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Dips, Spreads, & Dressings
LATEST STORIES
Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Enjoy this summer staple without the added sugars often found in store-bought varieties.
UnBEETable Hummus
For a richer flavor and brighter color, try roasting the cubed beet with a small amount of olive oil before adding it to the hummus.
Almond Butter Hummus
For a twist on traditional hummus, try this tahini-free, almond-flavored alternative.
Green Goddess Salad
Herbaceous and creamy, the dressing for this classic salad is loaded with flavor, thanks to a surprise ingredient.
Melissa Joulwan’s Paleo Mayonnaise
A zingy Paleo mayo that comes together in minutes.
Homemade Vinaigrette
Try this simple, healthy, four-ingredient dressing on your favorite salad.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Enjoy with whole-grain pita or your favorite sliced veggies.
Guacamole
Guacamole is the perfect dip, spread, or topping to use up your avocados whether they’re perfectly ripe or a little mushy.
Black Bean Avocado Salsa
Use to add flavor to your meals or enjoy as a healthy snack.
Spicy Mustard-Greens Sauce
Try pairing this sauce with some grilled corn on the cob, or use it as a wonderful spicy condiment for other dishes. I also use it to season couscous and grains by incorporating a few tablespoons before adding water to cook.
Smoky Pili Pili Sauce
African bird’s-eye chilies have grown wild for centuries in Malawi, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. They are the main ingredient in this sauce, which is popular throughout Africa. If you can’t find bird’s-eye chilies, you can substitute another pepper, like serrano, which will be milder, or a habanero, which will be hotter. Drizzle this hot sauce over fritters or any other main dish.
Pomegranate Peach Barbecue Sauce
Although this version is a bit thicker than a typical barbecue sauce from my hometown of Memphis, the important characteristics are all here: It’s tomato based, tangy, and sweet from rich pomegranate molasses and fresh peaches. Enjoy this sauce over grilled or roasted vegetables, or add it to beans or black-eyed peas for a new take on baked beans.
Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce
Most store-bought sauces contain high-fructose corn syrup and other artificial ingredients and preservatives. Try this healthy, sweet, and spicy sauce instead.
Yucatan Avocado Salsa
This salsa makes a great tortilla chip dip all on its own, or you can use it to dress any grilled or roasted meat, poultry or seafood. Serve with tortillas and plenty of sangria.
Blackened Seasoning
Blackening is a Cajun technique in which food is coated with a medley of spices and cooked over high heat, usually in a cast-iron skillet or on a grill. To give your food big, complex flavors, toast whole spices, then pulverize them in a mortar or spice grinder. This blackened seasoning pairs well with vegetables like the grilled okra seen here.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Many store-bought dressings contain added sugars and unhealthy oils. Try this healthy, homemade version instead.
Fresh Coconut Chutney
This creamy chutney adds brightness to any Indian recipe, and is especially tasty on a lamb curry.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
On its own, balsamic vinegar can lack the acidic pop to make a good vinaigrette. I usually add a little red-wine vinegar to help balance the dressing. This dressing is incredibly versatile. Try using it as a marinade for chicken.
Spicy Brown Mustard
Described in winelike terms, this mustard is rich and complex — spicy, tangy, sweet, and nutty, with exotic undertones.
Almond Butter
Try this spread with apricot jam for a new twist on a PB and J sandwich. Note: Grinding nuts into paste can be taxing on your food processor. Give it a rest for a few minutes in the middle of grinding so that it doesn’t overheat.