New Tostitos Jalapeno Popper Dip, Our Honest Review of a Divisive Dip

The Super Bowl is this weekend, so it was nice of Tostitos to release a few new products. I mean, they had their very own college football bowl until Vrbo horned in on their Fiesta, so this is probably the best way for them to remain pigskin adjacent. Tostitos Scoops are always invited to the party, as are jars of Tostitos Salsa con Queso (one of our faves) and Tostitos Cheesy Enchilada Dip (also a fave)—but should we make room on the Super Bowl snack table for new Jalapeno Popper Dip that just dropped? We tasted it (with and without their new Mexican Street Corn tortilla chips), and, frankly, we’re torn.

People online seem to really dislike this dip. My colleagues Ariana Losch and Jordan Myrick tasted it and really liked it. I guess I’ve landed somewhere in the middle. Let’s discuss.

New Product!

Tostitos Jalapeno Popper Dip

Target

Pros: A dip that tastes like jalapeno poppers is a great concept, right? And this does have some things in common with jalapeno poppers—it’s cream cheesy (in a way) and there are lots of diced peppers in the mix (“real peppers,” as the jar brags). If you’re looking for something creamy and a little spicy to dip chips in, it’s not the worst thing in the world.

Cons: Okay, it does taste a little weird—the cheese has a funk and the peppers are weirdly fruity on the finish. Also, I’m not totally sure how it’s supposed to be eaten. Most Tostitos dips have heating instructions on the jar; this dip does not, which leads me to believe it’s intended to be consumed cold rather than hot, even though jalapeno poppers are served hot. Because I’m a human being with the ability to exercise free will (for now), I tried it both cold and heated up. Cold, the consistency leaves something to be desired. It’s a little bit pasty. Heated up, it has a creamier consistency, but that odd fruity flavor is much more prominent. My colleague Justine Sterling thought it tasted like tropical fruit, which isn’t ideal, is it?

Rating:

6/10

Sporks

Verdict: We’re highly dip positive here and we wanted to love this, but there are better Tostitos dips at the grocery store.

About the Author

Howdy! I’m Gwynedd, Sporked’s managing editor. I live in Los Angeles and have access to the best tacos the U.S. has to offer—but I’m a sucker for a crunchy Old El Paso taco night every now and then. I’ve been at Sporked since 2022 and I’m still searching frozen mozzarella sticks that can hold a candle to restaurant sticks. Why you should trust me: I’ve been a journalist for 20 years (yikes), a consumer of food for 40-plus years, and I’m truly hard pressed to think of foods I don’t like (or that I can’t tolerate at the very least). Oh and one time I cooked my way through Guy Fieri’s cookbook and wrote about the journey through Flavortown. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s Original Savory Thins. Fat free plain yogurt (usually Fage or Nancy’s). Honeycrisp apples. Sweet cream coffee creamer for my at-home Americanos. A frozen cauliflower crust pizza and some jarred mushrooms to top it with. Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff taco shells and Gardein Ground Be’f, even though I think “be’f” is a nightmarish contraction. Favorite ranking: Stouffer’s frozen dinners. I don’t own a microwave (I get my cancers the old fashioned way!), so I love taste testing things that I don’t really buy to eat at home. Least favorite ranking: Soy sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I love soy sauce—but consuming that much sodium in one sitting is probably illegal in some countries. Our frozen enchilada taste test was a close second; the smell of microwaved corn tortillas still haunts me.