Meet Alex Caspero
Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
Ready for a yummy holiday appetizer? How about this pumpkin chipotle queso dip!?
If you love queso dip, then you’ve gotta try this spicy Fall version. A creamy base of pumpkin and chipotle peppers smothered in a rich cheese sauce. Try it with chips, vegetables or the base for holiday nachos.
A month ago I hosted a bunch of new moms to our home for a little meet and greet. There must be something in the St. Louis water because it seems that many of my friends had kids around the same time I had Vander. Two of my closest STL friends and I gave birth within weeks of each other and several of my other girlfriends have kids under the age of two.
Why not bring them all together with food and drink? If there’s one thing I’m learning quickly, it’s the power of tribe. I know I wouldn’t have gotten through our breastfeeding challenges without calling on my other mama friends, and I wanted to create a local group of moms for all of the highs and lows that parenting provides.
So, I sent an email, put out some tea and made this dip. An effortless cheese dip that’s perfect for sharing among friends. You start out with making a flavorful roux, seasoned with cayenne pepper, cumin, and smoked paprika.
Smoked paprika is my secret weapon for making items taste rich and meaty- without any such meat of course. Add in vegetable broth, chipotle peppers and pumpkin puree, then whisk until thickened.
Finally, add in shredded cheeses. I used a combination of pepperjack and cheddar cheeses. I do recommend shredding the cheese from a block and not using pre-shredded options. In my experience, pre-shredded cheese usually has added anti-caking agents that make it harder to melt in such large quantities- and you’re left with a stringy, grainy mess. Take the extra five minutes and grate it yourself, I promise that it’s worth it!
Then dip to your hearts content. Enjoy this pumpkiny, liquid gold!
Pumpkin Chipotle Queso Dip
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: snack, appetizer
Description
Pumpkin Chipotle Queso Dip! Looking for a unique appetizer? Try this dip! Spicy, creamy and perfectly cheesy! Serve with tortilla chips or vegetables.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: snack, appetizer
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: snack, appetizer
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2/3 cup drained pico de gallo (or other fresh salsa)
- 1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese (see notes)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (see notes)
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook until golden and toasted, about 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add in the cumin, paprika and cayenne and cook another 30 seconds or so, stirring constantly.
- Whisk in the broth and cook until thickened and flour is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the chipotle pepper and pumpkin and stir until combined. Remove from heat and whisk in the shredded cheeses and salsa. It doesn’t have to be completely melted, it will continue to melt as it’s warmed through. Enjoy warm!
Notes
I find that freshly grated cheese is best here, so buy a block and then shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese tends to not melt as well because of the added non-caking ingredients.
did you make this?
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(one comment) leave a comment
The kids and I were in the mood for some savory pumpkin goodness. This was perfect!! We had it with tortilla chips, but I could see it being utilized in so many ways. I think I’ll try it on a baked potato next. It’s very mild in pumpkin flavor for those who are questioning eating pumpkin in a savory preparation.
★★★★★