Our friend Anna Gass, CT-based chef and author of the upcoming cookbook Heirloom Kitchen has shared four super easy dips for this weekend (or anytime!). We love her little tweaks (like adding beets to hummus or kale to guacamole) that not only make these feel a little special but also add extra nutrition. Prepare these on Saturday to let the flavors come together and you’ll be able to spend time with party guests on Sunday instead of being stuck in the kitchen. “Before kickoff, put these out with a bunch of dippers like chips, crudité, pita bread (just toast it and cut) and any other dip eating vehicles you crave. You’ll be the day’s MVP,” says Gass.
Beet Hummus
2 lbs red beets, rinsed
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ vegetable oil
1 cup tahini
1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Place beets in parchment paper. Pour olive oil over and sprinkle with salt. Cover with the parchment paper to create a ‘package.’ Roast beets in the oven at 425 degrees for 1 ½ hours or until fork tender.
- Once beets are fork tender, remove from oven and carefully remove skin. Use gloves or you will have red hands! Roughly chop the beets.
- In a food processor, add chopped beets, garlic, lemon juice, oil, tahini and salt.
- Puree until smooth. Add additional salt if desired.
- Serve with toasted pita or pita chips.
Kale Guacamole
4 to 5 leaves lacinato kale, chopped up fine
¼ cup lime juice
5 ripe avocados
½ small onion, chopped fine
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and chopped fine
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Place the chopped kale in a bowl and add lime juice. Mix to cover the kale and let sit for 10 minutes.
- While the kale is marinating, mash the avocados in a bowl with onion, jalapeno, cilantro and salt.
- Add kale and lime juice mixture to the avocado and mix to combine.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
Pico de Gallo
3 large tomatoes
1 large onion
½ bunch cilantro, stems removed
2 jalapenos
juice of one lime
1 teaspoon coarse salt.
- Chop tomatoes in a small dice and add to a large bowl.
- Mince onion and add to tomatoes
- Chop cilantro and add to mixture.
- Remove seeds from jalapeno and chop fine. Add to mixture.
- Add lime and salt and mix to combine.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
Super French Onion Dip
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large white onions, cut in half moons and sliced thin
¼ cup dry sherry or marsala wine
2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
chopped chives, for garnish
- In a large pan, melt butter and oil. Add onions and cook on low heat.
- After 5 minutes, begin to mix the onions around the pan to encourage browning.
- Increase heat to medium and continue mixing. Once all the butter and oil are absorbed, add ½ cup of water.
- Continue to mix until all the water is absorbed and onions become dark brown, another 7 minutes.
- Once onions are dark brown, add sherry and mix to incorporate. Cook for two more minutes.
- Remove onions from the pan. Reserve a teaspoon of onion and pulse the rest in a food processor to create an onion jam.
- In a bowl, add sour cream, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Mix in the onion jam.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with reserved onion and chives.
- Serve with potato chips.