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Warm Butternut Squash and Cheddar Dip Recipe

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4 from 6 reviews

This Warm Butternut Squash and Cheddar Dip is a comforting and flavorful cold-weather appetizer featuring roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, crispy sage, and rich cheddar cheese. Perfectly baked until bubbly and golden, it’s served warm with crackers or pita chips for dipping.

Ingredients

Produce

  • 1 large butternut squash (about 3 1/2 pounds; 1.6 kg)
  • 20 sage leaves (from about 3 sprigs)
  • 1 large onion (about 8 ounces; 225 g), thinly sliced
  • 4 medium cloves garlic, minced

Dairy

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick; 57 g), plus more if needed
  • 1 package cream cheese (8 ounces; 225 g), at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (4 ounces; 113 g)
  • 8 ounces cheddar cheese (about 2 cups; 230 g), shredded

Pantry

  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling and greasing
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Crackers or pita chips, to dip

Instructions

  1. Prepare the oven and baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease a casserole dish with olive oil. Set aside both for later use.
  2. Prepare the butternut squash: Peel, seed, and dice the squash into 1-inch cubes. You can soften the squash first by microwaving it for 3 minutes after poking holes or slitting the skin. Discard seeds. Place the cubes on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly.
  3. Roast the squash: Roast the squash in the preheated oven until fork-tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
  4. Cook the sage leaves: While the squash roasts, melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add sage leaves and fry until lightly crisp and starting to darken. Remove the sage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the butter in the pan.
  5. Caramelize the onions: Return the pan to medium heat and add the thinly sliced onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and soft, about 30 minutes. Add extra butter if onions start to stick. At the end, stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Process the dip base: In a food processor, combine the roasted squash, caramelized onion mixture, and about two-thirds of the crispy sage leaves. Process until well combined and smooth.
  7. Add cream cheese and sour cream: Add the cream cheese and sour cream to the food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Assemble the dip: Transfer the mixture to the greased casserole dish. Stir in half of the shredded cheddar cheese evenly throughout the dip. Then top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
  9. Bake the dip: Bake in the oven at 400°F for about 20 minutes, until the cheese on top is entirely melted and browned in spots.
  10. Garnish and serve: Remove from oven, sprinkle with the remaining crispy sage leaves, and serve warm with crackers or pita chips for dipping.

Notes

  • The dip can be assembled and refrigerated, covered, for up to three days before baking and serving.
  • Make sure to caramelize onions slowly over medium heat for best flavor.
  • Use freshly grated cheddar cheese for better melting and taste.
  • Leftovers can be reheated in the oven until warmed through.

Find it online: https://cookedbysarah.com/warm-butternut-squash-and-cheddar-dip-recipe/