In the past the idea of Sunday Funday sounded more appealing to me in name rather than in practice. Sure, sipping beers while watching football games at a sports bar, or spending the afternoon at the movies sounded like lots of fun, but the thought of waking up on Monday in a fog and/or having nothing prepared for the week kept me mostly home-bound at the tail end of the weekend for years.
What a lame existence, right?!
Over the past year or so I’ve come to my senses and tried to expand my horizons by getting out and about on Sundays. Movies, shopping, exercising, hanging out with friends and family – life is too short to stay home worrying about Monday, which is coming whether I’m ready for it or not.
Last week the boys and I headed over to a friends house to watch some NFL and let the kids play together. In between dominating a slightly too competitive game of carpet hockey against Ben and a 4 year old, I sampled yummy pumpkin beers (have you tried O’Fallon’s? Tastes like pumpkin bread!) and snacked on a tasty, creamy Cheeseburger Dip which I just knew could be easily lightened up without sacrificing flavor.
Behold, Lighter Bacon Cheeseburger Dip!
Lean ground beef is mixed with classic cheeseburger fixin’s like ketchup, mustard (which is optional for you mustard haters!) and cheese, then combined with 1/3 less-fat cream cheese in place of full fat, plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, and a whole lot less bacon than the original recipe called for. Calm down, there’s still plenty of bacon!
The result is a thick, creamy, and hearty dip that tastes just like a bacon cheeseburger – only lighter. You’ll love it!
Start by getting that aforementioned bacon sizzling away. Chop 4 slices bacon (compared to the original recipe’s 10!) then cook in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain then discard the bacon grease (or save it if that’s your thing.)
I know I say this every time but it bears repeating – pour your bacon grease into a foil-lined bowl then crumple and throw away when it hardens. Easy!
Turn the heat up to medium-high then in the same skillet brown 3/4lb 90/10 ground beef with 1 large chopped shallot and 2 minced garlic cloves. Finally, stir in 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce, 2 Tablespoons ketchup and 1 Tablespoon mustard.Â
You CAN taste the mustard in the dip, so if you have mustard-haters in your house just skip it!
Pour the ground beef mixture into a large bowl then add 4oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese and 4oz plain non-fat Greek yogurt. You cannot go wrong with these two substitutions in this dip. The taste is the same for less fat and calories!
Add 1/2 cup each shredded mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese, and 3/4 of the cooked bacon.Â
Mix until combined then scoop into a 9″ pie plate and top with 1/4 cup more mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Â
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes, or until hot, golden brown, and bubbly then top with the remaining bacon, chopped scallions, and fresh tomato. Throw some chopped lettuce on there if you please…I just have a thing about not loving hot lettuce. You understand!
Lighter Bacon Cheeseburger Dip
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 3/4 lb lean ground beef
- 1 large shallot or small onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon mustard optional
- 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 4 oz 1/3 less-fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 4 oz plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- Toppings: green onions, tomato, lettuce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside then pour out bacon fat from skillet and discard (or save.)
- Turn heat up to medium-high then add ground beef, shallot, and garlic to skillet. Season with salt and pepper then cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain if necessary then return to skillet and stir in ketchup, mustard, and worcestershire sauce. Pour ground beef mixture into a large bowl.
- Add cream cheese, Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup each mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and 3/4 of the cooked bacon to the bowl then mix to combine. Spread in a 9" pie pan then top with remaining cheese. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Top with remaining bacon and optional toppings then serve.
Notes
- You can assemble and stash in the fridge then bake when ready to serve.
Nutrition
This dip is great piping hot out of the oven, or cooled down more towards room temperature. Serve with chips and veggies for football games, parties, potlucks, or your next Sunday funday! Enjoy!
karen 10.15.2013
Thank you so much for the foil bowl trick for the grease. I always kept it in a coffee cup then just throw the cup out when it was full. Now I don’t have to buy cheap cups anymore. I love you!
Betsy 10.15.2013
O’Fallons is so good, I went to so many stores to find it this year!
Stephanie @cookinfanatic 10.15.2013
Best Cho-recipe I’ve seen in a while, this looks so so delicious Kristin!
Stacy 10.15.2013
This dip looks fab, but I really want to thank you for the stupendous tip for the grease–lining a bowl with foil. What an easy way to do it! Can’t believe I never thought of it…
Tracey 10.15.2013
Or save the bacon grease in a small cup and use it the next a.m. to fry your eggs in. D-lish!!
I don’t actually fry bacon too often so to have a littel bacon flavor to my egg the next day is just another yummy treat.
Nichole C 10.15.2013
I need this dip in my LIFE! Yummy!
Amanda 10.15.2013
Have you tried O’Fallon’s Peach Wheach? It is out of control good. I pretty much stock pile on the pumpkin kind because Hyvee only has it for about 2 months.
Iowa Girl Eats 10.16.2013
Have some in my fridge right now – one of my absolute faves! :)
FitBritt@MyOwnBalance 10.15.2013
Looks delicious! I’m with you on the Sunday Funday thing. I love hanging out on Sunday but it can be tough not being prepared for the week! :)
Jamie | Jamie's Recipes 10.15.2013
I am a Midwestern girl, how have I not heard of this?! Nonfat Greek yogurt is probably my favorite way to lighten up things. This sounds phenomenal!
Lauren 10.15.2013
Headed to Old Navy and snagged myself a new pink vest, which totally made my wknd. Also, one of my co-workers just announced her pregnancy and when she said she needed a baby app I passed along the one you mentioned. Thanks for the variety of great recs!
erin @hooleywithaz 10.15.2013
i need to stop reading food blogs this week while i’m on my detox. this is torture.
Dee 10.15.2013
Pickles? Gotta have pickles with a bacon cheeseburger.
Anne Weber-Falk 10.15.2013
Lining a bowl with foil for the hot grease. DUH! Why didn’t I think of that. Thank you. Love the baby smiles. So sweet.
Gloria 10.16.2013
This tip about bacon grease is great! I never know where to put the grease after frying bacon.I always used a old coffee can too but didn’t like keeping it around.
The dip sounds yummy!
Kerry 10.15.2013
All you had to say was BACON and I am sold. This sounds like the perfect dip! Love it!
Mallory 10.15.2013
Yum, I will be trying this soon!
Maureen 10.15.2013
You had me at bacon….and mustard. Lots of mustard!
C. 10.15.2013
Yum! So colorful too.
Lisa 10.15.2013
Bwahaha… green yogurt! Easy typo fix, but a much needed laugh on an early Monday morning. :)
Captain Competition 10.15.2013
You can make cheeseburgers into a dip! What will they think of next. If you like pumpkin beers my favorite is made by a brewery called Southern Tier, the beer is PumpKing.
Kathy 10.15.2013
This looks great! Can’t wait to try it. Thanks!
Danielle @ Its A Harleyyy Life 10.15.2013
Did you say baconnnnnn? I’m in!