PANTRY BUSTING CHEESE DIP

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This is cucina povera at its cheesiest — a bubbling, golden cheese dip made from whatever’s lurking in your fridge and freezer. Cream cheese, ricotta, kefir, sour cream, odds and ends of grated cheese, a handful of pickled jalapeños, and a scattering of crispy fried shallots on top. It takes about five minutes to throw together and half an hour in the oven, which makes it perfect for keeping hungry guests busy while you get on with the main event.

Ingredients

Dip

  • 180g cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 75g mayonnaise
  • 115g thick kefir (or a mix of kefir and cream)
  • 85g grated cheddar or tasty cheese
  • 85g grated mozzarella
  • 50g pickled jalapeños, drained and finely chopped (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Pepper, to taste

Topping

  • 15g butter, melted
  • 25g crispy fried shallots

To Serve

  • Beware – this is very hot straight from the oven. Cool it for a while before eating.
  • Focaccia, toasted, sliced or torn into chunks
  • Corn chips

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  2. Mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and kefir, Old Bay, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder,salt and pepper.until smooth.  Stick mixer makes this process easier. Add the grated cheeses and jalapeños. Stir to combine.
  3. Spoon the dip into a small casserole dish (around 20cm × 15cm or similar — you want a layer roughly 3cm deep).
  4. Toss the fried shallots with the melted butter.
  5. Bake the cheese mixture uncovered for 20 minutes, then scatter the buttered fried shallots over the top and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until the dip is bubbling and the shallots are golden and fragrant.
  6. Serve hot with sliced focaccia and corn chips for dipping.

Notes

The kefir works as a straight swap for sour cream here — you want it thick, so if yours is on the thinner side, mix it with a splash of cream to get closer to sour cream consistency. Fermented ricotta can also be mixed with the cream cheese if you’re short — it melts beautifully in a baked dip.

Start with less jalapeño and taste the mix before it goes in the oven — you can always put extra pickled chillies on the side for anyone who wants more heat.

The Old Bay adds warmth and complexity without chilli heat, making this kid-friendly. A light dusting over the shallot topping before baking is a nice touch.

This can also be baked in a hollowed-out cob loaf if you prefer — wrap in foil for 30 minutes, then uncover for 10–15 minutes. Allow an extra 15 minutes for denser sourdough loaves.

Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave — the dip goes molten quickly and any bread or shallot topping stays reasonably crisp.

Tags: cheese dip, jalapeño, Old Bay, entertaining, starter, dip, party food, kefir, use-what-you-hav