This savory pumpkin recipe combines the puréed winter squash with white beans to create a warm dip with the rich flavors of sharp cheddar cheese and a mild heat from pickled jalapeños. It’s the perfect starter for fall dinner parties and makes a great snack for game day.
I’ve already started on my 2014 Winter Squash Collection. The first one, usually a pie pumpkin, enters the house in late September or early October. After that it’s a spaghetti squash here, a kabocha there and I can’t turn down a new variety. They begin to pile up in the corners of the kitchen or on the cool tile in the entry way. I keep them until: 1) I’m hungry for squash, or 2) we get frustrated from tripping over them. At that point, into the oven they go to be roasted and turned into puree.
The small pie pumpkin I bought last week bit the dust pretty early. Half a week into October and I was way overdue for something pumpkin.
I like pumpkin spiced everything as much as the next person, but experimenting with it in savory recipes is much more exciting to me. Maybe it’s because between my grandmother’s pumpkin pie recipe and my mom’s pumpkin roll, excellence has already been achieved in my family in the dessert category. Savory pumpkin recipes, on the other hand, are something new. I was inspired by all the ways I saw winter squash used year round when we lived in Brazil and since then it’s become a much more versatile ingredient in my kitchen.
I’ve had a white bean and pumpkin combination on my mind for weeks. In fact, I think I jotted down the idea of the combo this summer. I first thought I might make nachos, but then a warm and creamy bean dip won out. This dip is everything I’d hoped for. The the strong sharp cheddar gives is a bit of a bite that makes the pumpkin and white beans even more flavorful.
I used tamed pickled jalapeños. Have you seen these? I found them for the first time last week. The slices are a little less spicy making them much more enjoyable to munch on. Regular pickled jalapeños will be just as good, but the final dip will have more heat.
We paired this dip some veg-flax-something-or-the-other chips from Trader Joe’s, but your standard tortilla chips, crackers, toasted bread slices or chopped veggies would all work equally as well. Also, if you have a small cast iron pot or skillet, use it because it will keep the dip nice and warm as you enjoy.
- 15.5 oz. canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 3/4 cup cooked beans)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 tsp fine ground sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the inside of a 2-cup baking dish or oven-safe skillet with a little cooking oil or butter.
- Add the beans, pumpkin, garlic and jalapeños to the bowl of a food processor. Process on low for about 15 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Add a 1/2 cup of the cheese, the salt and black pepper to the food processor. Process on low for 15 to 20 more seconds, until all ingredients are combined and blended into a somewhat smooth dip. (A few chunky beans are okay, but make sure the garlic and jalapeños are chopped fine.)
- Transfer the dip to the prepared baking dish. Top evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese in bubbly and browned. Serve warm.
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