Serve hot. Roast white or sweet potato spears to serve alongside...…or opt for a simpler fix: your favorite chips and crackers. data-pin-do=)
Hot and Cheesy ‘Loaded Baked Potato’ Dip by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
January 26, 2018
Something ooey, gooey and delicious for The BIG Football Game!
(While there are no potatoes IN the dip, per se; the flavors of the dip are those found in a loaded baked potato: sour cream, bacon, scallions and cheese.)
Serve hot. Roast white or sweet potato spears to serve alongside...…or opt for a simpler fix: your favorite chips and crackers.
- Prep: 40 mins
- Cook: 45 mins
- Yields: Serves 8 to10 as part of an hors d’oeuvre station
Ingredients
3 pounds Idaho or sweet potatoes, washed and dried
2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more as needed)
4 to 5 slices smoked bacon
1 pound cream cheese, unflavored and brought to room temperature
1 ½ cups (12 ounces) sour cream
2 heaping tablespoons dehydrated onions
½ teaspoon granulated or powdered garlic
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces pepper jack cheese, coarsely grated
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
3 scallions, washed, dried and thinly sliced (both white and green parts)
1 tablespoon butter, for greasing the baking dish
2 to 3 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Optional: a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce to spice it up!
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the white or sweet potatoes, lengthwise, into even-sized wedges. Toss in a bowl with the olive oil, kosher salt and a few twists of fresh pepper. Use enough oil to coat the potatoes, but not an excessive amount. Too much oil will burn the potatoes and smoke in the oven. Roast the potatoes, in a single layer on a sheet pan until soft to the point of a knife. They will also be crispy and browned. This should take 25 to 35 minutes. You can cook these in advance and just reheat them to serve with the dip.
After the potatoes are cooked, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Cook the bacon in a sauté pan on the stove top or in the oven until BARELY crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. When cooled, coarsely chop. (Hint: Multi task: Cook the bacon in the oven while the potatoes are roasting.)
Pulse the cream cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the sour cream and pulse to blend. Add the granulated garlic, the Worcestershire sauce, the dehydrated onions, a pinch of salt and a few twists of the pepper mill. Pulse again to combine all ingredients.
Scrape the mix into a bowl. Add the grated pepper jack and cheddar cheeses. Add the scallions, both white and green parts. Add the cooked, chopped bacon. Mix well. Taste for seasoning…does it need more salt or pepper? Do you want it spicy? Add a few drops of hot sauce.
Butter a 6-cup ovenproof baking dish. (Hint: Don’t have a casserole dish? A glass/ceramic pie dish will work as well.)
Add the mix to the dish and bake at the lowered oven temperature (350 degrees) for 10 minutes. Take dish out of oven and stir it. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese on top, mixing it in slightly. You do want most of the mozzarella to remain on top of the dip. Return dish to oven and continue to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbly hot and nicely browned on top. Reheat the already roasted potatoes and serve alongside the dip.
