Description
Spicy jalapeño popper soup elevates comfort food with creamy, zesty flavors that dance on your palate. Crispy grilled cheese dippers perfectly complement this bold soup, offering you a delightful culinary experience that merges classic ingredients with modern flair.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4–5 fresh jalapenos, seeds removed and chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Supplementary Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Grilled Cheese Dippers:
- 4 slices of bread (sourdough or your choice)
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, gently sautéing onions until translucent and tender, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Introduce minced garlic and finely chopped jalapenos, allowing them to release their aromatic essence for 1-2 minutes.
- Stream chicken broth into the pot, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer and letting it develop flavors for 4-5 minutes.
- Incorporate softened cream cheese, carefully blending until smooth, then fold in shredded cheddar and heavy cream, stirring continuously until the cheese melts completely and creates a velvety consistency.
- Enhance the soup’s depth with smoked paprika, carefully seasoning with salt and pepper to balance the heat and flavors.
- Reduce heat and allow the soup to simmer for 6 minutes, enabling the ingredients to harmonize and intensify.
- Meanwhile, prepare grilled cheese dippers by melting butter in a skillet over medium heat and constructing sandwiches with cheese between bread slices.
- Grill sandwiches until they achieve a golden-brown exterior and crispy texture on both sides.
- Cut grilled cheese into manageable dipping strips, ensuring uniform size for easy dunking.
- Ladle the creamy, spicy soup into bowls and accompany with warm grilled cheese dippers, optionally garnishing with fresh cilantro for an additional layer of freshness.
Notes
- Customize heat levels by adjusting jalapeno quantity, removing seeds for milder soup or adding extra for more spice.
- Swap dairy ingredients with plant-based alternatives like vegan cream cheese and cashew cream for dairy-free version.
- Prevent soup from breaking by adding cheese gradually and stirring continuously at low temperature to maintain smooth texture.
- Prepare grilled cheese dippers ahead of time and reheat quickly in skillet to maintain crispy exterior for convenient meal prep.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 485 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg