Tasty Jalapeño Popper Meatloaf

If you ask me, jalapeño poppers and meatloaf were made for each other.

This twist on classic meatloaf brings together everything you love about jalapeño poppers—the creamy cheese, the kick of spice, the satisfying bite—right into a comforting family dinner. Ground beef gets mixed with cream cheese, cheddar, and diced jalapeños for flavor in every slice.

It’s topped with crispy bacon and bakes up juicy in the oven. The result is familiar comfort food with just enough heat to keep things interesting.

It’s an easy weeknight dinner that’ll have everyone coming back for seconds.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For this jalapeño popper meatloaf, you’ll want to use ground beef with a good fat content to keep your meatloaf moist and flavorful. I recommend going with 80/20 ground beef, which means it’s 80% lean meat and 20% fat – this is the sweet spot for meatloaf that won’t dry out during cooking. If you prefer a leaner option, 85/15 will work too, though your meatloaf might be slightly less juicy. Avoid anything leaner than 90/10, as it tends to make for a dry, crumbly meatloaf that falls apart when you slice it. You can also mix in some ground pork with your beef if you want extra moisture and flavor.

Options for Substitutions

This meatloaf is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Ground beef: You can use ground turkey or a mix of ground beef and pork (like 1 pound of each) for a different flavor profile. Keep in mind that leaner meats like turkey might make the meatloaf a bit drier, so consider adding an extra tablespoon of BBQ sauce to the mixture.
• Breadcrumbs: Crushed crackers, panko, or even rolled oats work great here. If you’re gluten-free, try gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed corn flakes.
• Bee Sting Hot Honey BBQ Rub and Sauce: If you don’t have this specific brand, use your favorite BBQ rub and sauce. To mimic the hot honey flavor, add a tablespoon of honey mixed with a pinch of cayenne pepper to regular BBQ sauce.
• Jalapeños: For less heat, use poblano peppers or bell peppers. If you want more kick, try serrano peppers instead. Just remember to adjust the amount based on your heat preference.
• Cream cheese: Regular cream cheese works best here for that classic popper filling, but you could try a jalapeño-flavored cream cheese for extra flavor. I wouldn’t recommend substituting this one as it’s key to getting that popper taste.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon can work if you prefer it, though it won’t crisp up quite the same way. You could also skip the bacon weave entirely and just mix crumbled cooked bacon into the meat mixture instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this meatloaf is not removing the seeds and membranes from your jalapeños, which can make the dish way too spicy and overpower the other flavors – scrape them out with a spoon for a milder heat that lets the cream cheese shine through.

Another common error is placing cold cream cheese directly into the meatloaf, which creates uneven pockets instead of a smooth filling, so make sure it’s at room temperature and spread it evenly down the center before rolling.

Don’t skip the step of tucking the ends of your meatloaf under when shaping it, or the cream cheese will leak out during cooking and you’ll lose that signature popper center.

Finally, arrange your bacon slices tightly with slight overlap and consider par-cooking them for 3-4 minutes before wrapping the meatloaf – this ensures crispy bacon instead of chewy, undercooked strips that can happen when the meatloaf finishes before the bacon does.

What to Serve With Jalapeño Popper Meatloaf?

This meatloaf is already packed with bold flavors from the jalapeños and bacon, so I like to balance it out with some simple, classic sides. Creamy mashed potatoes or mac and cheese are perfect for soaking up that sweet and spicy BBQ sauce, plus they help cool things down if the heat gets too intense. A crisp coleslaw or simple green beans work great too, giving you some freshness and crunch alongside all that rich, cheesy meat. If you want to lean into the comfort food vibes even more, serve it with cornbread or baked beans for a full-on BBQ-style dinner.

Storage Instructions

Store: Leftover jalapeño popper meatloaf keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just wrap it tightly in foil or store it in an airtight container. I actually think it tastes even better the next day once all those flavors have had time to hang out together!

Freeze: This meatloaf freezes great for up to 3 months. You can freeze the whole thing wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil, or slice it up into individual portions first. Freezing it in slices makes it super easy to grab just what you need for a quick lunch or dinner.

