I had a couple of different recipe ideas to choose from this week, and ended up going back and forth several times as I tried to decide which one would win the coveted position for this particular recipe post. Well, as you can see, my snacking side got the better of me, as I’ve been desperately craving another hot and cheesy dip lately, one that I can slather all over some nice, rustic and spicy tortilla chips of some kind.
This morning when I made my decision that this hot & cheesy dip would be the winner for this particular post, I had the thought that gooey dips are kinda like delicious cookies in a way; if you’ve got a good base, you can pretty much make them with whatever ingredients sound appealing and that work well together, and add in a few other bells and whistles to round everything out and to give a bit of depth. And just like with cookies, who wouldn’t want a new, yummy, hot dip in their repertoire?
But I digress…
You see, my “newer” approach this year when it comes to recipe posts is to share a recipe that I’m really craving in the moment. I suppose I would say that I’m trying to go with my gut instinct, and hope that it’s a recipe that sounds tasty and inspiring to you, as well. It just makes things a little more personal, and a bit more “alive”, and I’m all about that these days.
And having decided to go with whatever I may be craving when it comes to creating a recipe (as opposed to creating something that I think “someone out there” will hopefully like), there’s this sort of fresh enthusiasm when I get into the kitchen to cook and create; I’m finding that it’s a more freeing way for me, personally, to approach developing recipes in order to then share them with you.
Cravings are wonderful guides; they’re whimsical, colorful and often produce fun twists with delicious results. And how can anyone go wrong with that? When we have a real craving for the food we prepare, then there’s a joy and excitement attached to the act of cooking, and it infuses the food with a certain “je ne sais quoi”—a special and unique flavor—that everyone can taste. And boy does it taste good.
So now you know: this Hot & Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower and Spinach Dip loaded with white cheddar and gruyere cheeses, roasted garlic, a hint of spice and a splash of white wine is what your humble recipe developer was craving this week. To me, it seemed like the perfect time to tinker a little and let my imagination take over while also allowing myself the chance to enjoy a savory dip “fix”.
Perhaps you yourself are having an inexplicable craving for a dip such as this, a craving for something of the hot, cheesy and gooey variety. And perhaps I tapped into that, and you now have a remedy for it in this very recipe. So here’s to letting those sometimes-crazy cravings do the cooking, in the hopes that some genuine and richly loaded recipes will come out of ‘em.
Mmm, mmm.
Taste what’s good and pass it on.
Ingrid
Hot & Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower and Spinach Dip with White Cheddar and Gruyere Cheeses, with Roasted Garlic and a touch of Spice
by Ingrid Beer
Yield: Serves about 6
Ingredients:
• 2 heads garlic
• Olive oil
• 6 ounces (about half of a 12 ounce bag) cauliflower florets
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• Paprika
• ¼ teaspoon granulated onion
• ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
• 12 ounces light cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup light sour cream
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• ¼ cup grated parmesan
• 1 ¼ cups white cheddar & gruyere cheese blend, shredded, divided use (I bought a block at Trader Joes)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for a little extra for garnish
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ¼ teaspoon herbs de Provence, plus a pinch for garnish
• 1 tablespoon white wine (or substitute about 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, if preferred)
• 1 cup, tightly packed, raw baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• Chips for dipping
Preparation:
-Preheat the oven to 400°, and line a baking sheet with foil; also, lightly mist a small/medium-sized baking dish with cooking spray.
-Cut the tops off of the heads of garlic; place each of the heads onto a small square of foil, drizzle with a touch of olive oil, wrap tightly, and place into the hot oven directly onto the wire rack.
-Next, toss the cauliflower florets with a generous drizzle of the olive oil, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, a pinch of the black pepper, a pinch of the cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon of the paprika, and the onion and garlic granules, and turn that out onto the foil-lined baking sheet; place into the oven next to the foil-wrapped garlic about 10 minutes after the garlic was put in, and roast together for 30 minutes more, until cauliflower is slightly charred and soft, and garlic is soft and aromatic.
-Remove the cauliflower and garlic heads from the oven, and turn the oven up to 450°.
-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 for a moment while you prepare the base of the dip.
-In a large bowl, 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, and fold those ingredients together until fairly smooth and well combined.
-Next, add in the chopped baby spinach, the chopped cauliflower and the roasted garlic paste, and fold those in until well incorporated.
-Turn 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; sprinkle with a touch of the chopped parsley, and serve warm with tortilla chips.
Welcome to The Cozy Apron—so glad to have you as a guest at my table! Here's where I share my passion for food, people and life through my culinary creations and my writing; and where my husband shares his love for food photography and all things visual. 
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I already had dinner, but you make me want this for dinner number 2!
I know what you mean about cooking something you want to make. For my blog, I pretty much always post things that I made just because I (or someone I care about) wanted to eat it.
That’s really lovely, Aly—thank you for your comment!
Awesome looking dip. Although I absolutely love roasted cauliflower I never thought of using it in a dip before. What a great addition to just about any dip (esp. ones with Gruyere cheese). Thanks for sharing the idea and recipe. CHeers!
Hey Trevor, thanks! And “cheers” to you, as well!
Oh my gosh, I want to eat that ENTIRE PAN!! It’s cauliflower so it’s healthy right?
Karen, that’s exactly right!
This dip looks wonderful. This is my first time visiting your blog, and I love what I see so far. Your photography is really great. So glad to know about you.
Well thank you so much for that, Katie! So happy to have you stop by and peruse!
I’m all about cauliflower, I read somewhere that 2014 is the year of the Cauliflower
Pinned this, looks delish!!
Hi Micheline, that’s an interesting tidbit— in that case, it looks like this recipe will be perfect to prepare no matter what the season!
Glad you pinned it, and I really think you’ll enjoy this.
Have a housewarming party coming up — cannot wait to make this and share with everyone!
Hi Kim! I’m already excited for you that you’re planning on sharing this recipe with friends—I think you’ll all enjoy it! We (well, ME, more accurately) went through the one from this post very quickly, and I think I may have to make another batch again soon. We (well, me, specifically) didn’t feel like we had enough! Have a wonderful housewarming party, and thank you for stopping by to share with me.
This looks amazing ~ can I assume you’re using fresh cauliflower? Can’t wait to make it!
Hi Nancy! Yes, I am using fresh cauliflower, and then seasoning and roasting. Hope you enjoy it!
This belongs on the cover of a food magazine; beautiful! Pinned! (and making this weekend!)
Hi Jamie, thanks so much for your lovely comments! Please enjoy this savory and comforting dip this weekend!
I made this last night for an Ugly Sweater Christmas party we were having and it was a HUGE hit! I think it was the first thing gone! I served with tortilla chips and pita chips. And bonus my house smelled AMAZING when roasting the garlic and cauliflower, I am now bringing this to a party on Christmas Eve! Thanks for the great recipe!
Becky, I’m so excited that this turned out so well for you! (I love that you brought this for an Ugly Sweater, party!!)
I’m stoked you’ll be making it again for your upcoming Christmas Eve party— the more sharing, the better! Hope it goes just as quickly this time, as well!