Jalapeno Popper Cheesesteak
Jalapeno popper flavors in a cheesesteak? Sign me up! Two favorites combined into one! This over the top monstrosity will hit all the flavors and textures you love from these two classics. Clear your schedule cause you might want to take a nap after this. It’s perfect for a day on the couch watching your favorite teams!
The inspiration for this recipe
The first step to figuring out how to make a jalapeno popper cheesesteak is drilling down on what exactly makes up the flavors on each separate dish, then deciding how to put them together! You could easily just add some cream cheese and jalapenos to the cheesesteak mixture, but I wanted it to still have a stuffed jalapeno feel to it. I decided to layer the jalapenos onto the bread to make the whole sandwich feel like a big stuffed jalapeno!
Roast and peel the jalapenos
Broil the jalapenos on high on all sides, then add them to a bowl covered with plastic wrap. As they cool the skin will release itself from the peppers and peel off easily! Next remove the seeds and form these jalapeno sheets. This will help you form the jalapeno popper aspect of the cheesesteak.
Cook the cheesesteak meat
I say this all the time but I buy my meat at H-Mart for cheesesteaks. Many Asian focused grocery stores will have meat sliced like this. It is intended for hot pot but it is by far the best meat for a cheesesteak! Cook it in a hot pan with some salt to brown on the edges and cook through.
Finish the cheesesteak meat mixture
Personally I do not think a cheesesteak is complete without caramelized onions. Add them in along with some pepper jack, provolone, and cheese whiz. You could adjust the cheeses to your personal preference! Add the cheese right to the pan and stir it together. The cheese will melt and form a sauce.
Build the jalapeno popper cheesesteak
Butter the roll first, then broil it to golden brown. This will add some of the breadcrumb flavor and texture you might get in a jalapeno popper. Then add a single layer of jalapenos, followed by a layer of cream cheese. This will form the base of the jalapeno popper to put the cheesesteak mixture into.
Finally add the meat and roll it up! I like to use parchment paper to hold it all together tight.
Serve the jalapeno popper cheesesteak
Let it sit wrapped up for a few minutes, then slice and serve! I love he cross section that shows the layer of cream cheese and the layer of jalapeno. It is partly why I did it this way and it came out just as I had hoped!
So much flavor and texture in this jalapeno popper cheesesteak! The cream cheese and jalapeno feel like they were right at home in the cheesesteak mixture!
Twists on this jalapeno popper cheesesteak
You could adjust the cheeses on this jalapeno popper cheesesteak to what you prefer. You could also add the cream cheese to the steak with or instead of the cheese whiz! And add sliced jalapenos in with the onions and make things a little easier. I really liked visual of the peppers around the filling.
If you love the flavors of a cheesesteak, check out my cheesesteak cream puffs, this mortadella cheesesteak, or these cheesesteak cabbage rolls!
Jalapeno Popper Cheesesteak
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 jalapenos
- 1 large yellow onions sliced thin
- oil, butter, salt, pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds thin sliced or shaved ribeye steak
- 2 slices pepper jack cheese
- 2 slices provolone
- 1/4 cup cheese whiz
- 2 large sub rolls
- 1 cup whipped cream cheese
Instructions
Jalapenos
- Preheat broiler to high. Add the jalapenos to a sheet pan and toss with oil and salt until coated. Broil on high for 5-7 minutes to char. Flip and repeat a few times until the peppers are fully blackened on all sides.
- Add the peppers right to a bowl and covery tight with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes to cool and they will be easier to peel.
- Peel the jalapenos and cut off the top and bottom. Slice down the center to open. Remove seeds so you end up with a sheet of jalapeno. Repeat with all the jalapenos.
Onions
- Add the onions to a large frying pan on medium heat with some butter. Season with salt. Cook slow and low for about 45 minutes, stirring often, to brown and drastically reduce in size.
Cheesesteak
- Preheat broiler to high. Open the bread rolls and lightly brush the insides with some butter. Broil on high until the insides are golden brown.
- Preheat a large cast iron pan on medium high heat. Add in the meat and season with salt and pepper. Cook about 8 minutes to char the edges and cook through.
- While the meat is cooking, spread the jalapeno sheets on each roll to make a full single layer cover of the bread. Then spread on the cream cheese to make a thin layer over the jalapenos.
- Reduce heat on the meat and add in the onions and cheeses. Stir to combine and allow the cheeses to melt and form a sauce on the meats.
- Split the meat among the sandwich rolls. Roll them up, preferably using some parchment paper to close and seal them. Serve!