Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (2024)

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by Alea Milham 67 Comments

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I wanted to create an epic side dish for a Game Day Party. I combined the elements of a casserole and a dip together to create thisJalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe.

Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (1)Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (2)

I took my Jalapeno Popper Dip Recipe and altered it a bit and then layered it over tater tots to create an incredibly delicious and slightly addictive Jalapeno PopperTater Tot Casserole!

The great thing about this Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipeis that it is perfect as a hearty game day appetizer, a potluck side dish, or a fun brunch recipe. Really you can make up any excuse, and we have, to serve this jalapeno popper casserole.

Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened at room temperature.
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups Mexican Cheddar Jack Shredded Cheese, divided
  • 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 6 Jalapeno Peppers, deseeded and diced
  • 1 – 2 lb. bag of tater tots
  • 6 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Line a casserole dish with tater tots. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
  3. While the tater tots are baking, cook bacon, blot fat away, and crumble into small pieces. Dice the peppers and slice the onions.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, 1½ cups of Cheddar jack cheese, bacon (save a little bit for the topping), diced Jalapeno peppers, and most of the sliced onions (save a few for the top). Stir to thoroughly combine ingredients.
  5. Spread the jalapeno mixture over the top of the tater tots.
  6. Top with remaining ½ cup of cheese. Sprinkle the extra bacon pieces and onion slices over the top.
  7. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (3)Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (4)

To make this Jalapeno Popper Casserole recipe, you first layer tater tots in a casserole dish. Then bake them for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.

Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (5)Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (6)

While the tater tots are baking, cook the bacon. Then mix the Jalapeno Popper Dip ingredients together. After you pull the tater tots out of the oven, spread the Jalapeno Popper Dip mixture over the tater tots.

Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (7)Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (8)

Then sprinkle cheese over the Jalapeno Popper Dip layer. Top with the remaining bacon and green onions. Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees. Serve while still warm.

Jalapeno Popper Tater Tot Casserole Variations

Add 2 cups of cooked chicken to make a Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole as I did in this Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole recipe with pasta.

Add 2 cups of browned hamburger to make Jalapeno Popper Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole.

If you add chicken or hamburger, you can serve the casserole as a meal, though I would recommend serving it with a salad to add some more greens to your dinner.

Printable Recipe forJalapeno Popper Casserole

4.9 from 17 reviews

Jalapeno Popper Tater Tot Casserole

Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (9)

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Author: Alea

Serves: 12

Ingredients

  • 2 - 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened at room temperature.
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups Mexican Cheddar Jack Shredded Cheese, divided
  • 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 6 Jalapeno Peppers, deseeded and diced
  • 1 - 2 lb. bag of tater tots
  • 6 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Line a casserole dish with tater tots. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
  3. While the tater tots are baking, cook bacon, blot fat away, and crumble into small pieces. Dice the peppers and slice the onions.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, 1½ cups of Cheddar jack cheese, bacon (save a little bit for the topping), diced Jalapeno peppers, and most of the sliced onions (save a few for the top). Stir to thoroughly combine ingredients.
  5. Spread the jalapeno mixture over the top of the tater tots.
  6. Top with remaining ½ cup of cheese. Sprinkle the extra bacon pieces and onion slices over the top.
  7. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

My friend Mandi of Moments with Mandi made a video of her making this Jalapeno Popper Casserole. She is sharing it with us, so you can see how easy it is to make.

For more Easy Recipe Videos, Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here!

More Jalapeno Popper Recipes

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole

Jalapeno Popper Potato Salad Recipe

Jalapeno Popper Dip Recipe

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Jalapeno Popper Crescent Rolls

Jalapeno Popovers Recipe

More Casserole Recipes

Chicken Marsala Casserole

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole

Easy Pizza Casserole

Corn Tortilla Taco Casserole

About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Jennifer Tucker says

    I make this all the time for events and I almost always take home empty casserole dishes. It’s a real crowd pleaser! I have made a couple mods that I’d like to share and some extra suggestions.
    -Regular tater tots work fine.
    -Greek yogurt works great as a sour cream sub.
    -I usually use 9 or 10 jalapeños, deseeded of course. The mix will still stay together.
    -Sometimes I forget to put the cream cheese on the counter to warm up when I get started. Instead of waiting, I throw everything in a stand mixer and let the bread hook do the work.
    -Instead of a casserole dish, I split everything between 2 pie pans. I’ll save a jalapeno to cut and decorate the pies. For Christmas this year, I made a little Christmas tree out of thin jalapeno strips. Super cute.
    -Using the pie pans method also lets me take this amazing casserole to 2 events – it does just fine with assembly on day 1, refrigerating overnight, and cooking/serving on day 2.
    Thank you so much to the author for publishing this recipe! I’ve been making this at least once a year for the past many years.

  2. Danica Ristic says

    can I add eggs to this recipe? how many?

    Reply

  3. Ruth Peters says

    I’m trying this recipe tonight. I was wondering if I could put the recipe together, and bake it tonight…

    Reply

  4. AJ says

    We stuff our poppers with sausage and cheese so I changed things up a bit! I browned a pound of spicy sausage and drained some frozen spinach which I added to the cheese mixture. I put the cheese and meat mixture in the pan first and then topped with the tater tots (so they would crisp up) before I baked the casserole. Delicious!

