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    Home » Recipes » Super Bowl

    Football Food: Artichoke Pesto Dip

    Modified: Jul 16, '24 · Published: Jan 18, '19 · By: Beth Klosterboer · Commission earned on paid or sponsored links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Your game day party guests may cheer when they taste this Artichoke Pesto Dip. This quick and easy dip is topped with bacon and sour cream and served in a football-shaped bowl to make it festive and fun for the big game.

    Artichoke Dip served in a football shaped ceramic bowl is set in the center of a table decorated with a football field table cloth and surrounded by more football shaped plates fill with Mission Tortilla Strips, soft tacos, football topped fudge, and popcorn.

    If you are looking for a game-day snack that is out of the ordinary, you've got to try this Artichoke Pesto Dip. It's so simple to make using marinated artichokes, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, cashews, and bacon.

    Serve it in a football-shaped ceramic bowl and decorate it with crumbled bacon and sour cream to look like an actual football and your party guests just might cheer. You can serve it cold or you can pop it in the oven to warm it up.

    More game day snack ideas:

    • taco dip
    • hot chicken dip
    • cheeseburger dip football
    Mission Tortilla Strips topped with a scoop of the artichoke pesto dip topped with bacon that is served in a football shaped bowl.

    Ingredients

    • cooked crispy bacon, crumbled
    • marinated artichokes
    • roasted and salted cashews
    • Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
    • freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • extra virgin olive oil
    • salt and pepper
    • sour cream (for decorating)
    • Optional: add 4 ounces of whipped cream cheese for a creamy dip

    Serve with tortilla chips.

    Instructions

    how to make an artichoke pesto dip football topped with bacon and decorated with sour cream laces.

    Decorate the football dip.

    1. Drain the liquid off the artichokes. Pour the artichokes into a sieve or colander and allow the liquid to drain off. Then press down on the artichokes to remove the excess liquid.
    2. The flavor of the marinade will remain on the artichokes. Do not rinse it off.
    3. Pour ¾'s of the artichokes into the bowl of a food processor.
    4. Add the cashews, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, lemon juice, and ⅓ cup of the bacon crumbles.
    5. Pulse a few times to chop the items, then with the food processor running, drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil until the mixture becomes finely chopped and well blended.
    6. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.
    7. Remove the pesto from the food processor and place it in a mixing bowl.
    8. If you want a creamier dip, stir in the whipped cream cheese. If you don't have whipped cream cheese, you can beat ½ a block of cream cheese until light and creamy.
    9. Chop the remaining artichokes into small pieces and stir them into the pesto.
    10. Pour the pesto into a football-shaped ceramic bowl.
    11. Spread the remaining bacon over the top of the dip, covering it completely.
    12. If you want to serve the dip hot, heat it in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 15 minutes until heated through.
    13. Spoon the sour cream into a small zip-top bag and snip off the tip.
    14. Pipe sour cream laces down the center of the football and stripes on either end.
    15. Serve the dip with tortilla chips.
    Big game party food on a table topped with a football field table cloth. Snacks are served in football shaped bowls and plates.

    Recipe

    5 from 4 votes
    Artichoke Pesto Dip served in a football shaped ceramic bowl is set in the center of a table decorated with a football field table cloth and surrounded by more football shaped plates fill with Mission Tortilla Strips, soft tacos, football topped fudge, and popcorn.
    Print
    Artichoke Pesto Dip
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    10 mins
    Total Time
    25 mins
     

    A super simple dip made using marinated artichokes, bacon, Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, and cashews served in a football-shaped bowl.

    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: artichoke pesto dip, football dip
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 296 kcal
    Author: Beth Klosterboer
    Ingredients
    artichoke pesto:
    • 1 pound cooked crispy bacon, crumbled or finely chopped
    • 2 (12 ounce) jars marinated artichokes, drained
    • ⅓ cup roasted and salted cashews
    • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
    • ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • salt and pepper, to taste
    decoration:
    • 2 tablespoons sour cream
    OPTIONAL ingredients:
    • 4 ounces whipped cream cheese (for a creamy dip)
    • 1 bag tortilla chips
    Instructions
    1. Pour ¾'s of the drained artichokes into the bowl of a food processor along with the cashews, Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, lemon juice, and ⅓ cup of the bacon pieces.

    2. Pulse a few times, then with the food processor running, drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil until the mixture becomes finely chopped.

    3. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.

    4. Chop the remaining artichokes into small pieces and stir them into the pesto.

    5. If you want a creamy dip, then stir in the whipped cream cheese. 

    6. Pour the pesto into a football-shaped ceramic bowl.

    7. Crumble the remaining bacon over the top of the dip.

    8. If you want to serve the dip hot, cover it with tin foil and heat it in a 350-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes until heated through before decorating it with sour cream.

    9. Spoon the sour cream into a small zip-top bag and snip off the tip then decorate the cold or hot dip.

    10. Pipe laces down the center of the football and stripes on either end.

    11. Serve the dip with tortilla chips.

    collage of images of football themed food

    Be sure to check out all of my fun Game Day Snack Ideas.

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Beth Klosterboer
    Beth Klosterboer
    Hi, I'm Beth Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    Beth Klosterboer
    Latest posts by Beth Klosterboer (see all)
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      Football Appetizers - Pulled Pork Pastry Pockets
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      Recipe Rating




    1. The Partiologist says

      January 20, 2019 at 7:53 am

      This dip will make anyone a football fan, sounds delicious!

      Reply
    2. Sabrina says

      January 19, 2019 at 5:37 pm

      With all of your great ideas and this delicious dip, I know my super bowl party is going to be a hit!

      Reply
    3. Taylor says

      January 19, 2019 at 9:41 am

      Such a cute idea! The perfect festive appetizer for game day parties!

      Reply
      • Beth says

        January 19, 2019 at 9:51 am

        Thank you Taylor! I'm so glad you like this fun football dip.

        Reply
    4. krissy says

      January 18, 2019 at 5:38 pm

      This looks incredible. i will be saving this recipe and making it for our superbowl party! yum!

      Reply
      • Beth says

        January 18, 2019 at 5:42 pm

        Thanks Krissy. I hope you enjoy this fun game day appetizer.

        Reply
    5. Julie Blanner says

      January 18, 2019 at 4:57 pm

      Yum! Will definitely be adding this to our game day menu!

      Reply
      • Beth says

        January 18, 2019 at 5:41 pm

        I hope you and all your hungry football fans enjoy the dip!

        Reply
    Beth Jackson Klosterboer

    Welcome to Hungry Happenings!

    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

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