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Treat yourself, family, and friends with this delicious low carb Baked Pumpkin Queso Dip. It's a warm gooey cheese with green chiles, jalapeno pepper, and sausage that is baked right inside a pumpkin. This Baked Pumpkin Queso Dip is the perfect fall appetizer that will sure delight all.
I admit I had reservations about this, and totally questioned baking cheese inside of a pumpkin. Boy was I pleasently surprised. It really is amazing! The pumpkin flavor is very subtle giving it a great taste of fall. To me the baked pumpkin gives the dip a slight nutty flavor. You could skip baking the dip in the pumpkin but you would be missing out on the extra level of flavor. Plus, while baking, the pumpkin releases the perfect amount of moisture to the cheese mixture, creating a creamy cheesy wonderland.
Serve with low carb Baked Tortillas Chips (recipe below), or cut up veggies, such as, celery, green bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, and other raw vegetables
Baked Pumpkin Queso Dip | Low Carb | Keto | Gluten-Free
Note: this was baked in a one pound pumpkin. If using a bigger pumpkin you will need to double the recipe.
Baked Pumpkin Queso:
Ingredients:
1 one-pound Baking Pumpkin
4 ounces Breakfast Sausage ( such as, Jimmy Dean sausage)
1 Jalapeno Pepper (remove seeds for less heat), chopped
1/2 4 -ounce can chopped Green Chiles
2 - 3 T Onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 to 3/4 cups low-sodium Chicken Broth
1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 oz Velveeta Cheese, cubed
Chopped fresh Cilantro, for topping
Note: the cheese is quite gooey prior to placing it into the uncooked pumpkin. It's okay. It will all melt together nicety for perfect dipping.
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice off the top 1 1/2 inches of the pumpkin and discard. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp.
2. Cook the sausage in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Remove and reserve the sausage. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in pan. Add the onion, jalapeno and cook 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add green chiles and stir. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cheeses. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cheese melts and the mixture is creamy, about 3 more minutes.
3. Place the pumpkin in a small baking dish and fill the pumpkin with the cheese mixture. Add 1 inch of boiling water to the baking dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake until the pumpkin is tender, about 1 hour, 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is golden and bubbly, 20 to 25 more minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.
Baked Tortilla Chips:
Ingredients:
Low carb Soft Flour Tortillas (such as, Mission brand Carb Balance)
salt & pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Brush one side of each tortilla with a light layer of olive oil, or melted butter.
3. With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the tortillas into 8 wedges.
4. Place tortilla wedges in a single layer on a baking sheet.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Enjoy!
Nutritional Information (For the Dip):