Creamy Spicy Jalapeño Soup with Cheese Dippers (Print version)

A rich jalapeño popper-style soup with bacon, cheddar, cream cheese, and crisp grilled cheese dippers for dunking.

# Ingredients:

For the soup

01 - 6 slices bacon, chopped
02 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
03 - 5 medium jalapeños, 4 seeded and diced, 1 thinly sliced for garnish and dippers
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
08 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened and cubed
11 - 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
12 - 1 1/2 cups (170 g) freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
13 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

For the cheese dippers

14 - 8 slices sourdough or Texas toast
15 - 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
16 - 1 cup (115 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
17 - 1 cup (115 g) shredded pepper jack cheese
18 - 1 jalapeño, very thinly sliced, from the garnish amount if preferred

# Instructions:

01 - Place the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook for 7-9 minutes, stirring often, until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and leave 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pot.
02 - Add the onion and diced jalapeños to the pot. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
03 - Pour in the chicken broth. Add smoked paprika, cayenne if using, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the jalapeños are tender.
04 - Use an immersion blender to blend about half the soup in the pot, leaving some texture. For a smoother soup, blend a little longer. Keep the heat on low after blending.
05 - Whisk in the softened cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, then add the cheddar by handfuls and stir until melted. Do not let the soup boil after the cheese is added.
06 - Butter one side of each bread slice. Fill 4 sandwiches with cheddar, pepper jack, and thin jalapeño slices. Cook in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden and melted.
07 - Cut each grilled cheese into strips. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with bacon, scallions, and extra jalapeño slices. Serve hot with the cheese dippers.

# Good to know:

01 - Best served hot, right after the cheese melts into the soup.
02 - Remove jalapeño seeds and ribs for a milder bowl.
03 - Use freshly shredded cheese for the smoothest texture.

Back