Vegan Dips & Spreads: 12 Tantalizing Recipe Inspirations

You don't have to be vegan to fall in love with any of these taste-worthy vegan dips and spreads.

From "Basil Butter Bean Dip" . . . to "Mock Salmon Pate" . . . you'll find twelve tantalizing recipes you won't be ashamed to serve . . . for celebrations, causal get-togethers or just because. Enjoy!

Photo used under Creative Commons from: miriamwilcox, on Flickr

Recipe and Photo used under Creative Commons from: Amarand Agasi, on Flickr

Homemade "Smoky" Hot Black Bean Dip

Adapted from recipe by: StellaTex, on Flickr

Ingredients

• 1 can vegetarian black beans, drained
• 1 clove garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 2 tablespoons onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 jalapeño chile pepper, stems and seeds removed, sliced
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 drips
• Liquid Smoke

• Put all ingredients into a food processor (or blender) and puree.

Want to add a a dash of hickory (or mesquite) smoke to sauces, soups, salsas or dips? All-natural liquid smoke to the rescue! Add a few drops of this pure, ultra-premium product to your recipes for an authentic hickory-smoke flavor.

Photo used under Creative Commons from: miriamwilcox, on Flickr

Spinach Artichoke Dip would be great served with raw carrots straws or sliced radishes, not to mention, a variety of healthy chips or crackers.

Here are three recipes worth checking out:

Photo used under Creative Commons from: Amber Karnes, on Flickr"

A little curry, a little cumin, garlic and ground walnuts come together to create this spread which would be good on toasted bread, pita or crackers.

The recipe for Curried Carrot Dip can be found right HERE.

Photo used under Creative Commons from: mollyjade, on Flickr

Basil Butter Bean Dip

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can butter beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 tablespoons vegan Parmesan substitute (or, you can use nutritional yeast flakes)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

• Thoroughly wash the zucchini but leave it whole. Cook in a pan of simmering water until tender (roughly 15 minutes). Let cool slightly and then cut off the top and bottom of the zucchini. Gently squeeze out excess water and chop roughly.
• Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
• Let mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to get acquainted before serving.

Photo used under Creative Commons from: miriamwilcox, on Flickr

This Green Cauliflower Dip recipe uses white beans and select seasonings to turn a boring vegetable into a tasty appetizer. [Note: you can easily substitute purple cauliflower in place of the green if you want.]

Photo used under Creative Commons from: Topsynette, on Flickr

Such a colorful spread should brighten any buffet table. And touted as being "vegan, gluten-free and amazing," Chow Gypsy's commentary and recipe for Beetroot Hummus is worth checking out.

Photo credit: elana's pantry

Elana from Elana's Pantry offers this easy, no-cook, tangy version of Creamy "Ricotta" Dip using soaked pine nuts and a few choice seasonings in place of vegan cheeses. Great served with your choice of cut veggies . . .

Photo used under Creative Commons from: Glory Foods, on Flickr

NO fish eggs here! Southern "Caviar" (aka "poor man's caviar) refers a make-ahead dish made with humble ingredients such as black-eyed peas (or other beans), diced bell pepper, tomatoes, onions, sometimes whole kernel corn . . . and allowed to sit in a seasoned marinade. Nice served with a hearty chip (e.g., tortilla or pita chips).

Ingredients

• Two 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas (or other beans), rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 jalapeño chile peppers, stems and seeds removed, finely chopped
• 3 firm plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 yellow, orange or green bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

• In a medium bowl, stir together the black-eyed peas, onions, cilantro, chopped jalapeño, tomatoes, bell pepper, and garlic.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour over the the black-eyed pea mixture. Stir to coat.
• Chill for several hours before serving.

Photo used under Creative Commons from: Island Vittles

I was intrigued by the idea of combining yellow sweet peppers, roasted pistachios, fresh cilantro and red chili pepper into this amazingly flavorful spread.

The recipe is technically referred to as a "Romesco" (which is a nut and red pepper based sauce originated in Spain). However with the addition to other ingredients and slight adjustments to the texture of the "sauce," anyone can create wonderful spreads.

Here's the recipe for a Yellow Pepper Pistachio Spread I think you'll really love.

Photo used under Creative Commons from: sweetbeetandgreenbean, on Flickr

Serendipity . . . produced this spicy dipping sauce. What started out as an attempt to make homemade ketchup, wound up becoming a surprisingly unique and flavor-ful sauce.

This kicky concoction will wow your taste buds served with just about anything . . . from breads to those herbed, cornmeal onion rings pictured above.

So here's the recipe for Curry Tomato Dipping Sauce . . . and the story behind it.

Photo used under Creative Commons from: nerdling, on Flickr

You may feel that plain bean dip is hum-drum . . . or even, passe. But I say, a really good recipe can be spruced up in its presentation.

Use your favorite bean dip recipe and add a flair-ful touch in how you serve it. Or, you can use this recipe and top it off with a carnival of colorful chopped veggies like, olives, tomato, scallions, fresh parsley . . . you get the idea ;-)

Photo used under Creative Commons from: Joel Luks, on Flickr

An elegant vegan appetizer choice . . . Mock "Salmon Pate" is simple to make.

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw walnuts
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 green onions (or scallions), roots trimmed off
• 2 teaspoons Nori (seaweed) flakes (or, salt to taste with sea salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions

• Put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until you have a nice, thick paste, scraping down the sides as you go.
• Let the pate chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Garnish Ideas:

• Extra red bell peppers, can be seeded and cut into thick straws (see image above). Or, you can use English cucumbers, washed, scored and cut into thick slices. Top each cucumber round with a dollop of pate and decorate with a thin sliver of red bell pepper. Arrange on a platter and enjoy!

Photo used under Creative Commons from: missy & the universe, on Flickr

If your budget will allow it, you would do well to invest in a food processor. Boy, does it save a lot of time during food prep.

Since there are a great number of models on the market . . . Here's an affordable version that I would recommend starting with:

It features a 7-cup work bowl which is ample for many recipes and has attachments for most chopping, shredding, mixing chores. Oh, and there's a pulse control that allows the desired degree of fineness when chopping and puréeing.