This homemade ranch dip is adapted from an Alison Roman recipe and uses Greek yogurt as the base in place of labne. It’s topped with a sizzling and spicy oil made with scallions, red pepper flakes, and cilantro — truly irresistible!
This recipe is not the result of a mission to create a homemade ranch dip or even to make a “healthier” ranch dip by subbing in Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise and sour cream.
Rather it is simply the first recipe I spotted in Alison Roman’s new book, Nothing Fancy , that spoke to me. In Nothing Fancy , it’s called “labne with sizzled scallions and chile”, and it’s described as a “very high-brow version of ranch dressing.”
Truthfully, its resemblance to ranch dressing had little appeal — I’m not really a ranch fan — but I took one bite and thought: yes, almost ranch indeed! And also: holy buckets this is delicious! And then: So maybe I am a ranch fan after all?
Hard to say, but what is not hard is making this dip, and should you be in search of something to serve as an appetizer, I think this should be in the running. Served with this homemade pita bread recipe , crackers, or crudité, I have no doubt it will be wildly received.
Overview: How to Make Homemade Ranch Dip
This recipe couldn’t be simpler. In essence, you:
- Stir together labne or Greek yogurt with fresh lemon juice and salt; smear this yogurt-sauce over a platter.
- Heat olive oil with crushed red pepper flakes, scallions, and cilantro in a skillet.
- When the greens and chilies begin to frizzle, pour the oil over the yogurt sauce. Resist the urge to stir; allow the oil to pool in the valleys of the yogurt sauce.
- Serve immediately with crudité or crackers or whatever you like.
Incidentally, I first made this dip upon returning from my parent’s house with a hunk of beef tenderloin in tow but without a lick of horseradish sauce to go with it. This homemade ranch dip so nicely complemented the meat and made me wonder: what else, apart from crackers and crudité, might be nice to serve it with?
I’m thinking: roasted vegetables of all kind, grilled or roasted chicken, or a heap of crispy chickpeas.
5 More Dips to Try
- Real Sour Cream and Onion Dip
- Maydan’s Beet Dip with Labneh and Za’atar
- Black Olive Tapenade
- Tzatziki with Cucumber
- Spicy Cashew Dip or Dressing
Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients:
Chop a small bundle of cilantro, stems and all, to yield a couple of tablespoons:
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet with cilantro, scallions, and crushed red pepper flakes.
When the greens and chili flakes begin to frizzle, it’s done.
Combine 1 cup Greek yogurt with a half teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
Smear the yogurt sauce over a serving dish.
Get ready to assemble by carefully pouring the scallion oil…
… over the yogurt sauce.
Serve with vegetables or chips or crackers or whatever you like.
Description
This homemade ranch dip is adapted from an Alison Roman recipe and uses Greek yogurt as the base in place of labne. Topped with a sizzling and spicy oil made with scallions, red pepper flakes, and cilantro, it’s truly irresistible!
A few notes:
The original recipe calls for labne, which can be difficult to find. I find Greek yogurt works just as well. I like the Fage 5%.
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes offers a nice kick, but if you are sensitive to heat, consider starting with 1/4 teaspoon
For serving, I especially love the way endive tastes with this dip, but serve it with any vegetables you like. If you can find Little Gems, which are like miniature heads of Romaine lettuce, that would be ideal, otherwise, use Romaine — the smaller, sturdier, inner leaves are perfect here, but outer leaves can be chopped into smaller pieces and work just as well. Treviso is another great option. Watermelon radishes are so pretty, if you can find them. Small, turnips are another great option.
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, see notes above
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
flaky sea salt
For serving (see notes above):
- endive, quartered through the core or cut into sixths
- Romaine leaves
- radishes, quartered
- carrots, cut into sticks
- chips or crackers
- In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon, and salt. Transfer the yogurt sauce to a shallow bowl or plate or serving platter. Use the back of a spoon to spread the sauce across the bowl, creating shallow peaks and valleys in the yogurt — the sizzling oil will pool in these crevices.
- Heat the oil, scallions, crushed red pepper flakes, and cilantro in a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the scallions and red pepper flakes start to visually and audibly sizzle and frizzle. Season with a pinch of sea salt and remove from the heat.
