Mushroom Marsala Dip
Mushroom Marsala Dip- Taking the flavors of a traditional pasta sauce and turning it into a rich, creamy spread perfect for dipping and schmearing.
October 25, 2021 by Nicole Collins
What I want to talk about today has absolutely NOTHING to do with today's recipe.
You guys cool with that?
I'm going to imagine you're nodding your heads “yes” right now, and jump right into the topic of the day.
Schitt's Creek.
Who's watched it? And why didn't you guys tell me sooner how absolutely EPIC the show is?
I have this thing about sitcoms that don't have laugh tracks or background noise between scenes. You know what I mean. Shows like The Office and Parks and Rec. The awkward silence kills me. And for some reason, I assumed that Schitt's Creek fell into that category. So, I never wanted to watch it.
I don't know what made me turn the show on one afternoon. I truly don't. But, I'm SO GLAD that I did. It may easily have become one of my favorite shows of all time. It's hilarious. It's endearing. There's not one character in the show that I don't like. And, I love how purely inclusive the whole show is.
I'm actually currently watching the full series again for the second time. I waited a whole 24 hours before starting it again!
There's only one thing I can say about today's recipe: I love this journey for us!
Today, we're making Mushroom Marsala Dip!
This dip takes all of the best parts and flavors of a traditional marsala sauce, blends it with cream cheese to make it thick and creamy, and turns it into the perfect accompaniment to toasted baguette, crackers, sammies, and even pasta. It's a pretty versatile dip!
Lets start with the mushrooms. You guys know that I have a texture issue with mushrooms, so I usually have to mince them into the tiniest pieces possible before I can even think about cooking them. But, not today! We're going to slice some baby bella mushrooms into a perfectly normal size. You could even buy the pre-sliced ones to save time. Then, we're going to saute them in some olive oil until they're beautifully golden brown. Add in some garlic at the end for oomph, and these mushrooms are ready to become marsala mushrooms.
Once the mushrooms are golden, we're going to add in some marsala wine right into the skillet. We'll reduce the wine until it's almost all gone. The mushrooms should still be just a smidge saucy. Then, we'll add in some heavy cream to make these mushrooms nice and rich, let them simmer in our sauce for just a couple of minutes, and the mushrooms are done! We want to let them cool for a few minutes before we blitz them into a dip, so just set them aside right in the pan to hang out for about 10 minutes.
After the mushrooms have had a few minutes to cool down, we're going to add them to a food processor with every last bit of sauce from the pan. Then, we'll add some softened cream cheese and some freshly shredded parmesan cheese to the processor, and we'll let the processor do it's thing until the dip is nice and creamy.
At this point, the dip is ready to be devoured. It's rich and creamy and a little thick. It's a really nice schmearing consistency. But, if you prefer a looser and piping hot dip, you could also toss this in the oven for a few minutes before serving. It's totally your choice!
However you choose to serve this, you're going to end up with such a delightful appetizer. The dip is thick and creamy. The mushrooms are rich and meaty. The marsala is sweet and decadent. And, the cheese adds the perfect amount of savory notes to balance out the whole situation. Talk about a flavor bomb! If you like marsala pasta sauce, you're going to LOVE this dip!
This dip is so versatile. You can spread it on toasted baguette. You can schmear it on crackers. You can use it as the glue in a sammie. You can even repurpose it into a pasta sauce by throwing it back in a saucepan with a little milk and a little pasta water. I, personally, like to serve it with a recipe that's coming up later this week.
So, stay tuned!
Ok, everyone. There's really only one thing left to say today.
Best wishes. Warmest regards. And, let's eat!
Mushroom Marsala Dip
Serves: 2 cups Print
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup marsala wine
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
8 oz cream cheese, softened (I used low fat)
¼ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
toasted baguette, crackers, and toasted pasta, for serving
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms start to brown and caramelize. Add garlic to the mushrooms, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add marsala wine to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, and simmer for 7-8 minutes until almost all of the liquid has been reduced. (The mushrooms should still be just a little saucy.) Add heavy cream, salt, and pepper to the skillet; and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer the sauce for 1-2 minutes more. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Add mushroom sauce, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese to the bowl of a food processor. Process until fully combined, scraping down the sides once. Transfer dip to a serving bowl. Serve with toasted baguette, crackers, and/or toasted pasta.
Recipe notes:
*You can use low fat or full fat cream cheese for this recipe. I actually prefer low fat, but use what you have.
*This dip can be served at room temperature or heated through in the oven for a few mins. It's your choice! I like it at room temp. If you want to serve it hot, transfer the dip to an oven safe dish, and bake it at 350 degrees until it's heated through, about 10-15 minutes.
*You could also use this dip as a schmear for a sandwich or wrap, and it's absolutely delish!
