20 Easy Jalapeño Recipes to Spice Up Your Week (2024)

20 Easy Jalapeño Recipes to Spice Up Your Week (1)

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Ree Drummond isn't one to shy away from a little spice. She turns to peppers to add heat to plenty of her dishes, especially her Mexican-inspired recipes like tacos and even a batch of margaritas. That's we we've rounded up the tastiest-ever recipes using perfectly spicy jalapeños. From breakfast to dinner, these recipes bring the heat!

If there's one token of advice that Ree can offer about cooking with jalapeños, it's to put on some rubber gloves before you start cutting them. While jalapeños may be relatively mild compared to other hot peppers (jalapeños range from 2,000 to 5,000 on the Scoville index) their heat shouldn't be undermined—jalapeño hands are downright unruly! The seeds and membrane are the spicy part of the pepper, and you can control the heat of a dish by removing more or less of those parts. Then, you'll be well on your way to munching on all of the jalapeño dishes here.

Finger foods like classic jalapeño poppers, piled-high nachos, and an array of hot and cold party dips are perfect for any potluck. Every Cinco de Mayo fiesta deserves bowls of zippy guac and smooth and creamy queso! Just don't forget plenty of tortilla chips for dipping. There's also subtly spicy casserole recipes the whole family will love and even some jalapeño-studded baked goods. Now, there's only one question: Can you handle the heat?

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1

Breakfast Enchiladas

20 Easy Jalapeño Recipes to Spice Up Your Week (3)

Enchiladas for breakfast?! Yep. These cheesy, Tex-Mex enchiladas are filled with spicy chorizo and eggs for the most delicious morning wakeup call.

Get the Breakfast Enchiladas recipe.

SHOP CASSEROLE DISHES

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2

Cowboy Candy

20 Easy Jalapeño Recipes to Spice Up Your Week (4)

Also known as candied jalapeños, you'll want to put these sweet and spicy sliced peppers on everything from burgers and franks to a block of cream cheese.

Get the Cowboy Candy recipe.

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3

Best-Ever Guacamole

20 Easy Jalapeño Recipes to Spice Up Your Week (5)

This easy guac is the first dip gone at every fiesta! Made with simple, classic ingredients like ripe avocado, lime juice, tomato, onion, and some jalapeño for spice, there's nothing complicated about it. It's a must for any taco night!

Get the Best-Ever Guacamole recipe.

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4

Taco Spaghetti

20 Easy Jalapeño Recipes to Spice Up Your Week (6)

This cheesy baked spaghetti is all your favorite taco flavors, in pasta form! A weeknight hero that's ready and on the table in only 45 minutes, it's topped with tasty taco toppings like pickled jalapeños, fresh tomatoes, and cilantro.

Get the Taco Spaghetti recipe.

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5

Jalapeño Poppers

20 Easy Jalapeño Recipes to Spice Up Your Week (8)

Go ahead and make a double batch—your guests will gobble these poppers up in no time! Filled with creamy cheese and topped with crispy panko and bacon, they're everything you want in a party snack.

Get the Jalapeño Poppers recipe.

SHOP SHEET PANS

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6

Corn Salsa

20 Easy Jalapeño Recipes to Spice Up Your Week (9)

This fresh summer corn salsa can be spooned over grilled fish, stuffed into your favorite tacos, or simply scooped up with tortilla chips! Grilling the corn and onion adds delicious depth of flavor.

Get the Corn Salsa recipe.

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7

Jalapeño Popper Dip

20 Easy Jalapeño Recipes to Spice Up Your Week (10)

Take the fuss out of jalapeño poppers and combine all the ingredients into one delicious dip! Serve with tortilla chips and toasted baguette slices for ultimate dip-ability.

Get the Jalapeño Popper Dip recipe.

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8

Spicy Jalapeño Margarita

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These margaritas with a kick are a sure fire way to spice up any happy hour! It takes about 24 hours for the jalapeños to infuse the tequila, so plan accordingly.

Get the Spicy Jalapeño Margarita recipe.

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9

Taco Dip

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Grab the tortilla chips! With a creamy base and medley of fresh taco-worthy toppings, this party dip is sure to kickstart any fiesta! You can customize the dip by sprinkling on your favorite combo of Tex-Mex toppings.

Get the Taco Dip recipe.

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10

Jalapeño-Cheddar Scones

These savory scones are flaky, buttery, and topped with cheese—what could be better?! Dunk them in a bowl of warm chili or serve alongside bacon and eggs in place of a standard morning biscuit.

Get the Jalapeño-Cheddar Scones recipe.

SHOP SERVING PLATTERS

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11

Easy Queso Dip

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Creamy, dreamy, restaurant-worthy queso is so easy to make at home! This dip can be made on the stovetop or in a slow cooker, plus you can give it an even spicier kick by sprinkling extra jalapeño on top before serving. Dig in!

Get the Easy Queso Dip recipe.

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12

Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad

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A little spicy, a little tangy, and oh-so-creamy, this delicious side is the perfect potluck dish to carry to summer barbecues and cookouts. If you love jalapeño poppers, you'll love this spin on classic potato salad.

Get the Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad recipe.

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13

White Chicken Enchiladas

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These aren't your average enchiladas. They're made with corn tortillas and smothered in a decadent, creamy sauce that sinks into every nook and cranny. A healthy sprinkle of cheese is the cherry on top!

Get the White Chicken Enchiladas recipe.

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14

Jalapeño Cornbread

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Fill your bread basket with sweet and spicy skillet cornbread. This cornbread is studded with sliced jalapeños that not only give it a kick of heat, they look pretty too! Serve with plenty of butter.

Get the Jalapeño Cornbread recipe.

