Roasted Red Pepper Almond Dip

A friend recently brought this dip to a couple of parties, and I could hardly pull myself away from it. Even if there had been no other vegan options (and there were plenty!) I would have been happy with nothing more than this dip and raw veggies.

The dip is so easy to make. I roasted the red peppers myself, but you can use roasted peppers from a jar. Be sure to drain them thoroughly before making the dip.

Most versions of this recipe use some olive oil. Mine doesn’t, but feel free to add a tablespoon or two if you like.

Roasting the Peppers

If you don’t have red peppers in jars available, or you just want to roast your own, there are several ways to do it. One is to cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and membrane, and place the cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Either broil or bake at 500 F. until the skin is charred and loose. Another is to roast them over an open flame (effective but messy). The method I use is to put them in a cast iron pan over high heat, turning them frequently, until they are charred all over.

After the peppers are roasted, put them in a plastic bag while they’re still hot and allow them to cool. After they cool, rub the skins off with your fingers, removing all of the charred parts. Remove the stems and seeds and rinse the peppers lightly–your peppers are ready to use.

I like to roasted a bunch of red peppers at once. What I don’t use in this dip goes into salads, sandwiches, or is used as a colorful garnish for soup.