Over-The-Top BLT Dip Recipe
There's nothing quite like a freshly made BLT. Between that buttery toasted bread, the juicy garden tomatoes, ice cold lettuce, crisp bacon, and healthy slather of mayo, a good BLT manages to hit on distinct savory, rich, fresh, and even sweet flavor notes. It's always a fun challenge to translate favorite foods into new dishes, which was exactly my aim with this over-the-top BLT dip. This decadent dip features a creamy, brown butter-infused bacon base, warm cherry tomato compote, crispy bacon pieces, fresh arugula, and zesty chives. Chilled lettuce cups are the perfect vessels for cradling every decadent morsel, though you could even serve some small toasts on the side to finish off the deconstructed sandwich concept.
To make the most out of your over-the-top BLT dip, invest in high-quality ingredients wherever possible. Find the best bacon, the juiciest tomatoes, freshest lettuce, and premium base ingredients (like cream cheese and sour cream) to end up with a truly over-the-top, out-of-this-world dip. The presentation is eye-catching all on its own, but the rich, savory flavor of this BLT dip is what will keep your guests coming back for more.
Gather the over-the-top BLT dip ingredients
Step 1: Begin prepping the lettuce
Remove any damaged outer leaves from the lettuce head.
Step 2: Loosen the lettuce core
Hit the lettuce head core-side-down on a countertop to loosen the core.
Step 3: Remove the lettuce head core
Remove the core and discard.
Step 4: Rinse the lettuce
Run the lettuce under cold water to rinse and loosen the leaves.
Step 5: Separate the leaves
Separate the leaves and shake off excess water.
Step 6: Cut the leaves into cups
Use scissors to cut the leaves into small cups.
Step 7: Wrap and chill the lettuce cups
Wrap the lettuce cups in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 8: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Step 9: Prep the tomatoes
In a large bowl, toss the cherry tomatoes with the olive oil, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
Step 10: Roast the tomatoes
Transfer the tomatoes to a lightly oiled baking dish and roast for 30 minutes, until soft and slightly browned. Set aside.
Step 11: Cook the bacon
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until crisp.
Step 12: Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon
Remove the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside.
Step 13: Add the butter to the skillet
Add the butter to the bacon fat in the skillet.
Step 14: Brown the butter with the bacon fat
Cook and swirl the butter until it turns golden brown and smells nutty.
Step 15: Strain the bacon brown butter
Strain the bacon brown butter into a heat-proof container and cool until just warm (about 20 minutes).
Step 16: Beat together the dip base
Add the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, garlic, smoked paprika, and pepper to a mixing bowl and beat together until smooth.
Step 17: Drizzle in the bacon brown butter
With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle ⅓ cup of the warm bacon brown butter until smooth and fluffy.
Step 18: Fold in some of the crispy bacon
Fold in all but ¼ cup of the crisp bacon pieces.
Step 19: Spread the dip base in a shallow bowl
Spread the dip base in a shallow bowl.
Step 20: Spread the warm tomatoes over the dip base
Spoon the warm tomatoes over the dip.
Step 21: Garnish the dip with arugula, chives, and bacon
Top with the arugula, chives, and reserved bacon pieces.
Step 22: Serve the over-the-top BLT dip
Serve the over-the-top BLT dip with the lettuce cups and toasts, if desired.
Pairs well with over-the-top BLT dip
Over-the-Top BLT Dip Recipe
This BLT dip recipe features a creamy, bacon-y, brown butter-infused base topped with marinated roasted tomatoes for a truly luxe, over-the-top experience.
Ingredients
- For the lettuce cups
- 1 large head iceberg lettuce
- For the roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- For the bacon dip
- 8 strips thick-cut smoked bacon (about 12 ounces), diced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- ¼ cup Kewpie mayo
- 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¾ cup fresh baby arugula, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Optional Ingredients
- Toasted baguette slices or toast points, for serving
Directions
- Remove any damaged outer leaves from the lettuce head.
- Hit the lettuce head core-side-down on a countertop to loosen the core.
- Remove the core and discard.
- Run the lettuce under cold water to rinse and loosen the leaves.
- Separate the leaves and shake off excess water.
- Use scissors to cut the leaves into small cups. Save the lettuce trimmings for another use.
- Wrap the lettuce cups in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a large bowl, toss the cherry tomatoes with the olive oil, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Transfer the tomatoes to a lightly oiled baking dish and roast for 30 minutes, until soft and slightly browned. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until crisp.
- Remove the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the butter to the bacon fat in the skillet.
- Cook and swirl the butter until it turns golden brown and smells nutty.
- Strain the bacon brown butter into a heat-proof container and cool until just warm (about 20 minutes).
- Add the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, garlic, smoked paprika, and pepper to a mixing bowl and beat together until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle ⅓ cup of the warm bacon brown butter until smooth and fluffy.
- Fold in all but ¼ cup of the crisp bacon pieces.
- Spread the dip base in a shallow bowl.
- Spoon the warm tomatoes over the dip.
- Top with the arugula, chives, and reserved bacon pieces.
- Serve the over-the-top BLT dip with the lettuce cups and toasts, if desired.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 411 |
| Total Fat | 38.7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15.4 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 75.6 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 7.9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.8 g |
| Total Sugars | 5.4 g |
| Sodium | 526.7 mg |
| Protein | 9.3 g |
What is the best way to serve this BLT dip?
I designed this over-the-top BLT dip to be served warm, mimicking the feel of a freshly made BLT with slightly smoldering bacon strips. The creamy base of the dip will come together perfectly if all of the ingredients are at room temperature, not chilled, before starting to mix. You'll want the brown butter, cream cheese, and mayo to emulsify when you make the dip base, so if your cream cheese or mayo is cold, you will have a curdled mixture when trying to mix in the warm brown butter. Keeping these ingredients warm also works well when it comes time to serve, as the slightly warm dip pairs especially well against the crisp, chilled lettuce cups.
If you prefer a chilled over-the-top BLT dip or anticipate having leftovers, there are a few considerations to observe. First, both the bacon fat and butter will solidify when chilled. To serve a chilled dip, consider switching out the butter for olive oil, which will help keep things smooth and pliable. Note that you will lose that delicious brown butter flavor if you take this route. If you have leftover dip or just don't want to give up the brown butter, allow your dip to sit out long enough to soften for dipping.
What are some tips for making brown butter?
Brown butter is one of those great culinary "secrets" that enhances everything from fish to baked goods to mashed potatoes. You can even prep brown butter ahead of time and keep it refrigerated or frozen, making it convenient for make-ahead purposes. The biggest trick with making your own brown butter is timing. If you don't cook it long enough, it won't have that distinctive nutty richness. Too long, and you will have burnt butter that sadly needs to be discarded. When making brown butter, remove all other distractions from your world and just focus on the pan. Watch for the butter to take on an amber shade, for tiny dark flecks (milk solids) to drop to the bottom of the pan, and wait for a toasted hazelnut aroma. Once you see and smell these elements, immediately transfer your fresh brown butter to a heat-safe container, which will prevent further cooking in the pan.
Between the bacon fat, cream cheese, and mayo, you may be wondering: Why is brown butter needed in this BLT dip? The brown butter is your over-the-top component, taking an otherwise tasty dip to new levels of luxurious texture and decadent flavor. The brown butter gives the bacon fat another dimension, and the combination blends seamlessly into your other ingredients for an almost mousse-like consistency.