- Carefully pour the scallion oil over the yogurt sauce. If necessary, hold the bowl and turn it to allow the oil to spread evenly over the yogurt sauce — resist the urge to try to combine the yogurt sauce with the oil for two reasons: 1. It won’t incorporate very well, and 2. It doesn’t look very pretty.
- Serve immediately with vegetables or chips or whatever you like.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dip
- Method: Stir
- Cuisine: American
Description
This homemade ranch dip is adapted from an Alison Roman recipe and uses Greek yogurt as the base in place of labne. Topped with a sizzling and spicy oil made with scallions, red pepper flakes, and cilantro, it’s truly irresistible!
A few notes:
The original recipe calls for labne, which can be difficult to find. I find Greek yogurt works just as well. I like the Fage 5%.
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes offers a nice kick, but if you are sensitive to heat, consider starting with 1/4 teaspoon
For serving, I especially love the way endive tastes with this dip, but serve it with any vegetables you like. If you can find Little Gems, which are like miniature heads of Romaine lettuce, that would be ideal, otherwise, use Romaine — the smaller, sturdier, inner leaves are perfect here, but outer leaves can be chopped into smaller pieces and work just as well. Treviso is another great option. Watermelon radishes are so pretty, if you can find them. Small, turnips are another great option.
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, see notes above
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
flaky sea salt
For serving (see notes above):
- endive, quartered through the core or cut into sixths
- Romaine leaves
- radishes, quartered
- carrots, cut into sticks
- chips or crackers
- In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon, and salt. Transfer the yogurt sauce to a shallow bowl or plate or serving platter. Use the back of a spoon to spread the sauce across the bowl, creating shallow peaks and valleys in the yogurt — the sizzling oil will pool in these crevices.
- Heat the oil, scallions, crushed red pepper flakes, and cilantro in a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the scallions and red pepper flakes start to visually and audibly sizzle and frizzle. Season with a pinch of sea salt and remove from the heat.
- Carefully pour the scallion oil over the yogurt sauce. If necessary, hold the bowl and turn it to allow the oil to spread evenly over the yogurt sauce — resist the urge to try to combine the yogurt sauce with the oil for two reasons: 1. It won’t incorporate very well, and 2. It doesn’t look very pretty.
- Serve immediately with vegetables or chips or whatever you like.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dip
- Method: Stir
- Cuisine: American
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2019/12/29/homemade-ranch-dip-with-greek-yogurt/
This is one of my favorite, pantry-made salads: vegan “tuna” salad. The texture of partially crushed chickpeas mixed with the dressing, a mix of tahini, mustard, and Greek yogurt (or vegan mayonnaise), combine to form an astonishing resemblance to tuna salad. A few briny bites — capers and pickles — along with a few classic tuna-salad players — diced celery and onion — make it irresistible!
<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://alexandracooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/sandwichstacked_alexandraskitchen.jpg" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“No-tuna “tuna” salad sandwich, cut and stacked on top of one another. - 13”>
Last fall my friend Diane emailed me this recipe for vegan “no-tuna” salad from the Minimalist Baker’s cookbook, Everyday Cooking . “Everyone who tries it,” she said, “asks for the recipe.”
I only just got around to making it a few weeks ago, and while I wish this salad had entered my life sooner, I’m especially grateful for having it now, with the holidays behind us, as I find myself craving all things fresh and light.
The first time I made it, I was astounded by the resemblance to tuna salad, something about the texture of the partially crushed chickpeas in combination with the dressing, a creamy mix of tahini, mustard, and vegan mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt, not vegan obviously, but healthy and delicious nonetheless). The addition of a few briny bites — capers and pickles — along with a few classic tuna-salad players — diced celery and onion — add to the almost -tuna effect.
You likely won’t fool any tuna-salad lovers here, but no one you serve this to will be disappointed. I’ve been sandwiching it between un-toasted three-seed bread, and my husband and I have been gobbling it up. Diane serves it in Boston lettuce cups as a wrap with shredded carrots, which is a great option for anyone looking to lighten it up further.
