Cheddar Scallion Dip

By Melissa Clark

Updated April 5, 2023

Cheddar Scallion Dip
David Malosh for The New York Times
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(1,221)
Comments
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A cousin to pimento cheese but without those potentially child-deflecting red peppers, this cream cheese based dip is mild and slightly sweet from a splash of fresh orange juice. Pack it in a lunchbox with celery and crackers for your kids. Or, zip it up with a dash or two of Tabasco and some mashed garlic, spoon it into a bowl surrounded by good potato chips and serve it with cocktails to the adults. It will keep for at least five days in the fridge.

Featured in: No PB&J Allowed? Put Dips Into Lunchboxes

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Ingredients

Yield:1 cup
  • 4ounces cream cheese (at room temperature), cubed
  • 2tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1scallion, thinly sliced
  • ¼teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste (optional)
  • ¼teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 to 2tablespoons fresh orange juice, as needed
  • ½cup sharp Cheddar, finely grated
  • 1small garlic clove, mashed to a paste (optional)
  • Hot sauce to taste (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

338 calories; 33 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 308 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the cream cheese, mayonnaise, scallion, salt, pepper (if using) and paprika in a bowl and mix and mash well with a fork or spatula until smooth. Mix in orange juice until smooth, and then mix in the Cheddar. If the dip seems too thick, add a little more juice. Taste for seasoning. You can also mix in a food processor if you like.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,221 user ratings
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Comments

big hit with kids!

Made this with lemon juice instead of orange (it's what I had on hand) and extra cheddar (because I wasn't paying attention). My 12 year old tasted it and said it was the best thing he had ever had and I was an amazing cook. Yea! Big impact for minimal effort.

Karen

Orange juice seems odd to me, but I could see grated citrus of any kind, especially lime with the hot sauce.

Cait

I add thick cut crispy bacon, and a mix of jalapeño and Serrano peppers. The OJ is odd, but adds a nice contrast to a smoky bacon and the heat of the peppers. I highly recommend keeping it. I use fresh squeezed tangelos

Kyra

This is really delicious and great for a casual dinner - we had this with various crudites and bagel chips on a really hot day. Added a jalapeno and extra garlic, then used lemon juice instead of orange. Went easy on the mayo. Definitely recommend making this the day before to let the flavours meld.

frank from germany

Fantastic recipe, I have made it many times. Always added extra cheddar. The version that shot it out of the park was a sharper version. I took an over ripe white cheddar and blended it in. Later I pulsed some shredded normal yellow cheddar. More or less evenly spit and double the amount total. Could be too much for some people, but we loved it, great taste and awesome texture!

Patty M

First few bites are good but we quickly tired of this. Will not make again. Used the orange juice and it was good in it.

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