Calabrian chili pub cheese dip is a perfect last minute appetizer. It comes together in the food processor and combines spicy peppers with creamy, salty cheddar cheese. Serve it with crackers, pretzels, and sliced veggies.
My favorite local pizza place, Wooden Paddle, has this pizza called the Buzzkill. Many attempts to copy their pizzas at home have been made. I even did a little how to over on Instagram. I actually made a grilled version and an oven version if you haven’t checked it out yet.
The Buzzkill pizza is topped with red sauce, fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, Calabrian chilies, and a drizzle of honey. It doesn’t sound like a showstopper, right? This collection of flavors, sweet and spicy, is so perfectly balanced that we have a hard time ordering a different pizza any time we go.
How could it get any better than the Buzzkill?
My at home attempts to recreate this pizza all fell short, the main reason being I don’t have a wood-fired pizza oven. Aside from that obvious reason for the pizza not being the same, I couldn’t find the Calabrian chilies anywhere.
I should have just ordered them from Amazon. They have everything after all. Instead, I planned an elaborate Mother’s Day outing to Eataly in Chicago. It was a big gamble to chance the kids behaving like monsters in a store with lots of shelves filled with glass bottles, all for a jar of peppers.
I bet on my kids though. I knew they wouldn’t let my quest for chilies be in vain.
Eataly ended up being an amazing day filled with lots of carbs, and I found my chilies. They had so many jars to choose from. I picked a moderately priced and sized jar. Happy Mother’s Day to me.
First thing first, I made pizzas. Duh. I finally had the right peppers. Then I made Calabrian Chili Pub Cheese Dip for a little backyard BBQ gathering with my BFF, her husband, and kids.
It’s the perfect make-ahead dip that comes together in the food processor. Think a spicy pimento cheese mixed with pub cheese dip sorta situation.
Your favorite beer gets mixed together with cheddar cheese, garlic, gouda cheese, and the chilies in the food processor. While you whir it together it becomes fluffy and starts to look like that traditional tub of pub cheese that is always way overpriced in the store.
The dip keeps for a week or so in the fridge. It’s the perfect thing to keep on hand in case a last minute gathering comes together. I highly recommend hunting down some Calabrian chilies ASAP!
Calabrian Chili Pub Cheese Dip
Cheddar cheese, gouda, garlic, beer, and Calabrian chilies come together in the food processor to form a light and fluffy, spicy pub cheese dip.
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 8oz sharp orange cheddar cheese, grated
- 4oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
- 4oz smoked gouda cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup flat beer
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 jarred Calabrian chilies, stems removed and then roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add the garlic and cheeses to a food processor. Pulse until the cheese forms a fine crumb.
- Remove lid, add in beer, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and chilies. Puree until smooth and almost mousse-like.
- Chill dip in a sealed container int he fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Dip goes well with soft pretzels, crackers, sliced veggies, and would be a great addition to any meat and cheese board.
Notes
If you don't like beer, add a bit of veggie or chicken stock to the dip instead.
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