Baked White Cheddar Leek Dip

Grab your bagel chips and dip them into this white cheddar leek dip asap! Cheddar, leeks and beer… what’s not to love?

This might be the best dip ever.

So be very aware of its cheesy addictive capabilities.

Between the dip, the bagel chips and the beer… I was in a carb-coma by 5pm. So totally worth it. Note to self… start a carb-less diet pronto.

Okay so my dear friend Stacey who is not only a SS loyalist but a longtime friend gave me this recipe over a year ago. I’ve held on to this little ditty for far too long and when I was cleaning my office at home I found it and dashed out to the store for the ingredients. I’m told it’s from the Everyday Food Magazine. I haven’t looked up the actual recipe so I just adapted from the recipe she hand wrote for me.

So are you in charge of bringing an ap to the Thanksgiving party? Bring this dip.

Got a bottle of wine and need something to balance it out… make this dip.

If you like cheese and dislike sharing food… this dip is just for you!

Overall this dip is pretty simple to whip together. You could even prep everything ahead of time and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to bake. The original recipe Stacey wrote down for me called for Guiness, but any dark beer should do. We had some Oktoberfest left over from our trip to Charlevoix so I thought that would be just the ticket.

Prep The Ingredients:

Trim off the root-end and dark green parts of the leek.

Halve it lengthwise and slice into half moons.

You’ll have a big-o-pile of leeks, but these will cook down quite a bit so not to worry.

Get a big bowl, fill it half way with water and slide the leeks in.

Swish the leeks in the water, breaking them up with your fingers. The sandy dirt will fall to the bottom and the clean leeks will float to the top.

Remove the leeks shaking off most of the water and pat any excess water off with paper towels.

In a small skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.

Add the leeks and toss so you get them all coated in butter.

Once they have softened and are starting to turn golden and caramelize you’ll want to season with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper.

Once soft and buttery remove the pan from the heat and start making the base of the dip. Aka: cheesy dip heaven.

Add a softened 8 ounce brick of cream cheese to a bowl.

A quarter cup of mayo.

Add in the 2/3 cup of the freshly grated white cheddar.

Then the 4 tablespoons of beer. Ps… does my hand look dead here or what? eek.

Toss in the leeks…

And stir until smooth and the cream cheese is mixed throughout.

Grab that skillet {if it’s oven safe of course} or a 1-1/2 to 2 quart baking dish will do.

Spread it evenly…

And top with 3 ounces more of the white cheddar. Bake this White Cheddar Leek Dip in a 350 degree oven for twenty minutes or until it’s lightly golden.

Serve with your favorite thing to dip with. I like the everything bagel chips… but anything sturdy will be just the right vehicle to transport the dip to your face.

I’m only a little ashamed that this dip was dinner, but it was football Sunday in our house and I cope with carbs.

Enjoy! And if you give this recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

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Yield: 6 servings

White Cheddar Leek Dip

This warm dip is so addictive! Leeks, beer and white cheddar.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Additional Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 leek, white and light green parts only
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 7 ounces sharp white cheddar, grated and divided
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 4 tablespoons dark beer

Instructions 

• Preheat your oven to 400°.
• Trim, halve and slice the leek into half moons. Place the leek slices in a bowl of water and swish them around, breaking them up with your fingers. The sandy dirt will fall to the bottom. Remove the leaks, drain and pat dry.
• In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted add in the clean leeks. Cook until softened about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove the skillet off of the heat.
• In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, two-thirds of the grated cheddar and the beer. Add in the cooked leaks and stir until smooth.
• Spread the leek dip into the same small oven-safe skillet {or a 1-1/2 to 2 quart baking dish) and top with the remaining grated cheese.
• Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minute or until bubbly and lightly golden.
• Let the dip cool before serving.

Serving: 1g, Calories: 373kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 487mg, Potassium: 118mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1209IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 287mg, Iron: 1mg

Author: Laurie McNamara

Course: Appetizers & Snacks

Cuisine: American