This spicy roasted cauliflower and spinach dip with white cheddar and gruyere is a perfect fall recipe and I’m loving it for tailgating and football season! If you like spinach and artichoke dip then this is a great alternative – the cauliflower adds a heartiness to the dip, and the cayenne adds a spicy kick. Plus, it’s hot and cheesy and bubbly…who can resist that?!
Spicy Roasted Cauliflower Dip with White Cheddar & Gruyere
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ head cauliflower, cut into florets
- ¼ teaspoon onion, minced
- ¼ teaspoon garlic, minced
- 12 ounces light cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup light sour cream
- ¼ cup light mayonnaise
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 1 ¼ cups white cheddar and gruyere cheese blend, shredded, divided
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon white wine
- 1 cup tightly packed, raw baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Herbs de Provence
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Pita chips, for dipping
Preparation
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1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. Also, lightly mist a small/medium-sized baking dish with cooking spray.
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2. Cut the tops off of the heads of garlic and place each of the heads onto a small square of foil. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap tightly, and place into the oven directly onto the wire rack.
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3. Next, toss the cauliflower florets with a generous drizzle of the olive oil, a large pinch of Kosher salt, a few grinds of black pepper, a pinch of the cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon of the paprika, and the onion and garlic, and put that onto the foil-lined baking sheet. Place into the oven next to the foil-wrapped garlic and roast together for about 30 minutes, until cauliflower is slightly charred and soft, and garlic is soft and aromatic.
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4. Remove the cauliflower and garlic heads from the oven, and turn the oven up to 450 degrees F.
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5. Unwrap the garlic heads from the foil to allow them to completely cool before squeezing them from their papers and smashing them into a paste with a knife or fork. Allow the cauliflower florets to completely cool, and then very finely chop them. Set both of those aside.
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6. For the base of the dip, take a large bowl and add the softened cream cheese, the sour cream, the mayo, the grated parmesan, ½ cup of the shredded cheddar/gruyere blend, the parsley, lemon zest, Herbs de Provence, the white wine, ¾ teaspoon of salt and another pinch of cayenne pepper (if desired). Fold those ingredients together until fairly smooth and well combined.
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7. Next, add in the chopped baby spinach, the chopped cauliflower and the roasted garlic paste, and fold those in until well incorporated.
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8. Spread the mixture out into the prepared baking dish, smooth the top out a bit, and sprinkle over the remainder of the shredded cheddar/gruyere cheese. Sprinkle another little pinch of the Herbs de Provence and paprika over the cheese, and bake in the oven for about 20-22 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Serve warm with pita chips.
Bon Appétit!
xx—Bree
This looks amazing!!!!!! Thanks for the recipe!
👍🏻👍🏻
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