- August 13, 2020
- Appetizers
Smoked Hatch Chili Pepper Dip
A cheesy, smoked and roasted green chili pepper dip that’s a perfect way to celebrate this seasonal pepper the right way!
I think it’s safe to say that a good cheesy dip literally is the epitome of comfort food. Whether you make this to entertain (however you go about doing that these days) or you just want to enjoy everything that hatch chili season has to offer, this is a great indulgent dip recipe everyone will love.
This dip is easily keto diet friendly and gluten free. It features the delicious, smoky, roasted hatch green chili which are only in season between August – September. Besides these Grilled Hatch Chili Poppers recipe, this makes a great option for tailgating and end of summer BBQ’s for that reason!
Get all the details below on how I take this hatch chili style queso keto recipe up a few notches with this smoke infused version everyone will love!
Supplies Needed:
- Tongs
- 6 Inch Cast Iron or Foil Pan
- Plastic Bag
- Knife & Cutting Board
- Mixing Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
What Are Hatch Chili Peppers?
The hatch chile is a pepper that get’s its name from the Hatch Valley region of New Mexico where they are exclusively grown. This pepper reminds me of a mix between an banana pepper in length but a poblano pepper in size, and is a huge part of this regions cultural cuisine.
The most popular question people often want to know about this green chile, is how spicy is it exactly?
Well, that depends. They can range in heat from 2000-8000 on the Scoville scale (this is the scale used to share how hot a pepper can be). I personally believe most jalapenos are hotter than the hatch peppers I have eaten, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. The real intrigue over this pepper is really for its depth of flavor rather than its spice!
How to roast a hatch chili on the grill?
Roasting any pepper on the grill is super easy and really helps add depth of flavor to the pepper along with the smoke flavor too. If you don’t have access to a grill, you can roast the skin over a gas burner or in the oven with a broiler.
I personally love to place my pepper directly on hot coals on my grill. Blister the skin and rotate it to get a nice outside char across the entire skin of the pepper. You can do this over the grates or by placing it directly on a gas burner too.
Once you blister the peppers skin, place it in a plastic bag to sweat and allow the heat to steam the peppers. This makes the skin come off easily and should be removed before dicing and being added to the dip. Remove the stem, the inside pith and the seeds and dice up finely along with some onion and some garlic for good measure.
Assembling the dip-
This is, of course, a cream cheese-based dip. I like to mix in a little sour cream, some spicy mustard (just adds a nice little kick), and some freshly grated cheese. Freshly grated is the best for this chile queso style cheese dip because it melts (and tastes) the best.
Mix in the diced hatch chile peppers, add the onion, garlic, and season with some salt and pepper. Fold everything together until well combines and place it in a six inch cast iron or foil pan for the grill. I prefer a little extra texture and crunch to the top of the dip, so I sprinkle on a little pork rind panko crumbs too.
Pro Tip: Want to add some protein? Mix in some shredded chicken, ground beef, or chorizo if desired.
Smoking queso dips on the Big Green Egg-
I set my Big Green Egg for indirect heat using the heat deflector plates and add a milder wood for smoking (I like pecan). Using a wood that’s too strong will overpower the dip with smoke flavor and dilute the taste of the peppers.
Let the dip cook on indirect heat at 300 F. You want the dip to heat through and cook until the mixture is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Remove it from the heat and set it aside briefly to cool slightly before serving. This takes roughly 30 minutes or so.
What keto-friendly options do I have for eating a dip?
While I love tortilla chips, they are loaded in carbs and defeat the purpose of making a keto friendly dip. For that reason, I love to make my homemade keto tortilla chips recipe or use these keto crackers for dipping too.
Don’t have time to cook? Get carb balance low carb tortillas and bake your own low carb chips instead. Other options like the gluten free seed crackers from Trader Joe’s are a great store bought option too. Serve it up with veggies like sliced radish chips, celery, or carrots as well.
Serve this dip up with these absolutely delicious low carb Smoked Hatch Chili Margaritas too!
Bon Appeteach,
-L
Smoked Hatch Chili Dip
Ingredients
- 2 Hatch Chile’s roasted
- 1/2 Yellow Onion diced small
- 1 tbsp. Minced Garlic
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese
- 4 oz. Sour Cream
- 2 tbsp. Spicy Mustard
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 3 tbsp. Pork Rind Panko Crumbs
Instructions
- Roast your two hatch chilies and blister the skin. Let them sweat in a bag to easily remove the skin. Cut out the stem, seeds, and inside pith then dice into small pieces and set aside.
- Dice up the onion and garlic and saute until translucent and combine with the peppers.
- In a bowl, add the softened cream cheese, sour cream, spicy mustard, and veggie mixture. Add in the cheese and then fold it together to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a 6 inch skillet or foil pan and spread it evenly. Add the pork rind crumbs over the top.
- Preheat the grill for indirect heat to 300 F and set it for indirect heat. Cook the hatch chile dip until the cheese is melted and it looks bubbly, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve with keto tortilla chips or you favorite low carb dipper.