Last week, I put out a call on our Facebook page for pumpkin recipe requests. Many of them were the usual favorites — pumpkin bread, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin muffins, and all sorts of other pumpkin sweets that I love.
But I was excited to see how many people instead requested some savory pumpkin recipes! Believe it or not, I tend to pick savory over sweet any day. So I love that pumpkin is starting to be popular for both sides of the sweet and savory coin nowadays!
One of the savory requests came from my friend Matt, who even went a step further (gold star!) and sent me a recipe for his famous Savory Pumpkin Dip.
When I saw the ingredient list was full of cream cheese, green onions, pecans and lots of bacon, I was pretty much instantly sold. Plus I randomly had all of the ingredients on hand, along with my total impulse buy of the week — Ritz crackers.
(Sidenote: Had not bought Ritz crackers in about a decade, but after hearing Amanda talk about their supremacy over graham crackers in making s’mores, I was dying to pick up a box. And now, I totally can’t stop eating them. Best. Cracker. Ever.)
So with all of my ingredients and Ritz ready to go, I was able to whip up this dip in about the amount of time it took to cook the bacon. So quick and easy!
I did end up making a few changes from Matt’s recipe. His called for pumpkin butter, which I didn’t have onhand and didn’t have the patience to make. So I just substituted in some pumpkin puree and a pinch of cinnamon, which was terrific. And then I couldn’t resist throwing in a little cheddar cheese and seasoned salt — two of my favorite dip ingredients. :)
Sure enough, the dip was a hit! I ended up taking it to two parties for taste-testing, and everyone gave it the big thumbs up and it quickly disappeared. Most of my friends initially couldn’t put their finger on the main ingredient, as the pumpkin flavor is pretty subtle. But I liked how it wasn’t overpowering, and instead just gave a nice rich undertone to the dip.
Definitely a new savory pumpkin recipe that will go into my rotation. Perfect for game day, a quick appetizer, or even just a delicious snack.
Thanks, Matt!
Savory Pumpkin Dip
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat cream cheese)
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 4-6 slices of bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Stir all ingredients together using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until combined. Serve garnished with extra bacon and green onions if desired, or cover and refrigerate until use.
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Yay! I’m writing an article for Hobby Farms website about creative uses for pumpkins and I’ll totally link to this. It looks awesome. Such a great veggie isn’t it!
Thanks for this delicious recipe! I brought this to thanksgiving at my future mother in law’s and it was a hit! As a vegetarian, I substituted fake bacon (I prefer Morningstar Farms’ version–found in the frozen section of most grocers) and even the non-veggies liked it. I also served it warm so the cheese was all yummy and melty. Yum!
This is totally on my Thanksgiving menu. Perfect for snacking on while I’m cooking dinner!
If I don’t have “seasoned salt”, what other seasonings should I put in this?
i’m going to make all 4 versions mentioned. the original, ali’s, and then one each adding sun dried tomaters, and chipolte peppers. pumpkin has been my sneaky addition for at least 25 years! i;ve added it to tomato based recipes to balance acidity as a rule. if something is too spicy or salty a bit of pumpkin helps balance the flavors. tried making chili without it but it’s not as tasty. definately have to increase some spices since pumpkin tends to zap some.
Just wanted to let you know, I just made this and my Hubby and I are stoked. Such an amazing recipe! Thank you!
Can I make this the day before and refrigerate? Will it still taste good?
I tried to make this the day before – and it did work out OK – but it is WAY better to make prior to serving. If you make it the day before, the cheese hardens up and the grease from the bacon solidifies. I would zap it in the microwave a little just to soften things up. It is still tasty, but the texture gets thrown a bit.
I made this for my Pumpkin housewarming and it was a hit. Thanks!
Has anyone served this dip warm???
It is even better served warm!! SOOOO good
Oh my goodness, this dip is AWESOME! I have made it twice already since you posted it, as I grew a pumpkin patch this year and have been on the lookout for as many pumpkin recipes as possible. This one is a WINNER! I posted about it and linked back to you – just wanted to let you know! Thanks for such a great and different recipe.
Best,
Natalie
oystersandpearls.net
https://oystersandpearls.net/savory-pumpkin-dip-recipe/