Dill lovers - this plant-based pickle dip is for you!
Taste Profile: Tangy with fresh dill and tart with lemon.
The Perfect Pairing: A handful of salty, crinkle-cut chips.
Dietary Details: Plant-based, dairy-free, gluten-free (not nut free)
Time Commitment: 10 minutes hands-on, 20 minutes passive time. Just boil cashews for 20 minutes and then blend with three other ingredients. That's Dill Pickle Dip, done.
Make Ahead: Yes, it keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days, making it a great choice for parties.
Ingredients
I love the simplicity of this dip - it really is all about the dill. But if you want to layer in more flavour, include a clove of fresh garlic when you blend the dip. Alternatively, or in addition to the garlic, drop in a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast. This will make the dip thicker and add a mild unami/cheesy element.
Serving Suggestions
While crinkle chips are a classic pairing with dill pickle dip, it's zesty, herbaceous flavour works well with other foods, too. Here are some serving suggestions:
Tips: Making Dairy-free Dips
If you're new to plant-based eating, you might be wondering how you'll replace ingredients like mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese when making creamy dips.
The good news is there's more than one way to replace these ingredients. One way is to use commercial products that are formulated to be animal-free.
Another way, which is the method I use in this recipe, is to replace the items with plant-based food that mimic important properties of the original ingredient.
For example, instead of using cream cheese as the base for this dip, I used cashews. Cashews work as they are similar in fat, carbohydrate, and protein when compared to an equivalent amount of cream cheese. [You can check this out yourself using the Nutrition Comparison Tool on myfooddata.com
Another way to make dairy-free dips is with the Mother Mix, which is a 4-ingredient DIY. Read more about how you can use it as the base for vegan queso, caramelized onion dip, and spinach dip.
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Recipe Card
Plant-Based Dill Pickle Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup juice from pickle jar
- 4 small dill pickles
- 1 cup fresh dill, loosely packed This is approximately 40 grams.
- pinch salt
Optionally
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Put the cashews in a small saucepan and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a low boil for 20 minutes. Drain the water off.
- Add the boiled cashews and remaining ingredients to the blender, and blend until smooth. Taste and add salt as needed.