
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegan, beginner-friendly, make ahead, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
Use a countertop or immersion blender to get this condiment silky smooth. To turn down the heat, use plain water in place of the jalapeño boiling liquid.
23. Chipotle Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, sheet pan recipe, special occasion-worthy
Psst, wanna know a secret? You can start with a shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken and your guests will never know the difference. Bring on the queso, por favor.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly
If you haven’t had the pleasure of supping this hominy soup, you’re in for a treat. In Mexico, many people consider it to have hangover- and cold-healing powers.
25. Mini Jalapeño Pepperoni Pizzas
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Tiny cast iron skillets are the key to baking deep-dish pizza at home. Might we suggest drizzling the pies with honey before digging in?
26. Jalapeño Popper Deviled Eggs
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy
We’ll never grow tired of this old-school hors d’oeuvre, especially when people keep dreaming up drool-worthy riffs like this. (Hello, crispy pancetta.)
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, crowd-pleaser
Forget the dry, crumbly cornbread you’ve endured in the past. Creamed corn in the batter makes this one’s texture impossibly moist.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
The iconic appetizer—in liquid form. The soup starts with jalapeños sauteed in bacon fat, so you know it’s going to be super savory and indulgent.
30. Jalapeño Bacon Ranch Mini Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Forget the wings and cheesesteaks: We lose all will power when it comes to teeny-tiny spuds loaded with cheese, bacon and ranch dip.
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
