Think smoked salmon spread but without any fish. The smoky sun dried tomatoes impart both the taste and color that you get from smoked salmon. I used California Sun Dry Smoked Sun Dried Tomatoes which are “dried in the California sun and then naturally smoked in a proprietary blend of four hardwoods.”
Beyond the sun dried tomatoes the chickpeas, cannellini beans and yogurt make the dip creamy and healthy at the same time. And the addition of lemon ties it all together.
If you can’t find or don’t like smoked sun dried tomatoes, you can use the same amount of regular ones – you’ll still get the nice salmon color but without the smokiness. I made this using a Vitamix so it’s very smooth. If you’re using a food processor your dip will look a bit more chunky (but equally tasty).
Next time you’re thinking of making hummus try this dip for a change.
| Smoky Sun Dried Tomato and Bean Dip | | Print |
- 3 ounces smoked sun dried tomatoes, sliced
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- One 6-ounce container plain fat-free yogurt (regular or Greek)
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or lemon olive oil
- 8-10 basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Place the sun dried tomatoes, chickpeas, cannellini beans, yogurt, garlic and juice and zest of lemon in a Vitamix or bowl of a food processor and coarsely chop.
- While the motor is running add the olive oil and purée until smooth (you may need a bit more olive oil).
- Add basil leaves and salt and pepper until just mixed.
- Cover and refrigerate. Let sit for a few hours or overnight so the flavors can develop.
- Serve with pita chips and fresh vegetables.
* If you can’t find (or don’t like) smoky sun dried tomatoes, just use regular ones.
* Wegmans carries California Sun Dry Smoked Sun Dried Tomatoes in their canned vegetable/bean aisle.
This is delicious. I think the smokey sun-dried tomatoes are a must to make it a little unique. We served it with blue corn chips, cucumber slices, carrots, and sweet peppers. And the best thing is that the recipe makes enough for at least 2 parties and keeps for 2 weeks.