Give your finger food a savory, Southern spin with this quick and easy recipe that features pimento cheese and bacon!
Some appetizers spark strong opinions. For example, my partner and his college friends rave about jalapeño poppers as the pinnacle of all finger foods. Others, like myself and my gluten-free niece, dislike the way they’re often deep-fried, excessively greasy, or over-the-top spicy.
This recipe for keto jalapeño poppers finds common ground that restores peace at our weekend gatherings! There’s no breading, no greasy frying, and no melt-your-face-off heat in these little appetizers. Plus, the combination of creamy, tangy pimento cheese filling and savory bacon wrappers gives them a more complex and satisfying flavor profile than many other versions.
Perhaps the best part of this dish is how quickly and easily it comes together. In less than half an hour, you’ve got a tray of mouthwatering snacks with big flavors and low carbs. We can all agree that they elevate our game-day gatherings without controversy.
What is pimento cheese?
Pimento cheese is a classic Southern spread. It’s made from a blend of shredded cheddar cheese, diced pimento peppers, and mayonnaise. Some recipes add cream cheese, spices, or extras like jalapeños or onions for more flavor and richness.
Though it’s now most closely associated with Southern cuisine, pimento cheese actually originated in the North in the early 20th century. The very first recipes combined soft cream cheese or Neufchâtel with imported canned Spanish pimento peppers—a fashionable pairing in New York and other cities when both those products hit the market as new advances in food manufacturing. Early versions appeared in popular publications like Good Housekeeping around 1908 and quickly gained traction as a sandwich filling or spread.
Southern cooks then put their own stamp on the recipe, swapping cream cheese for grated cheddar and adding mayo. The bold, tangy spread found a lasting home in Southern cuisine, earning nicknames like “Carolina caviar” and “the pâté of the South.”
How do I store leftovers?
Let your jalapeño poppers cool before storing them, but don’t leave them at room temp longer than 2 hours. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350°F until warmed through. Microwaving works, too, but they won’t get crispy. You can also freeze baked or unbaked poppers for up to 6 months. The easiest method is to arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until firm, then transfer them to freezer-safe containers or bags. Thaw prebaked poppers overnight in the fridge before reheating them. Bake frozen unbaked poppers directly from the freezer at 400°F for about 15–25 minutes, until hot and sizzling.
Similar recipes to try
Hungry for more dishes that feature pimento cheese? Elevate any appetizer spread with these Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs. Looking for other popper versions? This Keto Jalapeño Poppers Recipe leans on shredded chicken breast and mozzarella cheese for a different flavor profile. And these Bacon-Wrapped Pickles take the classic finger food to an entirely new level!
Keto Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 5 jalapeños
- 10 tablespoons pimento cheese
- 10 slices bacon not thick-cut
Instructions
- Preheat broiler to 500°F degrees. Arrange the oven rack in the center of the oven, not directly under the broiler. Prepare a baking sheet with a spritz of nonstick cooking spray and set a wire baking rack on it.
- Wearing gloves, slice the jalapeños in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of pimento cheese into each pepper half.
- Wrap 1 slice of bacon around each stuffed jalapeño, securing the bacon with a toothpick, if needed. Arrange the stuffed and wrapped peppers on the prepared baking rack.
- Broil the poppers for about 5-7 minutes, flip them over, and broil another 3-5 minutes—watching carefully to avoid burning—until the bacon is browned and chewy-crisp, the peppers have softened, and the cheese is bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let the poppers cool for 2-3 minutes. Remove toothpicks before serving.
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