Jalapeno Popper Soup

Jalapeno Popper Soup — If you like jalapeno poppers, you’re going to LOVE this EASY soup that’s ready in 30 minutes! Hearty, comforting, loaded with bacon, potatoes, and jalapeno in a creamy, cheesy, rich broth! The PERFECT cold weather recipe the whole family will adore!

Creamy Jalapeno Popper Soup Recipe

If you’re one of those people who love jalapeno poppers in all their bacon-wrapped and cheesy glory, or Bacon Jalapeno Popper Dip, you’re going to love this easy jalapeno popper soup with bacon!

The soup is creamy, cheesy, loaded with chunks of potatoes, bits of bacon, and of course jalapenos.

For those of us who don’t have all day to stand in the kitchen making homemade soup, not to worry because this soup comes together in 30 minutes. Big win for family-friendly dinner recipes for those busy weeknights that are quick to prepare and get on the table!

Ingredients in Jalapeno Popper Soup 

To make homemade jalapeno cheddar soup, you’ll need the following easy to find fridge and pantry ingredients:

• Uncooked bacon
• Fresh jalapenos (4-ounce can diced green chiles may be substituted)
• All-purpose flour
• Garlic powder
• Chicken broth
• Milk or half-and-half
• Yukon gold potatoes (Russet may be substituted)
• Cream cheese
• Shredded cheddar cheese (mild to extra-sharp)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
• Additional jalapenos, cooked bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese; optional but recommended for topping

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

How to Make Jalapeno Popper Soup

1. To a large Dutch oven or similar large pot, add diced bacon and cook over medium heat until the bacon is browned.
2. Then add diced, fresh, seeded jalapenos and cook them for a few minutes until they’re tender.
3. Add the flour, garlic powder, and stir very well to coat. This is instrumental in having a thick soup later so make sure you don’t shortcut this.
4. Slowly, and while whisking constantly, add the chicken broth, and then the milk or cream.
5. Follow up by adding the diced potatoes, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
6. Turn off the heat, add the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and stir gently until they’re melted and combined.

Can I Make This Soup in a Slow Cooker?

People love to make soups in slow cookers I have found. I actually think this would be one that would translate reasonably well for slow cooking. 

I admit, I don’t like to slow cook anything when I can be done with it in 30 minutes on the stove top.

However, if you do feel like giving it a whirl, here’s what I recommend doing to make the recipe in a slow cooker: 

1. Start off the process the same as outlined.
2. At the point after you add the flour, transfer everything to a preheated slow cooker, then add in the broth, milk, and potatoes.
3. Simmer your soup for a few hours until the potatoes are done, before adding in the cream cheese and cheese.

I have’t personally tried this for my reason stated above (it drags out what can be a quick recipe and I strongly prefer quick recipes). So I am purely making an educated guess on this. Let me know if you try it and what works for you.

Tips for the Best Jalapeno Popper Soup 

Add onion, if desired: If you want to jazz up the soup a little more, you can add a small diced onion to the Dutch oven when you’re browning the bacon. It’ll give another layer of flavor.

Do not drain off any of the bacon fat: When you add the flour, it needs something to bind to, which in this case is the bacon fat. This will then essentially create a roux which is necessary for a nice thick soup. 

Stir the soup: Make sure to stir the soup very well as it simmers after you’ve added the potatoes, taking care to also scrape the bottom so nothing sticks. 

Milk options: As far as the milk or half-and-half, I recommend 2% or whole milk, or half-and-half. I would not use cream or heavy cream because I think it would make the soup overly thick.

If you’re looking for a plant-based milk, I recommend soy, cashew, or something on the thicker side.

Finely dice the potatoes: Make sure the potatoes are diced into 1/2-inch small bite-sized pieces so that they cook in the 10 minutes indicated in the recipe. If they’re bigger, they’ll take longer to cook and in the boiling process, more of the broth will evaporate, making the soup thicker.

Bring the cheeses to room temperature: I suggest setting out the cream cheese and shredded cheese as you begin to chop everything in preparation to making the soup. This helps to bring them up to room temp, making them easier to melt in the final stages of the soup making process.

What to Serve with Jalapeno Popper Soup

House Salad

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Easy Jalapeno Bacon Cheese Bread

One-Hour Buttery Breadsticks

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4.40 from 41 votes

Jalapeno Popper Soup

By Averie Sunshine

If you like jalapeno poppers, you're going to LOVE this EASY soup that's ready in 30 minutes! Hearty, comforting, loaded with bacon, potatoes, and jalapeno in a creamy, cheesy, rich broth! The PERFECT cold weather recipe the whole family will adore!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

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Ingredients 

• ▢ 1 pound uncooked bacon, diced into small pieces
• ▢ 4 to 6 fresh jalapeno peppers, diced and deseeded* (See Notes)
• ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 32 ounces carton chicken broth, or two 14 to 15-ounce cans; I use lower sodium versions
• ▢ 6 cups 2% or whole milk or half-and-half**
• ▢ 2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into small 1/2-inch pieces (Russet potatoes may be substituted)***
• ▢ 8 ounces brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temp
• ▢ 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, mild to extra-sharp, set out to room temp
• ▢ Kosher salt, to taste
• ▢ Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ▢ Cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
• ▢ Additional finely-diced or sliced jalapenos, cooked bacon pieces, and shredded cheddar cheese for topping

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Instructions 

• To a large Dutch oven, or similar sized pot, add the bacon, and cook over medium heat for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until browned; don’t drain off any of the bacon fat.
• Add the jalalpenos, and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender.
• Evenly sprinkle the flour, garlic powder, and stir to coat evenly. Tip – Do not skip this step, it’s sort of like creating a rout, which is important later on so that your soup thickens properly.
• Slowly add the broth, while whisking constantly.
• Then add the milk or half-and-hailf, while whisking constantly.
• Add the diced potatoes, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
• Turn off the heat, add the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and stir gently until melted and combined.
• Taste the soup, and as desired add salt, pepper, and optionally cayenne pepper.**** (See Notes)
• Optionally (but recommended), garnish the soup with additional jalapenos, bacon, and/or cheese before serving. Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week. Reheat gently on the stove or microwave, taking care not to overheat it, or heat it too quickly so the soup doesn’t "break".

Notes

*Green chiles: I have also used one 4-ounce can diced green chiles for mild soup (similar to using fresh jalapenos) Or you can use a 4-ounce can diced jalapenos if you want it spicier. Canned jalapenos are spicier than fresh in my experience.

**Milk or half-and-half: I recommend 2% or whole milk, or half-and-half. I would not use cream or heavy cream because I think it would make the soup overly thick. If you're looking for a plant-based milk, I recommend soy, cashew, or something on the thicker side.

***Potatoes: Make sure the potatoes are diced into 1/2-inch small bite-sized pieces so that they cook in the 10 minutes indicated in the recipe. If they're bigger, they'll take longer to cook and in the boiling process, more of the broth will evaporate, making the soup thicker. I prefer Yukon Gold to Russet but you can use your favorite.

****Cayenne pepper: It doesn't make the soup spicy per se if you only add a small shake from the bottle; rather it lends depth of flavor. For an actual spicier soup, feel free to add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon, or as desired. Also, you can use one serrano chile pepper in place of one of the jalapenos for a spicier soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 617kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 99mg, Sodium: 1072mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 11g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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