Leek Scape Dip with Bacon and White Cheddar

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It’s time for scapes! Leek Scapes are usually the first on the scene in the Spring, and if you have a Farmers Market nearby you have probably seen these and may have wondered what they are or how to use them. This Leek Scape Dip with Bacon and White Cheddar is an easy appetizer that really showcases their flavor. If you’re looking for a leek scape recipe, you have come to the right place!

Market Season-

It’s Farmers Market Season once again! I love all things about cooking with fresh seasonal produce (as well as eating it) and it’s time once again to do both in my favorite way: buying from the local farmers in my area. 

Scapes are an ingredient I have only been able to find from a farmer or local avid gardener. I love to cook with them, and it’s a shame local grocery stores don’t really carry them (at least not that I have found).

Leek Scape Dip Ingredients

Leek Scapes

I love the flavor and versatility of leek scapes. They have a mild pungency that mellows a bit when cooked, and is equally nice raw. I actually use them raw in my recipe for Potato Salad with Leek Scapes and Herbs. They have a mild, almost scallion-like note and they are perfect with the smoky bacon and sharp white cheddar.

Cooking with them is just like using shallots, leeks, or onions. They could be used pretty much anywhere you’d use those ingredients, which means that when they are in season you can use them in all kinds of things!

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Bacon

Use the best quality bacon you can buy. This dip is all the better for it, and life is too short for cheap bacon anyway. Try to avoid peppered bacon, as it will add more pepper to the recipe than you want.

I like thick cut uncured bacon (if you can find it use it!). Butcher counter bacon rather than pre packaged is also good to try here.

Sharp White Cheddar

When it comes to the cheese, the sharper the better in my opinion, at least for this recipe. I do recommend white cheddar here, not orange. I think the color makes the dip look a little strange. Please use full fat cheese, not reduced fat. It will not melt well when the dip bakes.

Mayonnaise

If you don’t like mayo, you can try increasing the amount of sour cream to compensate. You don’t need any fancy mayo here, just whatever you have on hand is fine.

Cream Cheese

I use full fat cream cheese here. I’ve not tried this recipe with reduced fat but I advise to use full fat. Most reduced fat cheese products don’t cook well, and because this dip is baked it may not turn out as well.

Sour Cream

I use full fat sour cream in this recipe, for the same reasons I use full fat cream cheese and cheddar. You want this dip to be gooey and melty. Fat gives you that!

Salt and Pepper

I think it goes without saying that these items are needed. However, the amount of salt you add is not as much as you think, because the bacon provides some of its own.

How To Make Leek Scape Dip

You’ll want the cream cheese to be room temperature so it blends well with the mayo and sour cream. If you don’t have time to wait for it to come to room temp on its own, you can remove the cream cheese from its foil wrapper and place in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it in 30 second intervals until soft.

You can use a stand mixer to combine the cream cheese mixture, but it really isn’t necessary. A rubber scraper and a little elbow grease will mix everything together just fine.

When you slice the leek scapes, slice them thin into coins, and cut the coins in half. You don’t need the top part of the scape where the leek flowers, just the bottom part of the stalk.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Tips and Serving Suggestions

I like this with slices of nice crusty baguette (any excuse to eat bread, right?). It’s also nice with raw cauliflower or other veggies for dipping, or crackers. This is an easy appetizer for entertaining, or it’s great to eat while sitting on the couch watching movies (I wouldn’t know anything about that). 

This recipe is quick to throw together, and you can even make it ahead except for baking it. Just assemble the dip, put foil on top, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Just be sure to remove the foil before baking. If you are refrigerating this before baking, make sure it’s out of the fridge at least a half hour before you place it in the oven to let the dip get to room temperature.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to five days, and you can reheat it in a microwaveable dish. 

I hope you try cooking with leek scapes if you can find them. I love working with less common ingredients, it’s a great way not only to inject variety into your cooking and eating, but it’s just fun to work with something new!

If you tried this Leek Scape Dip with Bacon and White Cheddar, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Just leave a rating or comment below, or take a picture and tag me @thecoppertable on Instagram, pin to a board on Pinterest or share with your friends on social media! If you have not signed up for my newsletter, you can do that below. I have all sorts of exclusive content just for newsletter subscribers, and I’d love for you to join. Happy Cooking!