Baked Collard Green Dip
Baked Collard Green Dip turns canned collard greens into a cheesy southern appetizer loaded with smoky bacon, melty Gouda, and irresistible flavor! Serve this hot dip with tortilla chips, cornbread crackers, or cornbread crisps for the perfect party snack. It’s always a hit at parties, tailgates and holiday gatherings!
Get the Scoop!
- A great way to use canned or leftover collard greens.
- Rich, cheesy, and full of smoky southern flavor.
- Easy to make in one oven-safe skillet or baking dish.
- Perfect for football parties, holidays, potlucks, and cookouts.
Collard greens have always been a staple at our family table, especially on Sundays and holidays. It’s one of those recipes that seems to taste even better the next day, so there’s always a few greens left over in the refrigerator.
That’s exactly how this collard green dip with cream cheese came to be. I wanted a fun way to give those leftovers a second life, and it turned out to be one of those recipes folks keep coming back for one more scoop!
Ingredient Notes
Seasoned Collard Greens: Canned seasoned collards make this recipe incredibly easy, but leftover homemade collard greens work great too. Just be sure they’re drained well before using.
Smoked Gouda: Adds a rich, smoky flavor that pairs well with bacon and greens.
Cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise: These create the creamy, scoopable base that holds everything together.
Hot sauce and apple cider vinegar: Cuts the richness without making the dip overly spicy.
Bacon: Adds smoky flavor and just the right amount of crunch.
How to Make Hot Collard Green Dip
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 1: Prepare the cheese mixture
In a medium bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise until smooth. Mix in the smoked Gouda, ½ cup mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan until combined.
Step 2: Cook the bacon
In a cast iron or other oven-safe skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon from skillet. Chop into pieces and drain grease from skillet.
Step 3: Drain the collards
Drain the collard greens well and chop them into smaller pieces if needed.
Step 4: Add everything to skillet
Add collards to the skillet along with the chopped bacon, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until hot.
Step 5: Combine with cheese
Fold the cheese mixture into the warm collard greens until evenly combined and place in a baking dish or oven-safe skillet. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the dip is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is fully melted. For a golden brown top, broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Let the dip rest for about 5 minutes before serving with tortilla chips, cornbread crackers, or cornbread crisps.
Serving Ideas
Serve this collard greens recipe with fresh veggie sticks, tortilla chips, cornbread crackers, or cornbread crisps for an unforgettable appetizer.
Make it a dip for dinner by adding a big pot of delicious Pork Chili to the table. Or, serve this cheesy appetizer with a Deep Fried Turkey on Thanksgiving day that will be certain to impress your guests!
Variations and Substitutions
- Use leftover homemade collard greens instead of canned greens. Drain them well and chop them into smaller pieces if needed.
- Substitute canned mustard greens or turnip greens for the collards.
- Swap the mozzarella for pepper jack cheese if you’d like a spicier recipe.
- Leave out the crushed red pepper flakes for a milder version.
- Add a little extra hot sauce if your family enjoys more heat.
Troubleshooting
- My mixture is watery: The collard greens probably weren’t drained well enough. Be sure to squeeze out as much potlikker as possible before adding them to the skillet.
- The greens are hard to scoop: If the collards are in long strands, chop them into smaller pieces after draining. This makes every bite easier to scoop with chips or crackers.
- My cheese mixture is lumpy: The cream cheese was likely too cold. Let it soften completely before mixing with the sour cream and mayonnaise.
Debi’s Dip Tips
- Taste the collard greens before adding extra seasoning. Different brands of canned greens, and homemade leftovers, can vary quite a bit in salt and vinegar levels.
- Warm the greens before mixing them into the cheese. This helps cook away excess moisture while blending the flavors together.
- Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes after baking so it thickens slightly and becomes easier to scoop.
- Serve warm for the best texture and flavor.
Recipe FAQ
Only if they taste overly salty or vinegary. Otherwise, simply drain them well and squeeze out the excess liquid before using.
Heating them in the skillet helps remove extra moisture while blending the bacon, vinegar, hot sauce, and seasonings before everything is mixed into the cheese.
Fresh collards will need to have stems removed, chopped, and fully cooked until tender. Once cooked, drain them well. Try this great recipe for Collard Greens with Bacon if you want to make your own.
Storage Guide
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, warm individual portions in the microwave or bake the dip in a 350°F oven until heated through.
More Southern Dip Recipes
If you enjoy this collard green dip recipe, be sure to try some of these other Southern favorites:
Baked Collard Green Dip
*See notes in post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups and spoons
- oven safe skillet (or baking dish)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese - softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese - divided
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese - divided
- 6 slices smoked bacon
- 2 cans seasoned collard greens, drained - 14 ½-ounce cans or 2-3 cups leftover cooked collard greens
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- corn tortilla chips, cornbread crackers, or cornbread crisps for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise until smooth. Mix in the smoked Gouda, ½ cup mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan until combined. Set aside.
- Cook and Chop Bacon: In a cast iron or other oven-safe skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon from skillet. Chop into pieces and drain grease from skillet.
- Drain and Chop Collards: Drain the collard greens well and chop them into smaller pieces if needed.
- Add Ingredients To Skillet: Add collards to the skillet along with the chopped bacon, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until hot.
- Mix with Cheese: Fold warm collard greens into the cheese mixture until evenly combined. After it's mixed, you can spoon it into an oven-safe skillet or baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan evenly over the top.
- Bake and Serve: Bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes until the dip is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is fully melted. For a golden brown top, broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. Let the dip rest for about 5 minutes before serving with tortilla chips, cornbread crackers, or cornbread crisps.
Notes
- Taste the collard greens before adding extra seasoning. Different brands of canned greens, and homemade leftovers, can vary quite a bit in salt and vinegar levels.
- Warm the greens before mixing them into the cheese. This helps cook away excess moisture while blending the flavors together.
- Let the dip rest for about 5 minutes after baking so it thickens slightly and becomes easier to scoop.
- Serve warm for the best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
*Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
