Blue Cheese and Toasted-Pecan Dip Recipe
Classic blue cheese dip gets a nutty twist with this quick and easy recipe, ideal for holiday entertaining or game-day parties.
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Why It Works
- Toasting the pecans allows their flavors to shine alongside the piquant blue cheese, rather than being overshadowed by it.
- Sour cream, mayonnaise, and lemon juice add extra tang and allow the blue cheese to reach a dippable consistency at room temperature.
Tangy, buttery, and piquant, this spin on traditional blue cheese dip features toasted pecans for crunch and flavor. It's a snap to make and can be spread on sandwiches or served with everything from chips to raw broccoli and other vegetables, so it's perfect for entertaining.
Recipe Facts
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecan halves (4 ounces; 115g)
- 8 ounces (225g) blue cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup sour cream (8 ounces; 225g)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (4 ounces; 115g)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, plus more to garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Crackers, pretzels, bread, sliced fruit, and/or sliced raw vegetables, for serving
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 4 minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, use a fork to mash blue cheese crumbles with sour cream until only small chunks remain. Stir in mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, and parsley. Set aside.
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Chop toasted pecans and mix them into the dip, reserving about 1 tablespoon for garnish. Season dip with salt and pepper.
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Transfer dip to a serving bowl and top with remaining pecans and chopped parsley. Serve dip at room temperature with crackers, pretzels, bread, fruit, and/or vegetables.
Special equipment
Make-Ahead and Storage
The dip can be made without the pecans up to 3 days ahead of time, then refrigerated in an airtight container. Return to room temperature and add the toasted pecans just before serving.