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15

Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

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Spicy, cheesy, totally dip-able jalapeño poppers just got easier thanks to the air fryer. These party-perfect bites take under 10 minutes to air fry! Don't forget the creamy ranch dressing for dipping.

Get the Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers.

SHOP AIR FRYERS

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16

Mango Salsa

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Summer's favorite snack just got even more delicious! This sweet and spicy mango salsa is the ultimate poolside dip that's easy to make ahead of time. The fresh, juicy mango gives it some tropical flair and diced jalapeño offers a hint of spice.

Get the Mango Salsa recipe.

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17

Easy Taco Salad

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For a light and fresh take on taco night, whip up easy taco salads. Just cook the beef and set out the toppings and everyone can customize their own salads!

Get the Easy Taco Salad recipe.

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18

Grits Casserole

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Served for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner alongside a big, juicy steak, this grits casserole is pure comfort food. It's filled with creamy grits, melty cheese, crisp bacon, and a touch of fresh jalapeño for a spicy punch.

Get the Grits Casserole recipe.

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19

Loaded Nachos

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Is there anything better than a big, towering plate of loaded nachos? This recipe doesn't skimp on the toppings. There's seasoned beef, hearty beans, fresh diced onion, tomato, jalapeño, and plenty of cheese between layers of crispy tortilla chips.

Get the Loaded Nachos recipe.

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20

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Thingies

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A Fourth of July favorite in Ree Drummond's family, these "thingies" are impossible to resist. A halved jalapeño gets stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon, and baked until the bacon is crispy and the cheese is melty. Yum!

Get the Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Thingies recipe.

SHOP APPETIZER PLATES

20 Easy Jalapeño Recipes to Spice Up Your Week (2024)

FAQs

How do you get the most flavor out of jalapeños? ›

Seed your peppers

Seeding peppers can be a great way to mix up the flavor profile. The seeds contain a good portion of the pepper's capsaicin which is an oil that rests in the membrane of the pepper and induces the burning sensations we get while eating a spicy chile causing teary-eyed excessive milk drinking.

What seasoning goes well with jalapeños? ›

HERBS & SPICES:
  • Allspice.
  • Cardamom.
  • Chili Powder.
  • Coriander/cilantro.
  • Cumin.
  • Curry Powder.
  • Garlic.
  • Oregano.

Does rinsing jalapeños make them less spicy? ›

Rinse the Chiles

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? ›

The addition of water, vinegar, and sugar will help cut the heat of the jalapeños and give them more of a tangy, salty and sweet flavor. They'll become a bit milder as they soak in the refrigerator.

How to make jalapeños more spicy? ›

Stress your plants

Pungency increases with stress from high temperatures, drought, and imbalances in soil fertility. If your peppers are lacking spice, try holding back on water. Stressing your plant a bit will help the pepper produce more capsaicin.

Does lime juice make jalapeños hotter? ›

The acid in lemons, limes, and vinegar neutralizes the alkaline in the capsaicin. Soak your peppers with a lemon or lime solution for a tasty addition to salsa, soups, or leafy green dishes. Also, try serving spicy foods with a little lemon or lime juice co*cktail on the side.

Do jalapeños get more spicy when cooked? ›

Boiling or cooking in oil for just 2 minutes had less impact on texture and also less impact on heat. Roasting the jalapeños in the oven at 500 degrees for 5 minutes left the peppers still somewhat crunchy while also taking the edge off their heat. THE BOTTOM LINE: Yes, cooking does tame chiles' heat.

Why are my jalapeños not spicy? ›

The older the pepper, and the more stress the plant has been under, the more white lines you'll see, and the hotter the pepper will be. The smoother the pepper, the younger, less stressed, and milder it is. Left on the plant (and even after picked) green jalapeños will eventually turn red.

What spices to put on peppers? ›

I love to use thyme on my sautéed bell peppers. But there are other herbs that also compliment the sweetness of them that you can use, too. Try adding basil, chives, cilantro, coriander, cumin, curry, garlic, marjoram, or rosemary to you bell peppers when cooking for more amazing flavor combinations.

What fruit does jalapeño pair well with? ›

Jalapeño and Strawberry

The tartness of the strawberry highlights the jalapeño's natural sugars perfectly, and also helps counterbalance the spice, bringing out this distinctive, bell pepper-like flavor.

Does lemon juice neutralize jalapeño? ›

Since capsaicin is oil-based, you'll have better luck getting it off your skin if you use a grease-cutting dish soap, says Peart. Acids are another option, since they can also cut through the oil to calm a burn. "Vinegar and lemon juice can be used to neutralize the oil of capsaicin on your skin," she says.

Can I freeze jalapeños? ›

Store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. If using bags, I like to lay them flat and spread out the jalapeños into a single layer so they don't freeze in clumps. Add frozen jalapeños directly to recipes without thawing first. They work great in soups, casseroles, and other cooked dishes.

What to do with too many hot peppers? ›

Freeze them whole or in halves (for stuffed peppers), or chop them up for later use (like fajitas or sauce). This should be your go-to with the pepper overload if you can't think of anything else to do with them. It'll buy you time and give you options later in the winter.

What to do with excess peppers? ›

How to Use Up Your Extra Peppers
  1. Roasted Pepper & Butternut Squash Soup.
  2. Roasted Red Pepper Soup.
  3. Bell Pepper Chicken & Dill Soup.
  4. Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers.
  5. Long Sweet Pepper Boats.
  6. Bell Peppers Stuffed with Tomato Couscous.
  7. Mini Sweet Pepper & Orange Cranberry Muffins.
  8. Bell Pepper Cornbread.
Aug 17, 2020

Are too many jalapeños bad? ›

Although usually enjoyable in our food, too much hot pepper can result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and a burning sensation when ingested. During meal preparation, if capsaicin-containing oils get on the skin, it can lead to pain and redness with irritation.

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