Bacon and Jalapeño Pizza

This bacon and jalapeño pizza will remind you of your favorite jalapeño poppers, complete with no-cook marinara sauce and two different cheeses.

Bacon pizza might be one of the best foods ever. I don't think that's a very controversial statement. But what if I told you there's a way to make it even more spectacular?

When you add sliced jalapeños and cheddar cheese, you create a flavor explosion. The peppers undercut the richness of the cheese and bacon, and the medium heat they give the finished pizza creates an ideal balance of salty, spicy, creamy, crunchy, and tangy. If you're a hot-sauce-on-pizza fan, or if you're searching for the best jalapeño pizza, then this one's for you.

Feel free to use the recipe below as a template. Use any hot peppers you like, along with your favorite melty cheese. Poblanos or serranos would be delicious, and although I love the pairing of Cheddar with chiles, Monterey Jack and Colby cheeses are delicious alternatives. If you really like it hot, double up on the chiles with pepper Jack cheese!

In the mood for a spicy pizza binge? Give these a try, too:

• Sweet-Hot Pepperoni Pizza
• Hot Soppressata Pizza with Fennel and Poblano

Print Recipe

4 from 4 votes

Bacon and Jalapeño Pizza

Bacon, jalapeño, and cheese is a classic party food flavor trio (think jalapeño poppers), but you don't have to be hosting a crowd to enjoy it. This Bacon and Jalapeño pizza achieves the ideal balance of salty, creamy, spicy, tangy, and sweet, and it comes together in less than 20 minutes!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bacon, cheddar, jalapeno, mozzarella

Makes: 1 (12- to 14-inch) pizza

Cost: $10

Equipment

• Cutting board and knife
• Skillet
• Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
• Pizza peel (optional)

Ingredients

• 5 slices bacon chopped
• 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
• ⅔ to ¾ cup super-easy marinara sauce (or prepared pizza sauce)
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cut into ½-inch cubes
• ½ cup shredded yellow Cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup sliced jalapeños (fresh or jarred)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone/steel in the bottom third of the oven before you start preheating). Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes. Then, if you’re using a baking stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
• Cook the chopped bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until it just begins to crisp up at the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
• Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12-inch circle, then transfer it to an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
• Spread the sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border all around. Sprinkle on the mozzarella, then the bacon, and then the Cheddar. Scatter the jalapeños evenly over top.
• Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned in spots—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 6 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
• Remove the pizza from the oven. Let it cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.