5 Healthy Plant-Based Dips

These 5 Healthy Plant-Based Dips actually make you want to eat more veggies! Add variety to your snack plate with these quick and easy recipes!

Keeping a homemade dip in the fridge on a weekly basis is so useful. It makes eating raw veggies more enjoyable, it can bring extra flavour to sandwiches, wraps or bowls and it provides a great source of both protein and fibre. As a dietitian, I encourage my clients to aim for balanced meals and snacks to help manage and support their blood sugar and energy levels, as well as their appetite throughout the day. Protein and fibre are two of the nutrients that I recommend to help achieve those goals and make the meals and snacks more balanced.

One caveat to making most of these recipes, is that you need to have a food processor or a high-speed blender. Food processors tend to be easier with dips because they don’t require as much liquid to purée the beans, but I understand they may not be accessible to you. In that case, give it a go with the blender!

So now that we know the many benefits of these healthy, plant-based dips, let’s go through each of them…

 

1. White Bean and Thyme Dip

White beans are so versatile! Besides in this recipe, I love to add them to soups and stews for a boost of plant-based protein. In this dip, they pair really well with the herb that reminds me of Thanksgiving and turkey dinners: thyme. All you need for this recipe is:

• White kidney or white navy beans
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Tahini
• Thyme
• Lemon juice
• Garlic
• Salt and pepper

2. Classic Chickpea Hummus

How could I not include one of the most classic dips? There are a million different recipes for hummus, some which include peeling the chickpeas to obtain the ultimate smooth texture. I have tried that method before and although the consistency is amazing, it’s a major time suck. So I’m keeping this simple and easy, while adding a hint of zing from the lemon juice! Here are your 5 required ingredients:

• Chickpeas
• Tahini
• Lemon juice
• Garlic
• Salt

3. Easy Homemade Tzatziki

I LOVE tzatziki, simple as that. This dip feels the most versatile, as it pairs well with meats, fish, veggies, crackers, wraps, etc. The list can go on and on but I’ll let you figure out what you like best with it. Although not totally plant-based, this recipe is still considered vegetarian and provides a fabulous punch of protein from the Greek yogurt. Check your kitchen to make sure you have all the ingredients:

• Plain Greek yogurt
• Cucumber
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Dill
• Salt and pepper

4. Rosemary Balsamic Bean Dip

This dip was inspired by the recipe from a Thug Kitchen cookbook. I knew I had to add this to the blog immediately after trying it. The combination of rosemary and balsamic vinegar is so comforting and flavourful, you may never need another dip again. Here’s the pretty simplistic ingredient list:

• Black beans
• Tahini
• Balsamic vinegar
• Rosemary
• Salt

5. Edamame Spinach Dip

Finally, it’s one of the most popular recipes on this blog, the Edamame Spinach Dip. This was inspired by the similar version sold at Farm Boy (a food retailer in Ontario). The vibrant edamame beans provide so many beneficial nutrients like omega 3 fatty acids, plant-based protein, fibre, folate, vitamin K and a ton of minerals! Although this ingredient list is the longest of the 5 dips, it’s still extremely easy to make. I have shared the entire recipe below and encourage you to give it a try! Here’s what you need to get started:

• Edamame
• Spinach
• Tahini
• Lemon juice
• Cilantro
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Garlic
• Salt

I hope you find these Healthy, Plant-Based Dips quick to make, easy to incorporate into your routine and absolutely delicious! They have been winners in my family and I can’t wait to hear how they turn out for yours.

If you make any of them, I would love to see your comment and rating below. It also makes my day seeing your creations of my recipes on Instagram- don’t forget to tag @allnutrition.rd!