This Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip gets supportive flavor boosts from sweet red bell peppers, robust poblanos, and spicy jalapenos, giving the resulting dip a unique tri-pepper flavor with a bit of heat! The peppers get roasted beforehand to bring out depth of flavor, then are united with a cream cheese base on the stovetop, resulting in a zesty, cheesy warm dip. You can also prepare and serve this in a slow cooker!
This Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip is an excellent way to eat your veggies in fun, delicious, and dippable fashion.
I've been condiment crazy lately - olive tapenades, hummus, cream cheese dips, salsa... I've been devouring them all with enthusiasm and zero shame. This is why I was thrilled to rediscover the recipe for a dip I created a few years ago.
The timing was perfect for this dip to come out of retirement, given my current fixation on dippables - from this tangy pickle chip dip to a cheesy refried bean dip to a cool green olive dip!
Jump to:
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- A Versatile Three Pepper Dip. I found that jalapeno, poblano, and red bell pepper are perfectly suited together. But feel free to choose any three peppers that strike your fancy. I have a feeling the dip would turn out fabulously with almost any pepper combination.
- Great Flavor. Roasted onion and garlic provide a complementary, flavorful role all mixed into decadent cream cheese and some zesty pepper jack to make yourself one kickass dip.
Ingredients
- Red bell pepper: You can also use green, yellow, or orange bell pepper instead of red but I like the sweetness red bell pepper brings, especially when roasted.
- Poblano peppers and jalapenos: You might also try serrano peppers, banana peppers, or whatever pepper combination strikes your fancy. I opted for poblano because they tend to be milder than jalapenos but bring a robustness that supports spicy jalapenos well. By the way, if you love jalapenos, you have to try this creamy jalapeno sauce.
- Yellow onion: It's fine to use white onion as well, but I would avoid purple as it could result in an unappealing colored dish. If onions don't sit well with you, go ahead and leave them out.
- Garlic: If you're not a fan, leave it out. Or if you're a mega fan, increase the amount.
- Cream cheese: I used Philadelphia, full-fat cream cheese.
- Shredded pepper jack cheese: I buy blocks of cheese and shred them myself. It tastes better, melts better, and is budget-friendly too!
See the recipe card for the full ingredient list with quantities.
Variations
- Lighter Dip: Lighten it up with low-fat cream cheese.
- Dairy-Free/Vegan: Use a dairy-free cream cheese and leave out the cheese, or use a vegan cheese in its place.
- Milder cheese flavor: Use another good melting shredded cheese, such as cheddar or Colby Jack.
How to Make Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip
Another thing I love about this dip is it allows for some serious multitasking, effectively cutting down on the time investment involved in creating it. While the veggies are roasting, you get a head start on slowly melting the cream cheese and shredded pepper jack.
- Prepare the peppers by slicing them in half and removing the seeds and pith. Lay them out on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over the top. Also, wrap the garlic in aluminum foil and drizzle with some oil.
- Roast your vegetables in a 375-degree Fahrenheit oven for 35 minutes. The head of garlic may require an extra 5-10 minutes of roasting time.
- Melt the cream cheese in a small pan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the shredded pepper jack cheese and let it melt into the cream cheese. Chop the roasted peppers using a food processor until well combined. Add the processed veggies to the cream cheese and pepper jack mixture and stir until combined. Serve warm with your favorite dippers!
For more roasted pepper flavors, try these holiday pinwheels, which you can enjoy anytime of year (you have my permission)!
Expert Tips
- Slow Cook It! Alternatively, you can prepare this dip in a slow cooker after you finish roasting and processing the vegetables. Simply add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker over low heat, checking after 45 minutes - 1 hour to give the dip a good stir.
- As a Party Dip: To keep it warm during parties, transfer the dip to a small crockpot and set the temperature to low to keep the dip warm. By the way, if you love warm dips, try this Goat Cheese Tomato Dip or this Cheesy Refried Bean Dip.
- Serving Idea: I really like to use slices of French bread and Ritz crackers, but you could use pita chips or even fresh veggies like carrot sticks or cucumber slices.
- Leave a Bit of Texture: I don't aim for the veggies to be completely smooth as I like a bit of texture in the dip, but process them as little or as much as you like!
- Store: Cool the leftovers to room temperature, then store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe FAQs
Reheat in a crockpot on a low setting until warm and dippable. You can also reheat it on the stovetop in a lidded pot over low heat, stirring occasionally.
This dip is fantastic warm, and it's meant to be served that way, but it can also be served chilled. The dip will be firmer, more like a Roasted Pepper Spread, perfect for slathering on bagels.
Yes! After you finish roasting and processing the vegetables, simply add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker over low heat. Check after 45 minutes - 1 hour to give the dip a good stir. Keep the dip on low heat until heated through and you're ready to serve.
More Delicious Spread & Dip Recipes
If you tried this Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip (Hot Dip!)
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 poblano peppers
- 1-2 jalapenos
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 packages cream cheese
- 1 cup pepper jack cheese shredded (I recommend shredding your own)
Instructions
- Prepare the peppers by slicing them in half and removing the seeds and pith. Lay them out on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over the top.
- Put the head of garlic in aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap it up and add it to the baking sheet.
- Put the baking sheet with peppers and onion and the head of garlic in the oven and roast for about 35 minutes, or until the veggies are soft. The garlic may require an extra 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it, removing it when it's pleasantly soft and roast-y looking.
- While the veggies are roasting, add cream cheese to a small pan over low heat. Let melt, stirring occasionally. This should take around 15 minutes.
- Add the shredded pepper jack cheese and let melt into the cream cheese. This should take an additional 15 minutes.
- Once the veggies are done roasting, add them all to a food processor and process for 20-30 seconds, until well combined. I don't aim for the veggies to be completely smooth as I like a bit of texture in the dip.
- Add the processed veggies to the cream cheese and pepper jack mixture and stir until combined. Serve immediately or transfer dip to a small crockpot and set the temperature to low to keep the dip warm.
- Serve with crusty bread, crackers, or pita chips.
Notes
- Slow Cook It! You can prepare this dip in a slow cooker after you finish roasting and processing the vegetables. Simply add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker over low heat, checking after 45 minutes - 1 hour to give the dip a good stir.
- As a Party Dip: To keep it warm during parties, transfer the dip to a small crockpot and set the temperature to low to keep the dip warm.
- Serving Idea: I really like to use slices of French bread and Ritz crackers, but you could use pita chips or even fresh veggies like carrot sticks or cucumber slices.
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