Cheddar Leek Dip Recipe

Extra sharp cheddar, stout, and hot sauce give this cheddar leek dip lots of flavor – my friends and family cannot resist it.

Let’s talk about dip. Dips are a wonderful thing, are they not? Spinach dip, hummus, buffalo chicken dip, 7 layer dip, Mexicali dip, the list could go on and on. And don’t even get me started on sweet dips!

Don’t get me wrong, dips aren’t typically the healthiest thing in the world but they are one of the tastiest things in the world. A special treat. Just in time for the holidays. Splurge while the splurging is good…before all those resolutions fall into place.

This dip is super flavorful with extra sharp cheddar cheese, stout, and hot sauce, all of which complement the mild flavor of the leeks perfectly. Super creamy, with just a hint of heat, it’s so good on crackers or baguette slices.

Don’t worry that it will cool too fast and you’ll have to reheat it. Cheddar leek dip still tastes great even as it cools while people are munching on it. You could also easily cook this in a small slow cooker, although you wouldn’t have the pretty browned top, and it might be a bit thinner. 

About this Cheddar Leek Dip

Although this dip is flavored with stout (Guinness), you don’t have to worry about the alcohol. The alcohol in the three tablespoons of stout that you’ll use for this recipe will cook off while the dip bakes. 

To make this dip, sauté leeks in a skillet with butter. When the leeks are softened, you’ll add them to a mixture of cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, stout, and hot sauce. 

Pour this mixture into a nice baking dish and pop the dip into the oven to heat up, about 20 minutes. Serve cheddar leek dip with sliced baguette, toasted if you like, or crackers. So easy and good!

Make it your own:

Experiment with this dip and try different combinations. Be creative and make your own signature dip! Here’s a few ideas for you.

• Instead of leeks, sauté red or sweet onions (Vidalia) until soft and caramelized.
• Replace the cheddar cheese with a different kind of cheese: Swiss, Gouda, provolone, Asiago, Gruyère, mozzarella, you name it. Choose a cheese that will melt well. If you like American cheese, go for it.
• Skip the hot sauce or replace it with a different sauce of your liking. 
• Not crazy about Guinness stout? Try a different kind of full-flavored beer. Just make sure the beer isn’t too bitter. I wouldn’t recommend a super hoppy IPA. 

Looking for more appetizers?

Cheddar leek dip is perfect for crostini. Check out more delicious toppings for bruschetta/crostini. I really love this baked goat cheese dip, too.

 

• Tomato Bruschetta
• Roasted Tomato and Ricotta Crostini
• Roasted Grape, Ricotta, and Honey Crostini
• Wild Mushroom Crostini with Goat Cheese
• Creamy Pea Crostini with Pancetta
• Butternut Squash Crostini with Ricotta
• Creamy Kale Bruschetta
• Beet Bruschetta with Orange Tarragon Goat Cheese

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Get the Recipe: Cheddar Leek Dip

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

12 servings

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Extra sharp cheddar, stout, and hot sauce give this cheddar leek dip lots of flavor – my friends and family cannot resist it.

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 leek, sliced into thin half moons (white and light-green parts only), rinsed well
• ▢ salt to taste
• ▢ 8 ounces extra sharp white cheddar, grated (2 cups)
• ▢ 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ 1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use the type made with olive oil)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons stout (Guinness)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add leek, season with salt and cook until tender, about 12 minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix together cheddar, cream cheese, mayo, stout, hot sauce, and cooked leeks. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 1-quart baking dish and bake until bubbling and browned on top, about 18 to 20 minutes.
• Serve with crackers or mini-toasts. (Pictured is multi-grain french bread, toasted.)

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1of 12, Calories: 169kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 276mg, Sugar: 1g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk

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