Silky Beet Dip
This super silky beet dip is as dazzling to look at as it is to eat! Fresh roasted beets combine with deeply-toasted walnuts, garlic, warm spices, and silken tofu for a light yet creamy dip. Easy to make ahead and to scale up, perfect for entertaining.
Ingredients
- 3 medium beets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for roasting beets)
- 0.5 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for toasting walnuts)
- 1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced or minced
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt (for toasting walnuts)
- 1 package Mori-nu Silken Tofu, extra-firm (12.3-ounce / 349g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon za’atar
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt (for the dip)
- 0.25 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (optional)
- to taste Extra virgin olive oil
- to taste Toasted sesame seeds
- to taste Fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Tightly wrap fresh beets (stalks removed but skinny tails intact) in individual foil packets and roast at 450ºF for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center slides in easily. Unwrap the beets. Once cool, peel and roughly chop or tear into chunks.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat for 2 minutes, then add the chopped walnuts and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir frequently for 4 to 5 minutes, then add the garlic and stir very frequently for 60 to 90 seconds.
- Transfer the walnut-garlic mixture plus any remaining oil in the pan to a food processor or small-capacity blender. Blend until a paste forms.
- Add the silken tofu and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Blend until tofu is pureed and creamy (about 1 minute).
- Add the cooked beets, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon za’atar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (if using). Blend until luxuriously creamy. Taste, and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh mint leaves, if desired.