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.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated March 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 Details

Blue Cheese and Toasted-Pecan Dip Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 12 servings

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.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
239Calories
23gFat
4gCarbs
6gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories239
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g30%
Saturated Fat 7g36%
Cholesterol 29mg10%
Sodium 335mg15%
Total Carbohydrate 4g1%
Dietary Fiber 1g4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 7mg35%
Calcium 130mg10%
Iron 0mg3%
Potassium 133mg3%
*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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