Good news: You don’t need sour cream or cream cheese to create a creamy dip. This vegan almond dip recipe is inspired by the Bitchin’ Sauce we sampled at a farmers’ market in San Diego. We love going to farmers’ markets to try out new food products.
Not only is this delicious and super-nutritious dip vegan, it’s also gluten-free. As we explored during our trip to an almond ranch, raw almonds are packed with antioxidants and the “good” monounsaturated fat. The most difficult part of this recipe is scooping out the dip from the blender. The consistency of the dip should be such that you can slowly pour it out into a bowl. Using a food processor results in a chunkier version, which we don’t care for as much.
If you want a lighter colored dip, you can soak the raw almonds for a day or two in water and remove their thin dark skin. It’s an extra step that we skip, since some research suggests that the skins may also serve as a prebiotic—nature’s alternative to doctor-prescribed antibiotics. Other ingredients include nutritional yeast (we also use it to flavor our homegrown popcorn), Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, grape-seed oil (the lowest in saturated fats for oils), and garlic (a natural prebiotic).
Great as a spread on sandwiches, our vegan almond dip also pairs well with fresh veggies or on crackers or chips. Try it as a topping on a baked potato instead of sour cream. Best of all, vegans and non-vegans alike will enjoy it. Refrigerate after preparing. It doesn’t last long in our house.
Recipe: Vegan Almond Dip
Yield: 1.5 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1/4 cup grape-seed oil
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 T. lemon juice
- 1 T. nutritional yeast
- 1/2 T. tahini (sesame paste)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 T. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. celery salt
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
Preparation
Mix all the dry and wet ingredients in a blender (not food processor) until creamy and smooth. Add additional water until mixture reaches desired constituency. Serve with snack crackers or carrot sticks, as a spread on sandwiches or as a topping on a baked potato instead of sour cream. Can be refrigerated for up to four days.
