Silky Peanut Dip
I made this Silky Peanut Dip when I hosted Book Club last week. I served it with a large platter of vegetables (colorful bell peppers, snap peas, cucumbers) and fruit (apples and pears) for dipping. Oh, and I also put out a spoon because I was so confident in its appeal that I knew my friends would want to spoon dollops on their individual plates. Unlike most crudite platters that are left mostly untouched at the end of the night, this one was devoured.
My guests loved the dip’s flavor but it was the texture that piqued their interest and got everyone talking. The secret is the inclusion of silken tofu with the more typical peanut dipping sauce ingredients. The tofu works like magic (there is that pairing yet again, tofu + magic) resulting in a dip that is truly irresistible.
The Bon Appetit article by Carla Lalli Music which originally featured this recipe, mentioned that it would be the perfect snack to put out for a group of kids and adults before heading out to trick or treat. I couldn’t agree more. It’s a not so subtle but entirely appealing way to inject some vitamins and protein to balance out all that sugar. I’m sure that there are many other ways to use this recipe, such as, a dip for spring rolls, dressing for salad or sauce for noodles. It will keep in your fridge so feel free to experiment. Enjoy!
Silky Peanut Dip
- 1 c creamy peanut butter
- ¼ c fresh lime, orange, or lemon juice (I used lime)
- 4 oz. silken or soft tofu
- 1 Tbls soy sauce
- 2 Tbls honey or maple syrup, plus more for drizzling (I used maple syrup)
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- Kosher salt
- toasted white and black sesame seeds for serving, optional
- Maldon sea salt for serving, optional
- Sliced vegetables and fruit for serving (I used red, yellow and orange peppers; snap peas; cucumber; apples; and pears)
- Combine peanut butter, lime juice, tofu, soy sauce, 2 Tbls maple syrup, and ginger in a blender. Blend on medium-high speed to combine.
- With motor running, add ¼ cup hot water and blend until dressing is homogeneous, lightened, and smooth. If desired, add more water by the tablespoonful until the dressing reaches your preferred consistency.
- Taste and season with salt if needed.
- Arrange fruits and vegetables on a large plate. Transfer some dressing to a small bowl, drizzle with maple syrup (or honey, whichever you used) and sprinkle with desired seeds and sea salt (can be any/none).
- Transfer remaining dressing to a resealable container and chill for another use.