Pumpkin Cheddar Chipotle Cheese Dip

Pumpkin crosses over to the savory side in a spicy, smoky, creamy cheese dip with a lovely autumn orange color. This Pumpkin Chipotle Cheddar Cheese Dip makes a great snack or appetizer and can be served either hot or cold … and you’d never guess there’s pumpkin in there if you didn’t know. The pumpkin adds a depth of flavor that you can’t quite put your finger on …

When this dip is served hot, it’s more of a dip. When cold, it’s really more of a cheese spread, although it’s still dippable if your dippers are sturdy. It doesn’t stop there, though. You can use this cheese spread on sandwiches, toast, in deviled eggs or mix it with tuna for a fabulous tuna melt. What else could you do with it? Stuff some mini sweet peppers, maybe? My head is still spinning with possibilities …

I love this cheese dip on sourdough whole wheat toast or crackers, personally, but it’s good with cucumbers, carrots, celery, cauliflower and even honeycrisp apples.

Who knew pumpkin could be so versatile?

I found some pumpkin in my freezer recently and since it’s almost pumpkin season and I’ll have LOADS of pumpkins from my dad’s pumpkin patch, I figured I’d best use it up now. Besides, it’s pumpkin season.

First I went sweet and made myself some pumpkin baked oats (with oat bran!) … that was a total winner.

After the baked oats, I had just 1/2 cup of pumpkin left. Not enough for pumpkin pie or pumpkin cake … and I kind of wanted to try going savory for a change. I had a yoga party to go to, so I started mixing things together, playing in the kitchen, knowing all my yoga friends love CHEESE.

And I ended up with a pretty stellar, spicy little cheese dip. I think I might have made it a little too spicy for my yoga friends because they didn’t eat much of it, but I’m totally fine with that. I have all week to find more fun uses for this smokin’ hot cheese … and then I’m going to my parents’ place where my sisters and the kids will be there. They always beg me to make queso and they love it hot and spicy, so I think this cheese dip is right up their alley.

I mean seriously, I can’t make it hot enough for them. But put a little black pepper in ANY dish and they complain that it’s too hot! Makes no sense, but who am I to argue? I’ll just keep making killer hot cheese dips and they’ll keep gobbling it up.

If you have aleppo pepper flakes, sprinkle a few of those on top of the dip to make it extra pretty and add a little more heat to the bowl. If not (or if you’re thinking maybe we need to tone down the spice, not turn it up), it’s all good.

You can totally adjust the heat to your own liking too, by the way. Just start small and add more, bit by bit, until your taste buds are happy.

Pumpkin Chipotle Cheddar Cheese Dip

• Yield: About 8 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 of a white onion, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 8 oz. Neufchatel or Greek cream cheese
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2.5 oz. shredded white cheddar cheese
• 1 oz. shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon harissa (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

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Instructions

1. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil, tilt the pan to swirl the oil around in the pan, then add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent.
2. Reduce heat to low and add the pumpkin and cream cheese in chunks. Stir to mix while the cream cheese melts. Add the other cheeses, seasonings, and liquid smoke. Stir until all the cheeses are melted and everything is nicely mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
3. Serve warm with your choice of dippers, or cold as a cheese spread for crackers, burgers or sandwiches. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

© Copyright 2019, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.

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Nutrition

• Calories: 138
• Fat: 11.3g