Armadillo eggs DSC3804

Armadillo eggs recipe

Once a year, a reader shoots me an email asking when I’ll be writing an armadillo eggs recipe. At first I said, “Uh, armadillos are mammals—they don’t lay eggs!” But soon I realized that he was talking about a certain jalapeño appetizer. Unfortunately, however, writing about armadillo eggs isn’t as simple as it may appear, as there are several different thoughts about what this finger food should be.

My reader’s interpretation of the dish is that it’s a baked jalapeño that’s been stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon. I’ve seen others label these bacon-wrapped jalapeños as armadillo eggs, too. But I was always taught that the name for this dish was ABT. (I’ll let you discover on your own what the letters stand for, as it’s a bit too colorful for me.) ABTs also can be grilled or smoked, the latter of which makes them a popular snack on the championship barbecue circuit. While you’re waiting for your brisket to become tender, you can keep people happy with a plate of ABTs.

Then there are the cheese-stuffed jalapeños that have been breaded and fried, which are also known as armadillo eggs. I, however, have always thought of that snack as a jalapeño popper.

Armadillo eggs | Homesick Texan

So what’s my idea of an armadillo egg?

In my experience, it’s always been a whole, halved or quartered jalapeño, which has been stuffed with cheese, rolled in uncooked sausage and then crusted with breadcrumbs before baking or grilling. Though sometimes the breading step will be eliminated with no loss of impact or flavor.

I’ve read in some places that this version was invented in Lubbock at Texas Tech. Though there were similar recipes printed in newspapers back in the 1980s that called for certain brand-name ingredients, which made me wonder if perhaps a food company didn’t create the recipe instead.

That said, the first mention of armadillo eggs I was able to find was from 1972 in a Victoria, Texas Advocate article about an armadillo festival the town was holding. Amongst the festival’s offerings was a group selling armadillo eggs along with dill pickles. I don’t know what their interpretation of the dish was, but if it involved jalapeños, I reckon it was good.

When I make my armadillo eggs, I adapt a recipe created by the Southfork Ranch. (If you’re a fan of the TV show “Dallas,” the ranch is indeed a real place, though I don’t think anyone named J.R. Ewing or Miss Ellie lives there.) Their version is simple—quartered jalapeños stuffed with cheddar, wrapped in breakfast sausage, and baked. Sure, the cheddar lends a yolk effect to the “eggs” when sliced in half. But I combine softened cream cheese with the cheddar, as I adore how its cool creaminess complements the hot jalapeños.

Armadillo eggs | Homesick Texan

What do you know as armadillo eggs? Here’s my version, which may be different than yours, but they are still outstanding. And even if nobody is certain on what to call them, I can be sure that you won’t be able to eat just one.

Print
5 from 4 votes

Armadillo eggs

Servings 6
Author Lisa Fain

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 ounces (1/4 cup) yellow cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Salt to taste
  • 6 medium-sized jalapeños
  • 2 pounds breakfast sausage, removed from its casing
  • Buttermilk dressing, for serving
  • Salsa, for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375° F and lightly grease a baking sheet.
  • Mix together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, cilantro, and cumin until well blended. Taste and add salt, and adjust seasonings.
  • Remove the stems from the jalapeños and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and then cut the sliced jalapeños in half, horizontally.
  • Place about a teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in each jalapeño quarter. Divide the sausage into 24 equal-sized portions and pat each into a 3-inch circle then place the stuffed jalapeño in the center of the sausage. Wrap the sausage around the stuffed jalapeño until it’s completely covered, and form into an egg shape.
  • Place sausage-wrapped jalapeños on the sheet, about an inch apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the sausage is cooked. For additional browning on top, you can place the sheet under the broiler for 2-5 minutes.

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Recipe Rating




79 Comments

  1. sara winston says:

    Armadillo eggs! Great recipe. The recipe that was used at our parties – they added shake n bake pork chop mix to the sausage. It was also yummy! So glad you posted this.

  2. Anonymous says:

    So excited to make these tonight!!! I have a ton of jalapenos I need to use, as well as a pound or two of sage sausage. I'll replace the garlic with shallots (currently obsessed with their flavor!), and use Jalapeno cream cheese for extra spice. Yummy! —-Sarahlynn =)

  3. Cristine Sharp Fisher says:

    Hi! Love this recipe but run out of sausage way before making 24! I use 2 pounds and 1/3 a cup for each. Is there a mistake in how much sausage the recipe calls for?

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Cristine–I believe the 1/3 cup was inaccurate and it’s probably better to divide the meat into 24-equal sized portions before proceeding.

      1. Cristine Sharp Fisher says:

        Thank you!! I’m a fellow “homesick Texan” as well. Love your blog and cookbooks!!

  4. 5 stars
    Made these for my family for dinner with red beans and rice. . I wrapped them in bacon. They love them.

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Ranell–Glad they were a hit!

  5. There are a couple differences from the recipe we used in the late 70’s.
    I roll of Jimmy Dean Hot Breakfast Sausage mixed with 1 cup of Bisquick. This puts an excellent crust around the jalapeno. After wrapping in the sausage/bisquick mixture. Now roll the”eggs” in, of all things, chicken flavored Shake and Bake. This gives the eggs the “leathery” look.
    Anyway. That’s how we did it back in the day. Try it and see if you like them! (Really good with guacamole!)

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Tredici–Thank you for sharing! I look forward to trying it this way!