This post was sponsored by Cacique®. All opinions are my own.
Three words: Smoky, melty, delish. Three wow factor ingredients: Chorizo, cheese, and Spinach. This is a show stopper recipe any night of the week. What makes it even better? The fact that this is a one-skillet dip. (Although, I would potentially suggest doubling or tripling this recipe since it’s not going to last!) When I was testing it out at home with my man, I literally caught him polishing off the rest while I was planning on saving it to add to some tacos the next day! That’s the other brilliant thing about this dip—it’s versatile enough (and scrumptious enough) that you could stuff it into poblano peppers, add it into a grilled cheese sandwich, or as a topping for tacos. Not that I got to try it as a topping for tacos, ahem. Can we say #taconight #gamechanger??!
To make your shopping list easy, all of the must-have elements are Cacique brand—from the chorizo to the manchego to the queso fresco. I’ve been cooking with Cacique for a long time and one of the reasons they’re my go-to brand for all things Mexican fabulous is that they’re high quality and super authentic.
Let’s start with the chorizo, which adds that rich smokiness to the dip. I used Cacique’s beef chorizo, but you can do pork chorizo too, or even soy, if that’s your thing. If you’ve never cooked chorizo before, it’s important to know that as you’re sautéing it, it will release oil, so make sure you drain it well after you’ve cooked it through.
The manchego is going to give you that rich, melty element that is essential for any good party dip! Tip: Melt a little extra in the bottom of the skillet so you get those crusty, ‘scrape the bottom of the pan’ bites that are one of the reasons to do a skillet dip in the first place!
My real fave, though, is the queso fresco. Traditionally, queso fresco is used as a stuffing cheese—inside enchiladas, stuffed peppers (stuffing in my mouth while I’m cooking, obvi!). It has the consistency of a ricotta salata and softens, but doesn’t actually melt down like the manchego does. It’s got this smooth, milky, and creamy vibe going on with a briny bite that always balances out the heat of whatever you add to it!
And then, of course, this dish wouldn’t be complete without some crema folded in and drizzled on top…..OMG. This is legit, an essential part of my cooking rotation. That rich, buttery finish is everything! You can use any of Cacique’s cremas in so many ways—adding that creamy element to dips, drizzled on top of sweet dishes (hello, Mexican Chocolate ANYTHING), and more.
Make this Spinach and Chorizo Cheese dip and I promise you’ll score major points with the crowd. Feel free to add in a crudité platter to dip veggies in. Or, if you’re like me and regular tortilla chips are just so, well, regular, throw some flour tortillas into a little canola or corn oil and fry those bad boys up till they puff up into yummy, flaky, homemade chips. Winning!
For more on Cacique, visit their website to learn more and find out where to buy all of their delicious, authentic products.
Prep Time | 20 minutes |
Cook Time | 20 minutes |
Servings |
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- 1 Tb olive oil
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic diced
- 1 Tb brown sugar
- 1 Tb butter
- 8 oz Cacique Chorizo
- 3 Tb chipotle in adobo sauce
- 8 oz Cacique Manchego grated
- 3 cups spinach roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Cacique Crema (plus more for garnish)
- 1/2 cup Cacique Ranchero Queso Fresco
- Squeeze of lime
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 375. Sauté onion and garlic in the olive oil, butter, and brown sugar for 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently in a medium to large cast iron skillet.
- In a separate pan, sauté 8 oz of chorizo until cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Drain. Add 3 Tb of chipotle sauce to the Cacique Chorizo and stir until combined.
- Combine Cacique Chorizo and chipotle mixture with the onions and garlic in the cast iron skillet. Add in grated Cacique Manchego, chopped spinach, and 1/2 cup Cacique Crema. Stir well and keep on heat until cheese starts to melt.
- Put in oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is totally melted and bubbly. Drizzle with Cacique Crema and crumble Cacique Ranchero Queso Fresco on top. Serve immediately.