Cheddar Butternut Squash Dip

Cheddar Butternut Squash Dip

David Venable

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6–8

Ingredients

  • 4 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 6 Tbsp butter, divided
  • 4 strips of bacon, finely chopped
  • 1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup sage leaves, divided
  • 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
  • 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Place cubed squash, oil, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl and toss to coat. Lay out on the prepared baking sheet and roast for about 25 minutes until it is fork tender.

Place bacon on a small sheet pan in the oven for about 15 minutes, flipping once. Allow to cool and then finely chop.

Melt 4 Tbsp of the butter in a large sauté pan over low-medium heat and add the onion with 1/4 tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes. Stir the garlic in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove onion and garlic from the pan and set aside in a bowl.

In the same pan, melt the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and lightly fry the sage leaves. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel.

Take 1/4 cup of the sage leaves, finely chop, and set aside for your topping.

Place the roasted squash, onion and garlic mixture, 3/4 cups of the sage leaves, sour cream, spices and 1-1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese in a food processor. Pulse until you have a smooth consistency and place into a small casserole dish.

Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Garnish with bacon, sage, and pumpkin seeds, and serve with your favorite dippers.

Dippers

  • Sliced apples
  • Whole wheat tortilla chips
  • Whole wheat baked pita crackers

 

Cook's Notes

This dip may be prepared 24 hours in advance and kept in a small casserole dish. Just pop it in the oven 30 minutes before serving.

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