Chorizo Cheese Dip with Spinach is a perfect addition to your Easy Football Food Ideas for Game Day! Packed with spinach, spicy chorizo, and three types of cheese, this creamy dip is sure to be a hit at your game day party or anytime you need to satisfy that comfort food craving. Serve with toasted bread, crackers, or even tortilla chips (corn-based) for a gluten-free option.
Easy Football Food Ideas – Cheesy Dips
Dips are a favorite part of game day for me. The more cheese the better! This creamy Chorizo Cheese Dip with spinach definitely fits the bill. Softened cream cheese is blended together with sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella, mayonnaise, and a mixture of spicy chorizo and fresh spinach. It is topped with an extra layer of shredded cheese and baked until golden and bubbly. I particular love pairing the dip with lightly toasted bread (garlic bread would be incredible, so would Soft Pretzels) or crackers, but tortilla chips (corn-based) would also work well for a gluten-free option.
Homemade Chorizo
Fresh chorizo is becoming more and more available in the average supermarket. My local grocery store even offers options with Mexican, Salvadoran, and Argentine varieties. If you can’t find it locally, it is also easy to prepare at home. Season 1/4 pound of ground pork with 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (ground ancho chile if available), 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika (sweet or hot), 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon lard, 1 minced garlic clove, and a dash of salt before adding to the pan with the onions. Making your own also comes with the benefit of being able to adjust the amount of spices and level of heat. I think this Chorizo Cheese Dip with spinach would also be delicious with diced Spanish chorizo, a smoked or cured sausage seasoned with paprika.
Chorizo Cheese Dip with Spinach Recipe Tips:
- Not a fan of mayonnaise or want something slightly lighter? The mayonnaise can easily be substituted in equal parts for sour cream.
- I normally loves fresh mozzarella, but you want to use the low-moisture brick variety here. The less moisture added to the dip, the better.
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing in the rest of the ingredients. It will help everything blend more consistently.
- After cooking the chorizo and spinach, be sure to drain any excess fat and water before adding to the cheese mixture.
- I divided the dip among individual oven-safe serving bowls, but feel free to transfer everything to a single, larger baking dish for easy sharing.
Looking for more Easy Football Food Ideas?
Try these Bang Bang Cauliflower Bites, Easy Salmon Sliders with Broccoli Slaw, Queso Fundido (Melted Cheese with Chorizo), and Bitterballen (Dutch Fried Meatballs).
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Chorizo Cheese Dip with Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion peeled and chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 ounces Mexican chorizo fresh, removed from casing
- 2 cups baby spinach fresh, roughly chopped
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 ounces mozzarella cheese low-moisture, shredded
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large skillet, drizzle olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Crumble in the fresh chorizo and cook, stirring often and breaking up with a spoon into small pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped spinach and cook just until wilted. Remove from heat, drain any excess fat and water, and allow to cool.
- Set aside about 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, remaining cheddar and mozzarella, and mayonnaise until smooth. Mix in the cooled chorizo spinach mixture, then season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to one larger or multiple individual oven-safe baking dishes. Top evenly with the set-aside cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and golden,25-30 minutes.
- Serve hot with toasted bread, crackers, or tortilla chips.
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