This recipe was originally called almond hummus, but I think that under sells it. It’s made with almonds instead of chickpeas for a creamier finish and a richer taste. You might compare this dairy free almond dip to Bitchin Sauce, but it’s thicker, made without cashews, and is whipped up in your own kitchen. You’ll love it with cooked or raw veggies, sliced baguette and crackers, on bowls, in sandwiches or wraps, and more.
Homemade Dairy Free Almond Dip with Healthy Raw Ingredients
This dairy-free almond dip recipe was originally shared with us by Terces Engelhart, founder of Café Gratitude, a famous plant based restaurant chain in California. It was a sample recipe from the book she wrote back in 2007, I Am Grateful: Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude. We’ve recently updated the recipe and have some ingredient tips below.
Ingredient Notes & Options
- Almonds – This recipe uses unsalted, unroasted, raw almonds. We love almonds for dips and homemade dairy-free cheeses because they have a mellow flavor, smooth consistency, and are one of the more affordable nuts. But you can substitute another nut or a mix of nuts. The best alternatives would be cashews or macadamia nuts. Pine nuts are also a great creamy nut but they can be a little overpowering. I would use them in combination with another nut. Whichever type of nuts you use, be sure to choose plain, unsalted, unroasted varieties. Do not substitute nut butter, because it will not have the same thickening effect.
- Oil – I like olive oil best in this recipe for taste and nutrition. But avocado oil, a nut oil, or a neutral tasting oil will also work in a pinch. Avocado or nut oil will influence the flavor a bit.
- Tahini – This is ground sesame seed paste. Tahini is to sesame seeds as peanut butter is to peanuts. I like to use unhulled tahini which has a very high level of calcium. I usually buy it on Amazon. Brands like Mighty Sesame, Pepperwood, and Roots are delicious. You can use whole seed black tahini for even more calcium, but it will darken the color of your dairy-free almond dip a little. Keep in mind tahini is much thinner than peanut butter; it’s more like a thick drizzle.
- Garlic – You can use fresh chopped garlic. You’ll need about 1 to 3 garlic cloves, depending on the size. Alternatively, you can use jarred crushed or minced garlic. If you don’t have either on hand, substitute 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, to taste.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Almond Dip
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, added sugar-free, plant-based, vegan, and vegetarian.
Dairy-Free Almond Dip
Ingredients
Method
- Drain and rinse the and rinse the almonds. Optionally remove the almond skins, which should easily slip off.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade or in a high speed blender, grind down the almonds.
- Add the 1/2 cup, water, lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, garlic, cumin (if using), pepper, and salt to the almonds in your food processor or blender.
- Begin to puree the ingredients together, adding the remaining 1/4 cup water until you reach a creamy texture.
- Taste the dip and adjust any seasonings to taste.
- If desired, serve the dairy-free almond dip topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika.
Nutrition
Notes
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Let us know how it was!Also try this Cheesy Red Peppered Dip Recipe!
2 Comments
Could you start this recipe with almond meal or almond flour to reduce a couple steps and shave off significant time? If so, what would the quantity be?
The main problem I find with using almond meal or almond flour is that the preground nut flours don’t tend to absorb water as mush, so they don’t always turn out as thick and creamy. But in theory, it should work. You will need about 5 cups of almond meal or almond flour for this full recipe. On the first try, I would use all of the ingredients (except the soaking water) and add more water as needed.