Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas is an appetizer made with flour tortillas filled with a cheesy mixture, bacon, and jalapeno peppers for a little kick in every bite. If this sounds good to you, be sure to try my Bacon Jalapeno Poppers Stuffed with Cream Cheese.
JALAPENO POPPER QUESADILLAS
I have many jalapeno popper inspired recipes from my Jalapeno Popper Dip to Jalapeno Popper Rolls, just to name a few. So, why not add another recipe to the list? These quesadillas give you the taste and crunch of the jalapeno pepper in every bite, along with the cream cheese mixture and bacon. If the peppers scare you a bit, I will let you know how to choose jalapeno peppers with different levels of heat.
QUESADILLAS INGREDIENTS
Tortillas: Flour tortillas are great for quesadillas. In fact, you can make your own homemade tortillas if you feel motivated!
Bacon: You will only need 4 strips of bacon for this recipe. Use the rest of the bacon for other appetizers like my Bacon and Cheese Dip and Cheesy Bacon Chicken Pinwheels.
Jalapeno Peppers: There is a jalapeno flavor in each bite of these quesadillas. Below, I explain how to choose jalapeno peppers based on your heat tolerance of the peppers.
Cheese: I used a blend of cheeses, including cream cheese (of course) in the filling.
Seasonings: Common seasonings of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper were added to the filling.
HOW TO KNOW IF A JALAPENO PEPPER IS SPICY
If you are like me and you like things a little spicy, you have been the recipient of the jalapeno that had no kick. On the flip side, you may have had the jalapeno that tasted like a ghost pepper. So, how you can you tell if the jalapeno is spicy? The older the pepper, the spicier it will be. Looking at a pepper, the older ones will have stress marks, like little white lines or flecks on the flesh. The younger (less spicy) peppers will have clear, shiny flesh. So if you like them hot, pick the older pepper and if you like the mild, pick the younger one.
HOW TO MAKE JALAPENO POPPER QUESADILLAS
To get started making this appetizer, first, heat up a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon. While the bacon is cooking, mix together the cheesy filling and set it aside. With just a few minutes left of cooking the bacon, add the seeded and diced jalapeno peppers to the skillet to cook with the bacon for the final few minutes.
Next, remove the bacon from the skillet and let it drain on a paper towel. Add the jalapeno peppers to the cream cheese mixture. Once the bacon has cooled a bit, chop it up and add that to the cheese mixture as well.
With the filling ready to go, it’s time to make the quesadillas. Place a tortilla into the same skillet you cooked the bacon and peppers. Spread about half of a cup of the mixture onto the quesadilla and fold the tortilla in half. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with the other tortilla. Cut and serve.
CAN I MAKE THESE QUESADILLAS IN AN AIR FRYER?
Yes! To make the jalapeno popper quesadillas in an air fryer, follow the first six instructions. Then, spread the cream cheese mixture over one side of the tortilla. Fold it in half and spray the quesadilla with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil. (You may want to heat up the tortilla for a few seconds before filling and folding to prevent cracking.) Place the quesadilla in the basket of your air fryer and cook for about 8 minutes at 400°F.
Ingredients
- 2 large flour tortillas, burrito size
- 4 strips bacon
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
- 4 ounces (½ block) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add bacon and cook until almost crispy.
- While the bacon is cooking, mix together the cream cheese, shredded cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In the final 2-3 minutes of cooking the bacon, add the chopped jalapenos to the skillet to cook with the bacon.
- When done, remove the skillet from the heat and place the bacon on a paper towel to drain.
- Add the jalapenos to the cream cheese mixture.
- When the bacon has cooled enough to touch, roughly chop it into pieces. Add the bacon to the cream cheese mixture.
- To the same skillet over medium heat (do not wipe out the skillet), place a tortilla.
- Add half of the cream cheese filling (about ½ cup) to the tortilla. You may need a spatula to help spread out the mixture.
- Fold the tortilla in half and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until slightly browned. Repeat with the second tortilla and filling.
- Cut and serve immediately.