PS: The Best Egg Salad Sandwich
No-Tuna “Tuna” Salad Notes
- Dressing. As noted above, to keep this vegan, use vegan mayonnaise. Dana Shultz, author of Everyday Cooking , also says you can use 2-3 tablespoons of additional tahini in place of the mayonnaise. If you are not vegan, Greek yogurt or mayonnaise or a combination of the two work well.
- Make it ahead. This keeps well in the fridge, so don’t be afraid to make it ahead of time. With that in mind, you may also consider doubling the recipe — a single batch never lasts long in our house.
- Canned chickpeas . Friends, you know I can be such a stinker (snob) about cooking beans from scratch , but I’m trying to get over it — New Year, New Beans! — and guess what? Not once have I used from-scratch chickpeas here. It doesn’t matter. Because you mash the chickpeas up and mix them with so many big-flavor ingredients, the chickpea flavor is mostly overpowered.
- The bread . I love serving this on my mother’s peasant bread or on the three seed bread (pictured below) in my cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs .
PS: Encouraged by my soon-to-be sister-in-law, I made these Curried Chickpeas with Cauliflower and Coconut Milk with 2 cans of chickpeas, and it was delicious. 2020 is looking bright!
<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://alexandracooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ingredientsnew.jpg" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“A board with the ingredients to make no-tuna “tuna” salad. - 14”>
Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients.
You can make this in one bowl, but in essence, there are two components: 1. A can of chickpeas, which you drain, rinse, and mostly mash up, and …
… 2. a flavorful dressing made with vegan mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt), tahini, mustard, capers, pickles, red onion, and celery. I love adding scallions and a squeeze of lemon, too.
<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://alexandracooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/allmixedup_alexandraskitchen.jpg" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“A bowl of no-tuna “tuna” salad made with chickpeas in a bowl. - 17”>
<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://alexandracooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/quartcontainer_alexandraskitchen.jpg" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“A quart container filled with no-tuna “tuna” salad. - 18”>
This keeps really well in the fridge; you may want to consider doubling the recipe. These deli quart containers (BPA-free!) are so handy for storing these types of salads.
I’ve been serving the salad on the three-seed bread from Bread Toast Crumbs . (Incidentally, I baked the loaves in two old 1-qt Corningware bowls … funny shape, but I kind of like.)
<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://alexandracooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cutsandwich_alexandraskitchen.jpg" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“A halved, no-tuna “tuna” salad sandwich made with chickpeas. - 21”>
Description
Adapted from Minimalist Baker’s Everyday Cooking
Notes:
If you want to make this vegan, obviously use vegan mayo; if you don’t keep a vegan diet, regular mayo or Greek yogurt also are great. My preference is Greek yogurt.
As noted in the post, my friend Diane, who passed along the recipe to me, serves the salad wrap-style in Boston lettuce leaves along with shredded carrots. The wraps are so good! I’ll try to upload a picture next time I make them.
If you are sensitive to onion, you may want to use less than 1/4 cup. A few commenters found the onion to be a bit too strong. It’s possible the addition of scallions, not in the original recipe, is adding to the extra onion-y flavor, so you could alternatively use fewer scallions.
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon tahini
3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, see notes above
1 teaspoon Dijon or spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
¼ cup diced red onion or less, see notes above
4 scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced pickle, I use sweet bread and butter pickles
1 to 2 teaspoon capers, drained and loosely chopped (I like 2 tsp )
Healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon roasted unsalted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, optional
fresh lemon, optional, to taste
For serving:
- 8 slices good bread
- Boston lettuce
- Place the chickpeas in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork, leaving only a few beans whole.
- Add tahini, mayo or Greek yogurt, mustard, maple syrup, red onion, scallions (if using), celery, pickle, capers, salt, pepper, and sunflower seeds (if using) to mixing bowl. Mix to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I always add more sea salt to taste and a good squeeze of fresh lemon, too. If the mixture is too dry, I’ll add another tablespoon of Greek yogurt.
- I like serving this salad on soft, fresh bread, but toast bread if you wish, and prepare any other desired sandwich toppings (such as lettuce, tomato, and onion). I’ve been using Boston lettuce alone, and I love it.
- Scoop a healthy amount of the chickpea mixture (about ½ cup) onto one slice of bread, add desired toppings and top with second slice of bread. Repeat for additional sandwiches.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American/Vegan
