In my 30s, my sister and I bought condos across the street from each other, on the same street, in Santa Ana, California. We enjoyed going to a local restaurant, Rutabegorz. They had inexpensive and insanely delicious dips that you could snack on while waiting for your meal. One time we visited the Tustin Rutabegorz and ordered a creamy pineapple dip that blew both of us away! It was SO delicious!
Fast forward about 15 years. I’m texting my sister, desperately trying to remember what the recipe ingredients were. Neither of us could remember exactly what ingredients were in it aside from cream cheese and pineapple. I just couldn’t ever get the thought of a thick cream cheese based cold dip mixed with pineapple and carrots. You could even toss in some raisins and chopped walnuts for some added texture, nutrition, and flavor.
This exercise taught me a lesson, which is that I should never wait over a decade to attempt to re-create a recipe I tasted somewhere. Rutabegorz was a small family-owned business and there were three restaurants in Orange County. My parents used to visit us and we would take them to the Tustin Rutabegorz location. We loved tasting their newest appetizer dip as we perused the menu and waited for our food.
Although it wasn’t the easiest thing to re-create, I ended up with this heavenly pineapple-carrot creamy dip that perfectly complements my zesty Alabama Firecrackers, salty Ritz or Club crackers, my Air Fryer Tortilla Chips, or a sliced French baguette—you get the gist! Things that can hold the dip and are crunchy and salty best complement the fruity dip.
Gluten free, low carb, and vegetarian, this dip is a total crowd pleaser—and although it may sound strange, give it a try and I bet you can’t stop eating it! I don’t think it’s an exact replica of the original dip we tasted many years ago, but it’ll do for now and is a close second! My delicious recipe contains cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla extract, crushed pineapple, and carrots and is done prepping in less than 10 minutes, making it one quick appetizer dip recipe!
Ingredients in Pineapple Carrot Cream Cheese Dip
Cream cheese. Full fat cream cheese forms a thick and creamy texture in this dip.
Sour cream. Use full fat sour cream for the best texture and taste.
Vanilla extract. Vanilla extract heightens the sweet flavor.
Crushed pineapple. Crushed pineapple adds a sweet taste as well as provide nutrients.
Carrots. For the best taste, make sure to freshly grate a carrot rather than using pre-shredded carrots.
How to make the best Pineapple Carrot Cream Cheese Dip
STEP 1: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.
STEP 2: Stir in the drained pineapples and carrots.
STEP 3: Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Serve cold with crackers, bread, or chips.
STEP 4: If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and comment!
Recommended tools to make this recipe
- Hand mixer. This durable hand mixer is one of my favorites.
- Large bowl. We love to use these large bowls.
- Lidded container. This is one of my favorite lidded containers when making this dip recipe.
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Final Thoughts
Finally, if you make this pineapple carrot cream cheese dip, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from everyone who makes this recipe and always do my best to respond to all comments.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag #elisemccollister on Instagram! It makes me so happy to see your recipe photos!
Pineapple Carrot Cream Cheese Dip
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz. cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ⅔ c sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapples drained
- 1 carrot peeled and shredded (about ½ c shredded)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the drained pineapples and carrots.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Serve cold with crackers, bread, or chips.
- If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and comment!
Nutrition (per serving)
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