Warm Butternut Squash and Cheddar Dip Recipe

Roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, sage, and plenty of cheese: when their powers combine, you get a cold-weather stunner of a dip.

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.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Dec. 05, 2019
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Photograph: Morgan Eisenberg

Why It Works

  • Roasted squash and caramelized onions add sweetness, while cream cheese and sour cream lend richness and tang.
  • Microwaving the squash first makes peeling extra easy.

Cold weather doesn't seem so bad when there's a warm dish of butternut squash and cheddar dip on the table. Flavored with caramelized onions, sage, garlic, and plenty of cheese, this roasted squash dip will be your favorite appetizer of the season.

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Recipe Facts

5

(2)

Active: 60 mins
Total: 90 mins
Serves: 10 servings

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Ingredients

  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling and greasing

  • 1 large butternut squash (about 3 1/2 pounds; 1.6kg)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick; 57g), plus more if needed

  • 20 sage leaves (from about 3 sprigs)

  • 1 large onion (about 8 ounces; 225g), thinly sliced

  • 4 medium cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 package cream cheese (8 ounces; 225g), at room temperature

  • 1/2 cup sour cream (4 ounces; 113g)

  • 8 ounces cheddar cheese (about 2 cups; 230g), shredded

  • Crackers or pita chips, to dip

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Grease a small baking dish with olive oil and set aside.

  2. Peel, seed, and dice the squash into 1-inch cubes, using this guide.

    Alternatively, use the microwave: Poke holes all over the squash with a fork or make shallow slits in the skin with a knife. Microwave squash for 3 minutes or until the skin and flesh have softened slightly. Peel squash and cut into cubes. Discard seeds.

  3. Place squash cubes on the prepared sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper.

  4. Roast squash until fork-tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

  5. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add sage leaves and fry in butter until lightly crisped and beginning to darken slightly. Remove pan from heat and remove sage leaves using a slotted spoon. Set aside.

  6. Return pan to heat, add onion, and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion has caramelized, about 30 minutes. Add more butter if onion begins to stick to pan. Stir in garlic at the very end and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  7. Place roasted squash, caramelized onion mixture, and about 2/3 of the crispy sage leaves into the bowl of a food processor. Process until well combined. Add cream cheese and sour cream and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

  8. Transfer squash mixture to prepared baking dish and mix in half of the cheddar cheese throughout. Top with remaining half of cheese. At this point, the dip can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking and serving.

  9. When ready to serve, bake dip at 400°F until cheese is entirely melted and browned in spots, about 20 minutes. Top with remaining crispy sage leaves and serve warm with pita chips or crackers for dipping.

Special equipment

Baking sheet, baking dish, food processor

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
345 Calories
26g Fat
23g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 345
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 13g 67%
Cholesterol 64mg 21%
Sodium 382mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 25mg 125%
Calcium 270mg 21%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 546mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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