A creamy whipped feta and roasted butternut squash dip topped with a pecan caramel drizzle, the perfect festive appetizer to impress any crowd. Warming and a caramel crunch, this dip has a surprise on the palate with every bite!
ingredients
- 2 cups butternut squash, halved and seeded
- ¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons raw honey
- ¼ cup water
- 12 sage leaves
- 1 red chili pepper, seeded + thinly sliced
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- freshly cracked black pepper
- toasted bread or crackers, for serving
directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. After halving the butternut squash lengthwise and removing the seeds, drizzle olive oil to coat each half. Place the halves face-up (skin side down) on a sheet pan. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the squash, until fork tender and easy to scoop out with a spoon.
- Scoop out the squash and add 2 cups to a food processor, along with the feta, olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of raw honey. Purée until combined and slowly drizzle in the water, blending until smooth.
- Using a medium skillet or stove top pan, turn on low heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Once melted, fry the sage leaves in butter for a minute or two until crisp and the butter is foamy and browned. Use a slotted spoon or flipper to transfer the sage to a paper towel.
- Add the sliced chili pepper to the remaining butter and sauté for a minute or two until softened. Add the pecans and toast for a minute or more until fragrant. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of honey. Allow the mixture to simmer for about a minute until thickened. Turn off the heat.
- Spoon the dip into a shallow serving bowl. Top with freshly cracked black pepper. Top with the toasted pecan mixture and garnish with the fried sage leaves. Serve with toasted bread or crackers alongside for dipping.
