Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Why This Is Strictly Keto
Classic poppers are rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. This version skips all of that: fresh jalapeños, full-fat cream cheese, sharp cheddar and a strip of bacon around each half. Everything is a whole food, the peppers are the only real source of carbs, and a serving of four halves comes in around 2 grams of net carbs.
Ingredients
- 12 medium jalapeño peppers
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 12 slices thin-cut bacon, halved crosswise
Instructions
Prep the peppers: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then set a wire rack on top. Halve each jalapeño lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and membranes with a spoon (wear gloves).
Make the filling: Stir together the cream cheese, cheddar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper until smooth.
Fill: Spoon the cheese mixture into each jalapeño half, mounding it slightly.
Wrap: Wrap a half-slice of bacon around each filled pepper and set it seam-side down on the rack.
Bake: Bake 22–25 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and browned and the filling is bubbling. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Info (per serving, approximate)
| Calories | Fat | Protein | Net Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~230 kcal | 20g | 9g | 2g |
Tips
- Use thin-cut bacon — thick-cut won’t crisp before the cheese overflows.
- Baking on a rack lets the bacon fat drain so the bottoms don’t go soggy.
- For less heat, soak the halved, seeded peppers in cold water for 20 minutes before filling.
