Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Dip
We had a small family get together recently and everyone made something to contribute to the meal. I love these types of gatherings, though these days they don’t happen often, but I love filling my plate with the various flavors, textures and ideas of everyone who is there. Not only is it fun to try new things, it usually means the majority of the conversation is around food and recipes and all that makes me so happy!
So one of the things I wanted to bring to this dinner was an appetizer so everyone could have something to munch on as they arrived. There are a lot of dietary restrictions in my family so I decided to make this roasted red pepper cashew dip. It is vegan and gluten free but also so luscious and tasty. Added bonus, if you have your ingredients ready, pop 'em into the blender and the dip is ready in 5 minutes… and the end result was a huge hit! Everyone loved it, so I knew I had to share the recipe.
As I mentioned this dip is quick and super easy to make. The only catch is you have to be a little bit prepared. Soaking your cashews for at least an hour before making the dip helps to create a creamier consistency. I also rely on my same old trick to mellow out the garlic bite in the acid of the lemon juice before blending, so that's best if it can sit for at least 20 minutes. Side not on that: my sister made this dip after I gave her the recipe and she skipped the soaking of the garlic and said 2 cloves was way too much… so if you don’t have time, go lighter on the garlic. As for the red peppers, I used jarred roasted red peppers here and they worked perfectly. If you would like to make your own, I’m sure it would be delicious but when you want quick and easy, reach for the jar!
When it’s time to turn these ingredients into a dip, I use my Vitamix and I feel like that is also a huge help in getting the really creamy texture and consistency. I slowly increase the speed, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides, until I can get everything moving on with the blender on high. Then I let it run for about 30 seconds, checking the consistency, if it's not super creamy, run it a little longer. The super luscious creamy texture of this dip is part of what makes it so satisfying and delicious.
If you enjoyed this dip, you may also want to check out my creamy cashew cilantro crema for another tasty cashew dip!
Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Dip
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- juice of 1 lemon ( a little shy of a quarter cup)
- 1 1/2 roasted red peppers, diced (a heaping half cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon agave or honey
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- SOAK: Start by soaking your cashews to make for an extra creamy dip. Place the cashews in a bowl and fill with enough water to cover the cashews by about 1/2 inch and let sit for at least an hour. When you are getting ready to make your dip, combine the minced garlic and lemon juice. Allow those to rest and the garlic to mellow for about 20-30 minutes.
- COMBINE: Once your cashews have soaked, drain them and add to a high powered blender. Add the lemon juice, garlic, roasted red peppers, agave (or honey), salt and water and turn the blender on low. Slowly increase the speed, occasionally stopping to scrape down the sides. Once everything is moving with the blender on high, let it run until the dip becomes super luscious and creamy. You may need to add more water, slowly, to help reach the desired consistency. Taste, add any salt if needed and enjoy!