It Wouldn't Be A Southern Christmas Without This Easy Green Dip

Nothing brings people together at a party faster than a great bowl of dip. Especially this Warm Turnip Greens Dip. Around the Southern Living office, this dip is legendary. Staffers serve it at cocktail parties, as a pre-Christmas dinner appetizer, at holiday potlucks, and throughout the year on game days and at cookouts.

The Green Dip of Your Dreams

Made with frozen turnip greens, white wine, garlic, and crushed red pepper, the dip has a spicy bite that is balanced out with creamy richness from cream cheese, sour cream, and Parmesan cheese. Think of it as your favorite warm spinach dip with a Southern accent and way more personality. We recommend topping the dip with chopped bacon and serving with hot sauce on the side, for those who like their greens extra spicy.

Customize It to Your Taste

Another reason to love this dip is that it is extremely customizable and can be tailored to your crowd. For vegetarians, you can omit the bacon and sauté the onion and garlic in one tablespoon of olive oil. For the health-conscious, you can swap out low-fat cream cheese for full-fat, and replace the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. Fresh greens will work just as well in the recipe as frozen ones—this is a great way to use up a bounty of turnip (or collard) greens from your garden.

WATCH: How to Make Warm Spinach Sweet-Onion Dip

Make Ahead for the Win

Best of all, this dip can be made in advance—which is always music to a holiday host's ears. Prepare the recipe as directed through step 2, then cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and chill 8 hours. Bake the dip, covered with aluminum foil, at 350° F for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the cooked, chopped bacon before serving with crackers and chips.

Warm Turnip Greens Dip Ingredients

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Broil: 5 mins
Total: 40 mins
Yield: Makes 4 cups

• 5 bacon slices, chopped

• ½ medium-size sweet onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• 1 (16-oz.) package frozen chopped turnip greens, thawed

• 12 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces

• 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream

• ½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Garnish: dried crushed red pepper

• Assorted crackers, flatbread, and gourmet wafers

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat oven to broil. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in Dutch oven.
   
2. Sauté onion and garlic in hot drippings 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of Dutch oven. Stir in turnip greens, next 4 ingredients, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring often, 6 to 8 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly heated. Transfer to a lightly greased 1 1/2-qt. baking dish. (Make certain that you use a broiler-safe baking dish.) Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
   
3. Broil 6 inches from heat 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Sprinkle with bacon. Garnish, if desired. Serve with assorted crackers, flatbread, and wafers.
   
4. Note: To make ahead, prepare recipe as directed through Step Cover and chill 8 hours. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon. Serve with assorted crackers and chips.
   
5. Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip: Substitute 2 (10-oz.) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained, and 1 (14-oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped, for turnip greens. Proceed with recipe as directed.