Hailing from its humble beginnings as a derivative of Monterey Jack, the original “American” cheese, when it was invented by the Mexican Franciscan friars of sunny and coastal Monterey, California. Our Pepper Jack Cheese uses a mild, creamy and Shredded Monterey Jack cheese as its base - it is, afterall, where it gets the name “Jack”. However, instead of allowing the Monterey Jack to fully mature and turn into the well-loved, semi-soft cheese that it is, peppers are added during the cheesemaking process. This is where the “Pepper” part of the name comes in. Jalapeño peppers, habanero peppers, and red bell peppers are diced and added into the cheese resulting in perfectly spicy and incredibly herbaceous cheese. You could say we put the ‘pepper’ in Pepper Jack!

These bold flavors go wonderful with quesadillas, and used to top hamburger patties. Whether you’re just finding a shredded cheese to top your salads with a little kick or trying to zest up your summer cookout, Trader Joe’s Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese is waiting in its resealable bag ready to get swept at a moment’s notice.