Stuffed jalapenos are a beloved bar snack for good reason, and they can certainly make jalapeños much more approachable, toning down the spiciness a bit with cheese, breadcrumbs, and butter. “Stuffing jalapenos can be delicious, adding a variety of flavors and textures,” says Alex Serena, who cites cream cheese, cheddar, bacon bits, and spices as a popular stuffing combination. “Another favorite is to fill them with ground beef, rice and seasonings,” he adds. Morgan de Paulo, for her part, suggests melting chorizo and mixing it with cream cheese. “Add some cotija and fresh herbs (green onion, cilantro, etc.) and other ingredients that blend with the jalapeño,” he adds, noting that you can then bread them, fry them, or air fry them and serve the spicy bites. He can even wrap them in dough to make mummy-wrapped stuffed jalapenos, perfect for Halloween.
But these approaches can be a bit divisive among our experts, firstly because they are not so traditional. “Traditionally, poblanos are the stuffed chiles in Mexican culture,” says De Paulo, and most of our chefs note that they rarely stuff jalapenos at home. “I love the simple, green, vegetal, spicy flavor of a plain jalapeño,” says James Wozniuk, “but I wouldn’t shy away from one stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon either!” Hector Romero agrees. “The truth is that I prefer the natural flavor, raw or as an ingredient in a cooked preparation.”
