Hot Bacon and Blue Cheese Dip is a delicious, creamy, cheesy appetizer that can be made all in one pot and has less than 10 ingredients.
About Baked Blue Cheese Bacon Dip
Using an old Southern Living recipe, I updated it to be easier and tastier with a bit more nutrients.
If you like warm & cheesy dips, you will love this appetizer recipe.
Blue cheese bacon dip explodes with flavors from the smoky bacon, pungent blue cheese, and slightly sweet sauteed onions.
Cottage cheese and cream cheese combine to give a super creamy base while providing extra protein and calcium.
It's an updated version of a classic baked blue cheese and bacon dip with additional cheesiness from cottage cheese and flavor from the sauteed onions and chopped walnuts.
Ingredients
Bacon: Any type of bacon you like works. I typically use center-cut so there is less grease, but it doesn't really matter. You can pour off the excess grease.
Onion: Use a medium-sized onion that yields about 1 to 1.5 cups of diced onion. Yellow, white, red, and sweet (like Vidalia) onions are all great options.
Garlic: Fresh garlic adds an extra layer of flavor, and you can also use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder in place of fresh.
Liquid: To help the dip combine more easily, you'll add a little liquid. Water, chicken broth, vegetable broth, beef broth, milk, or cream are all great options.
Cottage cheese: The base of the dip is a combo of cottage cheese and cream cheese. Plus, it adds extra protein.
Cream cheese: Cream cheese gives extra creaminess to the warm blue cheese dip. Regular or reduced-fat cream cheese will both work. I don't recommend using fat-free cream cheese.
Hot sauce: For a little hint of spiciness, add hot sauce. This can be omitted or increased based on your personal spice preferences. Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes can also be used.
Blue cheese: Crumbled blue cheese makes it easier to stir, yet you can buy a block of blue cheese and crumble it yourself. If you crumble it from the block, it will have a stronger blue cheese flavor.
Play around with the amounts based on your personal preferences. Gorgonzola is a great alternative to blue cheese.
Walnuts: The walnuts add extra crunch to the dip, but they aren't 100% mandatory. Personally, I enjoy the added flavor and texture.
Garnish: This blue cheese dip isn't the prettiest, so garnishing it with something green helps liven the dish. Chives, parsley, green onion, or rosemary are all great options. This is totally optional.
Recipe Cost
- Bacon 4 slices: $1.50
- Onion 1 medium: $0.50
- Garlic 2 cloves: $0.12
- Water 2 tablespoons: $0
- Cottage cheese 8 ounces: $0.86
- Cream cheese 8-ounce block: $1.69
- Hot sauce ¼ teaspoon: $0.01
- Blue cheese 3 ounces: $1.68
- Walnuts 1 ounce: $0.46
TOTAL COST: $6.82 or $0.57/serving (Based on San Diego grocery stores 2023)
Note that this is not the recipe; it's simply to show the cost breakdown of ingredients. Scroll down to the full recipe to see the specific ingredients and directions.
How to Make Bacon Blue Cheese Dip
Time needed: 45 minutes
These rich, creamy, and hearty dip can be made all in one pot.
- Cook the bacon.
Set aside.
- Sauté diced onion in bacon grease.
Remove from heat.
- Add garlic, cottage cheese, and cream cheese.
Stir together.
- Add hot sauce, liquid, bacon, and walnuts.
- Stir together, and bake.
- Remove from oven, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
*After cooking the bacon, you should have about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. If there is a lot more in the pan, remove it with paper towels or pour off extra.
*I highly recommend tasting the dip before you bake it to test the flavors. It's easier to make adjustments at this point.
Variations
Ingredient Options
Garlic: Garlic powder can be used in place of fresh. Use ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
Water: Chicken broth, vegetable broth, beef broth, milk, or cream are great options for thinning the cheese dip.
Hot sauce: To add spiciness to the dip, try ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Alternatively, you can add 1 teaspoon of minced jalapeno.
Flavor Substitutions
Blue cheese: For a less intense blue cheese flavor, use gorgonzola or less blue cheese.