    Reply

  5. Deanna says

    Has anyone tried it as make-ahead and frozen it? Just not sure how the cream cheese will do on the freeze and defrost.

    Reply

  6. Nancy says

    To cut calories do u think u could use Greek yogurt?
    Instead of 2 cream cheese use 1 cream cheese and 8 oz yogurt??

    Reply

    • Alea Milham says

      It will change the flavor slightly, but it will work.

      Reply

  7. Karen Roullet says

    Found this recipe near the top results of my Google search. I wanted something warm and appropriate for a post run “pre game tailgate party”. Got compliments all-around and several requests for the recipe 😊 I actually forgot to add the sour cream so I used it as a topping…and wanted it vegetarian so I used Gardein Ground B’ef, which cooked to make a nice texture somewhat similar to bacon (?) I used a mixer for the cream cheese blend to make it easier on my arm. Thank you for such a great recipe!

    Reply

  8. Barbara says

    I am making today in the morning. I plan to take it to potluck in the afternoon of same day. Will that be okay?

    Reply

    • Alea Milham says

      Yes. You may want to reheat it before serving the casserole.

      Reply

  9. Jenny says

    What size casserole dish should you use?

    Reply

    • Alea Milham says

      I usually use a 13×9 dish, but sometimes I use a slightly smaller casserole dish.

      Reply

  10. Old Cowboy Camp Cook says

    Love this but don’t forget to salt and pepper your tots while baking

    Reply

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Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do you soak jalapenos in ice water? ›

Soak peppers in a bowl of water for 30-60 minutes. This helps reduce some of the oil from the peppers which is what gives them their heat. Tip: Use latex gloves when handling raw jalapenos, especially the seeds.

How do you cook jalapenos? ›

Oven Roasted Jalapeños Directions

Coat your jalapeño peppers in olive oil. Step Two Place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Step Three Flip the jalapeños and continue to cook for another 15 to 20 minutes on the opposite side. Step Four Once fully roasted, remove the chilis from the oven.

What is the spicy part of a jalapeño? ›

Capsaicin, the chemical that gives chiles their heat, is concentrated around the seeds and in the ribs. The flesh of the chile that is closer to the seeds will be hotter than the flesh near the tip.

What does soaking jalapeños in water do? ›

Putting a fresh, cut open uncooked chile pepper under running water will rinse off some of its heat. The water in this method will take away a significant amount of the pepper's flavor along with its heat.

Why do you soak jalapeños in water? ›

Soaking jalapeños in water can help reduce their spiciness or heat level. Jalapeños contain a compound called capsaicin, which is responsible for their spicy taste. Capsaicin is soluble in water, so soaking the peppers in water can help leach out some of the capsaicin, making them milder.

How do you know when jalapenos are cooked? ›

Remove the jalapenos from the oven when the skin looks slightly charred. When the jalapenos look done, pull them out of the oven and let them cool. If you want them to cook a bit more, you can put them into a sealed container while they are still hot and let them self-steam.

Does soaking jalapenos in water make them less hot? ›

Step 6: A Long, Hard Soak

They need to soak for 3 hours or so to completely remove the capsaicin. After 1 hour, it should have the same heat of a serrano. After 2 hours, it will have the heat of a strong jalapeno. After 3 or so hours, it should have little or no heat left in its flesh.

How long does it take to boil jalapenos? ›

Place jalapenos in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Simmer until jalapenos soften and begin to lose their shine, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the jalapenos with a slotted spoon, chop off the stem, and place them in a blender.

Is eating too many jalapenos bad for you? ›

Safety Warnings

Some research shows that the capsaicin in peppers may make heartburn worse and cause problems for people with irritable bowel syndrome. You may want to avoid jalapeños if you have a digestive system condition.

Is it OK to eat jalapenos everyday? ›

Yes! In general, peppers are low in calories, fat and sugar/carbohydrates without skimping on the flavor. They're also packed with vitamins and antioxidants, which are important for the functioning of nearly all the systems and tissues in our bodies.

Are jalapeños good for you? ›

Jalapenos are extremely low in calories and abound with nutrients including vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. Being rich in vitamins A, C that works as potent antioxidants help combat free radical damage to the cells and bolsters the immune system and keeps the skin firm and radiant.

Why are jalapeños not hot anymore? ›

According to the story, growers are swapping out spicy peppers for larger, more attractive peppers. And if growers do want additional spice, they can tweak the heat level using oleoresin capsicum, an extract of pepper plants.

Can you soak jalapeños in ice water? ›

If you want a less spicy jalapeño, soak them in ice cold water for 30 minutes.

How do you soak jalapeños to reduce heat? ›

Soak in a mixture of lime juice and water for about an hour. Drain and use in your favourite recipe. The other less popular options is to soak the diced jalapenos in some lemon-lime soda.

Does ice help jalapeño burn? ›

Put your hands in a bowl of milk.

Try adding ice cubes to the bowl. Plunging your hands in a bowl of ice water can work instead, but it's not as effective. Some people report that the burning sensation from chili peppers is painful and can last for a couple hours, so it's understandable if you want an immediate remedy.

Does freezing jalapeños make them milder? ›

No — freezing has absolutely no effect on the Scoville level of a hot pepper. One of the best ways to keep peppers fresh (for adding to cooked dishes or salsa fresca) is to simply wash them and freeze them whole with no other preparation necessary.

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