Yes, it had to be done didn’t it? I’ve been called the ‘dip queen’ so often that I couldn’t ignore one of my fundamental kitchen practices during this series…I have made dips with sweet potato, butternut squash, aubergines, shallots, garlic, cauliflower, potato, tomato, spinach, coriander, parsley, parsnips, sprouts, pumpkin, courgettes/zucchini, peas, endemame beans, avocado, beetroot, swede/rutabaga, carrots…basically, no vegetable is ever safe from from being whizzed up in a blender with various other ingredients in my kitchen and being turned into a super tasty dip!
It’s also another great way to use up leftover vegetables, cooked or uncooked; and another great way to get more people eating vegetables…its a win win!
There are more examples of dips below, and even more in my recipe index if you’d like more inspiration.
My simple go to method is to whizz up my chosen vegetables with tahini, lemon juice and sometimes some water, if necessary, to loosen the mixture.
Alternatively, you could use peanut butter or another nut butter, plain yoghurt or soft cheese, cashew cream or hemp seed cream (example below), experiment with lime juice or vinegars, it all depends on your tastes. The key thing is to give it a go.
You can roast, steam, boil or cook your veggies however you want to make dips by design, or use up leftovers. Alternatively, try using raw vegetables and see what you think.
Adding spices or herbs is a definite for making a real difference to the flavour. Vegetables roasted with spices make great dips.
Get your blender out and have a go!
Swede (rutabaga) and carrot – basically roasted root vegetables blended with tahini and lemon juice
Homous and harissa – a blend of things I had left over
Chermoula and tahini sauce – yum! Again, I was using things up
Roasted carrot, red onion and garlic – this is a really favourite: beautiful roasted carrots, red onion and garlic whizzed up with some homous – so good!
You may find this recipe of use as a base for your dips: my homous holy grail, and tahini sauce is a blend of 1 part tahini plus 2 parts water plus the juice of 1-2 lemons depending on taste. You can make it thicker or thinner by controlling the amount of water you add.
I hope you like my suggestions 🙂
I’m going to share this over at Fiesta Friday today in case anyone needs some ideas for using up leftover vegetables from their Thanksgiving Day meal xx
Beautiful photos and lovely ideas! I’m a big fan of dips too. I used to make my own hummus but lately I’ve been going store-bought. Dips seem to be very popular in the shops now and they are usually quite expensive too. This post gives me ideas for the holiday parties that are ahead. Thank you! 🙂
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Wonderful!! Thank you, I hope it’s useful 🙂 xx
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I want everything here, Elaine, especially the hummus and harissa! You have lovely idea on using up leftover vegetables. Thank you for all of the suggestions and for the recipes, too! 🙂 xx
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Thank you sweetie, I’m glad you like it xxx
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Great thought !!
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Thank you 🙂
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Elaine this is absolutely fantastic! It’s a dip party and you’re the dip queen for sure!! I just made a simple yet obligatory crudité and made a delicious Miso dip. Now I have even more inspiration!
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Wonderful! Thank you 🙂 🙂 xx
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thanks for your tips, Elaine! I need to remake your sweet potato houmous again! I’ve seen a few others above that I’d like to try too: beetroot and green sauce! Such pretty colours!
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Thank you so much, I hope you like them 🙂
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This post is a keeper!! It’s a little guide to wonderfulness all in one. (BTW, I like to call you saucy instead of dip queen, you talented thing!)
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Ha ha! Thank you Susie Soo xxx
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Great ideas, they all look yummy 😊
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Thank you 🤗🤗
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Harissa and hommous looked so good!
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It’s a good one!!! 👌🏻
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Yumm Harisa and hummus! So wonderful Elaine! all of them look so delicious! I love this idea totally!
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Thank you ☺️☺️☺️
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The dips look so wonderful and each different!
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Thank you 😘 I love making them, I often have a selection in my fridge at any time!
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Wow I will come over some time lol:)
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Yay!!! Come!
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haha I wish!! 🙂
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😉😘
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🙂
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What beautiful ideas Elaine! I love all of the ideas and will be trying a lot of them. They say your tastes change every 7 years. I love the idea of the simple flavors and beautiful colors.
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Thank you ☺️ do you feel your tastes have changed then?
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Absolutely! I used to go for much heavier or fast foods and find that I really enjoy clean simple flavors. I think it’s a matter of getting away from some of those foods. They are addictive.
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Those foods have a lot to answer for…I think that once you make the move away from them, you realise what good food really tastes like 🙂
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I totally agree with that Elaine!
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This post was a rainbow! I really love how many ideas you provide, and especially the loose guidelines–a way of learning how to many any number of different dips. 🙂
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A rainbow 🙂 I love it! Thank you, I hope you find it of use 🙂
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More great inspiring ideas Elaine! Blending different kinds of vegetables with tahini is brilliant!
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Thank you so much Gerard 🙂
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Can I make an order, Elaine. Everything looks delicious and so smooth! 🙂 xxx
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Ha ha! You don’t need me to make them for you, you could make everything so much better I’m sure!!! xx
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xxx
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The dips makes me drool! I adore finger foods and what a selection of dips! All I can say is yum! 🙂
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Yay! Thank you xx
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These are such a great way to use both “leftover” fresh and cooked veg and freshly bought produce. Lots of dipspiration to consider and riff on xx
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‘Dipspiration’?? I like it 🙂 xxx
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I was also going to say thank for being deeply dippy, but thought better of it!
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No, never think twice about such a perfect pun!!! 😉
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I would eat vegetables at your house any day! Wonderful ideas and beautiful colors. I especially like the carrot, red onion, and garlic dip. Sounds delicious.
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And you would be very welcome Liz 🙂 thank you x
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I bet your fridge is always full of homemade dips Elaine – funny I’m reading this as I am about to experiment with a pumpkin and blue cheese dip…..
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Ooh…how did that work out??
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It’s delicious Elaine – my hubby came home to lots of licking material after I’d batched up a couple of jars!
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Cool!
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Oh my they are looks brilliant Elaine. … you are the queen of dips …. amazing…..
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Thank you ☺️☺️☺️
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So many great flavours and colours. I am bookmarking these. Happy Fiesta Friday.
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Thank you, and you 🙂 x
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Yea for dips!! 🙂
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Yay! 🙂
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I love dips!! I could live on dip!! These all look amazing!! I have made your holy grail homous and some of your others and they have all been incredible!! You are definitely the Dip Queen xxxx
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Brilliant! Thank you so much x x x x x
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I roasted some sweet potatoes the other day and thought of you! These dips look fantastic, Elaine. I’d be scooping and eating them by the spoonful!
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That’s what I do!!!! Thank you xxxx
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I absolutely love your dips Elaine!! This is a wonderful post. You might find it interesting that we South Indians make these kinds of dips with a variety of vegetables and it is usually known as chutney. The common ingredients are cumin, garlic, green chili, urad dal. Thanks for this very informative post.
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Wonderful, I’m glad you like it, and thank you for the information. I’ve seen lots of chutney recipes, I think it’s time to make some 🙂
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Oh, Elaine, this is a perfect for me post! I love the way that you suggest these as a quick way to use up leftovers! Delish!
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Yep, very frugal 🙂 thank you x
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They all look so delicious and great colors. I am not usually too much of a dip person (although we were big-time in Cyprus not too long ago, but they were so good) but you could easily convert me with these 🙂
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That would be a challenge I’d happily accept 🙂
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