Reheat: Warm up slices in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or heat them in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. If you’re reheating the whole loaf, cover it with foil and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes to keep it from drying out.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	120-135 minutes
Total Time	140-165 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4200-4600
• Protein: 220-250 g
• Fat: 320-350 g
• Carbohydrates: 80-100 g

Ingredients

For the meat mixture:

• 1/2 red onion (finely minced into 1/8-inch pieces)
• 2 lb ground beef (80/20 blend works best)
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs (panko for extra texture)
• 3 tbsp bee sting hot honey bbq rub

For the filling:

• 4 fresh jalapeños (halved lengthwise, seeds removed)
• 4 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)

For the exterior and glaze:

• 2 tbsp bee sting hot honey bbq rub
• 14 slices thick-cut bacon (about 1/4-inch thick)
• 1/2 cup bee sting hot honey bbq sauce (for brushing and basting)

Step 1: Prepare the Jalapeño Poppers

• 4 fresh jalapeños
• 4 oz cream cheese

Remove the stems from the fresh jalapeños and carefully halve them lengthwise.

Using a small spoon or knife, gently remove all seeds and the white pith inside—this is where most of the heat lives, so removing it keeps the poppers at a manageable spice level.

Pat the jalapeño halves dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture, which helps the cream cheese adhere better.

Place the softened cream cheese in a small bowl and spoon it evenly into each jalapeño half, filling them generously but not overstuffed.

Set the filled jalapeños aside on a plate.

Step 2: Build the Meatloaf Base

• 2 lb ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 red onion
• 3 tbsp bee sting hot honey bbq rub

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, room temperature egg, panko breadcrumbs, finely minced red onion, and 3 tablespoons of the bee sting hot honey BBQ rub.

Using your hands, gently mix the ingredients until just combined—avoid overworking the meat, as this can make the meatloaf dense and tough.

The goal is a cohesive mixture with everything evenly distributed.

I like to use a light touch and stop mixing as soon as I don’t see any dry breadcrumbs, which keeps the texture tender.

Step 3: Shape and Fill the Meatloaf

• meat mixture from Step 2
• filled jalapeños from Step 1

On a clean work surface, press the meat mixture from Step 2 into a flat 6-inch by 12-inch rectangle, roughly 1/2-inch thick.

Arrange the filled jalapeño halves from Step 1 along one long edge of the rectangle, spacing them evenly.

Starting from the edge with the jalapeños, tightly roll the meat around them like a log, pressing gently as you go to ensure the filling stays contained.

The goal is to create a compact log that won’t unravel during cooking.

Step 4: Wrap with Bacon Weave

• 14 slices thick-cut bacon
• meatloaf roll from Step 3

Lay out 14 slices of thick-cut bacon on your work surface in a tight weave pattern—lay 7 strips parallel to each other, then weave the remaining 7 strips perpendicular to create a grid.

The weave should be large enough to fully wrap around your meatloaf roll.

Place the meatloaf roll in the center of the bacon weave and carefully roll the bacon around it, using toothpicks spaced about 2 inches apart to secure any loose ends.

I like to use round toothpicks rather than flat ones because they hold the bacon more securely.

Step 5: Smoke the Meatloaf

• bacon-wrapped meatloaf from Step 4
• 1/2 cup bee sting hot honey bbq sauce
• 2 tbsp bee sting hot honey bbq rub

Preheat your smoker to 275°F.

Place the bacon-wrapped meatloaf on a smoking tray or grate and transfer it to the smoker.

Smoke for approximately 2 hours, or until the meatloaf’s internal temperature reaches 155°F when measured with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part.

At the 2-hour mark, brush the exterior generously with the 1/2 cup of bee sting hot honey BBQ sauce and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of bee sting hot honey BBQ rub over the top.

Return the meatloaf to the smoker for an additional 15 minutes to set the glaze.

Step 6: Rest and Slice

Remove the meatloaf from the smoker and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing.

This resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring each slice stays moist and tender rather than dry.

Carefully remove the toothpicks and slice the meatloaf into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick portions.

Each slice should showcase the bacon exterior and the jalapeño filling inside.