Cheese and Bacon Dip
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
35 mins
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Servings
10
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Calories
264 kcal
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Course
Appetizer
Cheese and Bacon Dip
Description
Cheese and Bacon Dip combines softened cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise with garlic powder to create a smooth base enriched by a blend of tasty and mozzarella cheeses. The addition of crisp cooked bacon and shallots introduces savory, smoky layers. Heating the mixture melds the ingredients into a creamy, cohesive dip that can be served immediately or baked in a hollowed-out sourdough bread bowl topped with crushed crackers for a crunchy crust. The warm dip's rich texture and savory flavors make it suitable for serving with crackers, chips, or toasted bread pieces.
The preparation involves frying chopped bacon until browned, mixing the dairy and seasonings, blending in the cheeses, bacon, and shallots, then microwaving to meld the flavors. For the bread bowl, a sourdough cob loaf is hollowed, filled with the dip, topped with crackers and sprayed oil, then baked until golden. Adding the remaining bacon and shallots at the end offers a fresh, crisp garnish. Serving the dip warm retains its creamy texture, as it tends to firm up as it cools.
Accompany the dip with complementary dippers like crackers, chips, or toasted bread from the hollowed loaf. The recipe yields about 4.5 to 5 cups of dip, suitable for approximately 10 servings (excluding the bread bowl). It's important to heat the dip before serving if prepared ahead to restore its creamy consistency. Reheating instructions vary slightly depending on whether the dip is served in a bread bowl or a regular bowl.
For storage and reheating, the dip can be refrigerated and later microwaved until warm, stirring to maintain consistency. If using the bread bowl, microwave briefly then bake to crisp the crust. When an oven is unavailable, refrigerate after baking, then microwave individual servings. The choice of cheeses can be varied, using flavorful melting cheeses such as Swiss or Gruyere in place of mozzarella for different tastes.
Ingredients
- 350 g / 12 oz Bacon , chopped
- 250 g / 8 oz cream cheese , softened
- 1 cup sour cream (preferably full fate)
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp garlic powder (or sub with onion powder)
- 1 cup tasty cheese Note 1, shredded, or cheddar cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese Note 1, shredded
- 1 cup shallot chopped (~4 - 5 stalks, or scallions
Bread bowl & topping (optional)
- 1 cob bread sourdough works best, round
- 5 Jatz cracker crushed (Note 2, or Ritz or other plain savoury cracker
- cooking spray
To serve
- crackers , chips, toasted bread
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a non stick skillet / fry pan over high heat until browned. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream and garlic powder together in a heat proof bowl.
- Stir through most of the bacon, all the cheese and most of the shallots. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. The dip may look like the oil from the cheese has separated. Just stir well and it will come (and stay) together.
- If serving as is, pour into a serving bowl, top with remaining bacon and shallots.
- Serve with crackers, chips and the bread you pulled out to create the bread bowl (I toast it).
Bread bowl
- If making this in a bread bowl. use a small knife to cut a circle on the top of the cob loaf then remove enough bread to make a bowl. Pour the dip into the bowl.
- Top with crushed crackers, spray with oil. Bake for 20 minutes at 180C/350F until top is golden.
- Top with remaining bacon and shallots. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use a combination of tasty (or cheddar) and mozzarella cheeses to balance flavor and stretchiness in the dip.
- To make the baked topping, substitute crushed crackers for panko and parmesan breadcrumbs to add crunch and prevent drying.
- Serve the dip warm or at room temperature to ensure it remains creamy, as it firms up when cooled.
- If making ahead without a bread bowl, prepare the mixture but hold off microwaving until ready to serve for best texture.
- When using a sourdough bread bowl, microwave it briefly before baking to speed reheating and maintain crust crispness.
- Leftover dip stored after baking in the bread bowl can be reheated in the microwave; sourdough crust remains reasonably crispy.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 264 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 94g | |
| Calories | 264cal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 6.8g | 2% |
| Protein | 7.1g | 14% |
| Fat | 23.7g | 36% |
| Saturated Fat | 11.8g | 59% |
| Cholesterol | 55mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 337mg | 14% |
| Potassium | 107mg | 2% |
| Sugar | 1.5g | 3% |
| Vitamin A | 700IU | 14% |
| Vitamin C | 2.5mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 140mg | 14% |
| Iron | 0.5mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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