Warm. Cheesy. Dippable.
Everybody loves a good dip. It’s the quintessential party food. It doesn’t matter what it is—queso, guacamole, spinach artichoke—everyone is sure to dollop a spoonful (or two!) onto their plate. And it doesn’t matter what else is on the buffet—a wheel of brie! Shrimp cocktail! A whole ham carving station complete with parker house rolls and jars of fancy mustard!--- the dip will still be the first thing gone. And it will be the good that everyone goes home talking about.
As much as I love the classic dips—I can scoop my way through a ridiculous amount of cheesy buffalo chicken—I also love experimenting with different spins on them. This week’s Creamy Swiss Chard Parm Dip began as a riff on the beloved spinach artichoke dip, but has evolved to become a new delicious classic all on its own.
Warm, cheesy greens dotted with blistered cherry tomatoes and flecks of golden-brown parmesan . . . luscious, creamy, and oh-so-comforting, this week’s Creamy Swiss Chard Parmesan Dip is already on its way to becoming my new favorite dip. It’s a great appetizer to serve dinner guests, but it’s also perfect for a buffet table at a more casual event or as a tailgating snack on game day. I’ve even discovered that it makes a great lazy weeknight dinner. I mean, lots of greens plus protein in the dairy and carbs in the bread makes for a complete meal, right?
It’s the week after Labor Day, and the air is already snapping with fall. Comfort food season is coming. Tailgating season is here. Let’s get this party started and bring on the dip!
Enjoy!
Creamy Swiss Chard Parmesan Dip
Serves 4
8 cipollini, pearl, or boiler onions
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb whole red swiss chard plus 8 oz additional swiss chard leaves (about 1 whole large bunch plus the leaves of a second bunch); stems finely chopped and leaves cut widthwise into ¼-inch-wide strips
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ tsp red chili flakes
6 oz cream cheese, cubed
3 oz parmesan cheese, shredded, plus additional for sprinkling on top
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Method
Heat a large pot of salted water until boiling. Add onions and boil for 30 seconds. Remove and cool in an ice bath (or under running cold water). Peel skins and cut onions in half. Reserve.
Heat oil in a large broiler-safe or metal pan. Add chopped swiss chard stems and ¼ tsp kosher salt and saute until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add garlic, red chili flakes, and quartered onions and saute until onions are browned and the garlic smells, about 3 minutes more. Add swiss chard leaves with remaining ¾ teaspoons kosher salt and cook, stirring, until greens are wilted, about 2 minutes. Melt in the cream cheese, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in parmesan cheese.
If not using an oven-safe pan, transfer mixture to a broiler-safe casserole or gratin dish. Press tomatoes into the dip, cut side down. Sprinkle generously with additional parmesan.
Broil on high heat (watching closely!) until cheese is brown and bubbly and tomatoes are blistered. Serve with toast!
Originally posted September 12, 2021.
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