If you prefer more blue cheese, add extra or crumble it into the dip from a block of blue cheese (instead of buying the pre-crumbled which usually has less flavor).
Alternative Prep & Cooking
To make this easier, I use one skillet or braiser that can be cooked on the skillet and is oven-safe.
If you do not have that option:
- Cook the bacon in a skillet.
- Saute the onion.
- Mix the cream cheese (best if this is room temperature for easier mixing), cottage cheese, and water together in a mixing bowl.
- Add in onion, garlic, blue cheese, hot sauce, walnuts, and bacon.
- Transfer to a 1 or 2-quart baking dish, and bake in the oven.
How to Make Allergy-Friendly
This warm blue cheese dip is already gluten-free, egg-free, and soy-free. Since it is filled with 3 different cheeses, it might be difficult to make dairy-free.
If you wanted this to be nut-free, omit the walnuts. You can add extra bacon for more crunch, or try sunflower seeds.
For a vegetarian version of this warm blue cheese dip, omit the bacon. Sauté the onion in oil - like olive oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.
How to Fix a Mistake
Too thick: Stir in more liquid (water, milk, broth, or cream) in 1 tablespoon increments until it mixes well but isn't runny.
Too thin: Add extra cream cheese or cottage cheese to thicken the warm blue cheese dip.
Lacking flavor: Sprinkle in more blue cheese, hot sauce, and/or garlic.
Blue cheese too strong: Stir in extra cottage cheese or cream cheese. Or add grated cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, or Monterey jack cheese.
Make-Ahead Ideas
Because you serve this dip warm, I recommend baking just before serving.
You can prepare in advance by cooking the bacon, sauteing the onion, and mixing together the cheese with onion.
When you're ready to enjoy, assemble and bake.
Storage Suggestions
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. It's best if reheated in the oven, but you can also do it in the microwave.
To reheat:
- Oven: transfer to an oven-safe dish and bake at 300F for 10-20 minutes until warmed through.
- Microwave: transfer to a microwave-safe dish and reheat at 100% power in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can absolutely bake blue cheese, and I highly recommend trying it with this baked blue cheese bacon dip.
Nutrition Benefits
Compounds in onions have a variety of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibiotic, antiasthmatic, and antiviral effects.
Garlic has similar properties as well.
On top of that, adding cottage cheese to this blue cheese bacon dip increases the protein and calcium you get.
One (¼ cup) serving provides 7 grams of protein and almost 10% of the RDA of calcium.
What to Serve with Bacon Blue Cheese Dip
My favorite crackers to serve with this hot bacon blue cheese dip are Ritz crackers (or butter crackers). Wheat Thins are another great option.
Honestly, any cracker will be tasty.
Pear and apple slices are also delicious. And you can dip grapes into the blue cheese bacon dip as well.
Final thoughts:
If you are looking for a flavorful warm blue cheese dip, this is for you!
Bacon and walnuts pair so well with blue cheese, and this dip is a medley of bold flavors.
MORE WARM DIP RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:
- Crockpot Crab Spinach Dip
- Baked Jalapeno Popper Dip
- Hot Crawfish Dip
- Cheesy Bacon Brussels Sprouts Dip
Blue Cheese Bacon Dip
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons water milk or broth
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
- 3 ounces blue cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cook the bacon over medium heat until done. Transfer to paper towels to absorb extra grease, and set aside.
- Put the skillet back on the stove over medium heat, and saute the onion in bacon grease until lightly browned - about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir in garlic, cream cheese, and cottage cheese until combined.
- Stir in hot sauce, water, blue cheese, bacon, and walnuts. Add extra liquid if it's too thick to stir. (If you want to put this in a 1-quart baking dish you can)
- Transfer to the oven, and bake for 25-30 minutes until edges are bubbly.
- Serve with whole wheat crackers and/or fruit slices.
Notes
What to Use in This Recipe
Meme
This post was originally published on January 30, 2013. Text, recipe, and photos have been updated.
Leave a Reply