By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD
Hot weather calls for cool meal components, and dips fit right in. Dips can be used with sliced or diced fresh fruits and veggies, as salad dressings, as sandwich fillings, and even for a fast cold soup!
We like to start with a thicker ingredient as a base; for us, this is vegan Greek yogurt. Some markets carry Greek style vegan yogurt; be certain to select the unflavored variety. You can make vegan Greek style yogurt at home, with either a cashew and plant milk or a plant milk and tofu base, but it does take some time to do that, as ingredients need to drain and ferment a bit. If you can’t locate Greek style vegan yogurt, combining vegan sour cream and soft silken tofu in the blender will work. A “secret” ingredient for fast thickening, and some additional flavor, is to add in a small amount of canned creamed corn (the “cream” is cornstarch) for thickness.
Once you have your Greek yogurt or yogurty blend, you are ready to create! Start with a basic Greek yogurt-based dip from which you can prepare many menu items. Combine about one cup of Greek yogurt with one Tablespoonful diced fresh garlic, one Tablespoon olive oil (or oil of your choice), one teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice, and a dash of black pepper. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. The flavor develops after the ingredients have had a chance to “chill” together.
To add some spiciness to this basic dip, stir in a small amount of chili paste, red pepper flakes, or smoked paprika. For a maple mustard dip, add about 2 Tablespoons of Dijon or spicy mustard and 3 Tablespoons maple syrup to about one cup of your basic dip. Try to add just a small amount of flavoring at a time and allow to chill and absorb the flavor. If the flavor becomes overpowering, you’ll need to add plain Greek yogurt to try to balance the flavors. If the dip is too thick, it can be thinned with a small amount of unflavored plant milk.
Tzatziki is a popular Mediterranean-style dip. It can be used simply as a dip, or as a cold sauce for grilled items, or even brushed onto items, such as a veggie, tofu, or seitan kabobs, whole mushrooms, cubed summer squash, or sliced potatoes, as they grill. Tzatziki makes a great sandwich spread or salad dressing, as well as a potato topper. To prepare about 2 cups of tzatziki, you’ll need 1 cup Greek yogurt, ½ cup peeled, seeded, and grated fresh cucumber (with as much liquid squeeze out as possible; don’t save the liquid), 1 Tablespoon finely chopped mint, 1 Tablespoon shredded dill, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 clove fresh, minced garlic, and as much black pepper as you would like. Mix all the ingredients together, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Greek yogurt onion dip can be homemade, or, cut to the chase and combine one cup of Greek yogurt with one packet onion soup mix. For homemade, combine 1 cup Greek yogurt with 2 Tablespoon finely minced green onions (the white part only) or sweet onions, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and black pepper to taste. Mix well, cover, and allow to chill for at least one hour before using.
It was surprising to learn that Ranch dressing sales have exceeded ketchup sales in the US for over eight years. To keep up with the trend, create a Greek yogurt ranch dip the streamlined way and combine 1 cup Greek yogurt with a packet of dry Ranch salad dressing mix (read the label to ensure there are no powdered dairy ingredients). If you’d like to create your own, combine 1 cup Greek yogurt with 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 3 teaspoons fresh dill (or one teaspoon dried dill), 1 Tablespoon finely minced green onion (the white part only), and a pinch of cayenne. Mix well, cover, and allow to chill for at least thirty minutes before using,
Serve any of these dips with the usual accompaniments, such as fresh veggie chips, baked veggie chips, or pita or tortilla chips. If you would like to make your own, colorful chips, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Thinly slice white, gold, purple, or sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, rutabagas, beets, or apples and bake in a single layer, until crisp.
As a reminder, there is a different measurement when using fresh versus dried herbs. The ratio is usually 3:1 for fresh herbs. This means using 3 teaspoons (or Tablespoons or cups) of fresh herbs for every measure of dried herbs. Dried herbs are much more concentrated in flavor, so a smaller amount is needed.
If you would like to make a dressing from any of these dips, just add a bit of lemon juice and then either plant milk or water to create the thickness you could like.
Vegan Greek yogurt is not only for savory dips. Create a sweet dip for fruit or cake slices by combining 1 cup Greek yogurt with 2 Tablespoons of your favorite fruit preserves or jam, and a small amount of lemon or orange zest. Combine, cover, and chill until ready to use.
To make a no-bake fresh berry pie, bake or buy your favorite vegan pie shell. Combine 1½ cups very ripe strawberries or a combination of blueberries, boysenberries, blackberries, and raspberries with three cups Greek yogurt, ½ cup maple syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract, and a small amount of orange or lemon zest. Mix filling until combined, cover, and allow to chill for 30 minutes. Stir and taste and make any additions you would like. Fill the pie shell and return to the refrigerator for another thirty minutes prior to serving.