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.

By
Morgan Eisenberg
Morgan Eisenberg is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Morgan Eisenberg
Morgan Eisenberg is a creative blogger at Host the Toast. She has an absolute obsession over all things edible.
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Updated Mar. 19, 2020
20181112-blue-cheese-and-toasted-pecan-dip-overhead-morgan-eisenberg
Morgan Eisenberg

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

Active: 15 mins
Total: 15 mins
Serves: 12 servings

Rate & Comment

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

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 4 minutes.

  2. 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.

  3. Chop toasted pecans and mix them into the dip, reserving about 1 tablespoon for garnish. Season dip with salt and pepper.

  4. 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

Rimmed baking sheet

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.

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