I love to serve this easy dip for family gatherings or summer barbecues. It comes together in 15 minutes and keeps for about a week in the refrigerator.
About sun-dried tomatoes.
Sun-dried tomatoes are fresh, ripe tomatoes that have been cut in half and dried in the sun, literally. Or at least that’s the way it’s done in many countries. They lose all their water content and the flavor intensifies, becomes more concentrated.
Today, there are ways of artificially drying them and achieving similar results. Here’s how to make your own.
Uses for sun-dried tomatoes: you can add some chopped or processed tomatoes to soups, sauces, stews, use it as a pizza topper, in filled bread, baked ricotta, pesto, strata, and so much more.
You can buy them online, plain whole or chopped (image below, left) or in oil (image below, right).
If you do make them at home, keeping them in olive oil is a great way. I almost always have a jar in the refrigerator. Spice it up with peeled garlic cloves, some red pepper flakes or herbs.
Image on the right from pixabay.com
Why this sun-dried tomato appetizer dip works:
- It comes together in 20 minutes.
- It serves a crowd and can be easily duplicated.
- It can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
- You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry right now.
- It is versatile enough to use as a condiment in a burger or sandwich or as a pasta sauce.
The beauty of this sun-dried tomato dip is in its simplicity, but you can add a lot with different spicy sauces, or even chopped jalapeños in adobo or whatever fresh chili is your thing, and add some fried chopped green onions as I do. They add a crunchiness that is perfect.
It will save you from last-minute additions to a party appetizer table, last minute guests or even as a snack for a night in or tailgating.
Whatever way you make it is good, as long as it’s your way. Just make sure you have good crackers or breadsticks or even chips. It ain’t dip without them.
Tips & tricks for making this recipe:
- Flavor: adapt it to your personal flavor. Make it spicier, use less mayo, more pepper, whatever suits your taste buds. It’s you eating it after all. Omit the spicy, reduce the mayo and add some oven-baked tomatoes, or roasted garlic (a no-brainer really, who can argue with that).
- Uses: I have made it for parties, for barbecues, and even used it in chicken sandwiches and it’s beyond good. Duplicate or triple it and make it up to a week in advance.
- Processor: the processor is of the essence, whether it’s a large or a handheld one, it’s necessary to really disintegrate the tomatoes as much as you can. A chunky dip is not a bad idea, but in this sun-dried tomato dip recipe, you want to keep those morsels to a minimum. A good blender works too if you’re used to doing it that way; I find it hard to take out all of the mixture from the jar, so I never use it.
Other recipes you might like:
Creamy Avocado Hummus
Roasted Carrot Dip
Bread and Tomato Cold Soup (Gazpacho)
Ricotta Tomato Bacon Bruschettas
Smoked Salmon Spread and Cilantro Pesto
Let me know if you make this recipe! I’d love to hear what you think about it.
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Description
I love to serve this easy dip for family gatherings or summer barbecues. It comes together in 15 minutes and keeps for about a week in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 8–10 plump sun-dried tomatoes (hydrated in boiling water and coarsely chopped)
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, at room tº
- 1/2 cup sour cream, at room t°
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1–2 teaspoons of your favorite spicy sauce or chiles in adobo
- 1–2 Tablespoons chopped chives
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced (divided)
Instructions
- Fry half the green onion in a bit of olive oil. Drain and reserve.
- In a food processor put cream cheese, mayonnaise, spicy sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
- Blend until creamy.
- Add tomatoes and blend until no large pieces remain.
- Transfer to a bowl, add chives and the remaining half of green onions, except for half a tablespoon of each for garnish.
- Mix well and check seasonings.
- Serve in a bowl sprinkled with chives, fresh and fried green onions and crackers.
Notes
Tips & tricks for making this recipe:
- Flavor: adapt it to your personal flavor. Make it spicier, use less mayo, more pepper, whatever suits your taste buds. It’s you eating it after all. Omit the spicy, reduce the mayo and add some oven-baked tomatoes, or roasted garlic (a no-brainer really, who can argue with that).
- Uses: I have made it for parties, for barbecues, and even used it in chicken sandwiches and it’s beyond good. Duplicate or triple it and make it up to a week in advance.
- Processor: the processor is of the essence, whether it’s a large or a handheld one, it’s necessary to really disintegrate the tomatoes as much as you can. A chunky dip is not a bad idea, but in this sun-dried tomato dip recipe, you want to keep those morsels to a minimum. A good blender works too if you’re used to doing it that way; I find it hard to take out all of the mixture from the jar, so I never use it.
Keywords: sun-dried tomato dip, tomato appetizer
barely adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, by Ina Garten
Sounds fantastic – and I actually have all the ingredients on hand! Will be making this for guests this weekend. Thanks, Paula!
It’s one of those recipes that are great to have on hand!
Easy peacy and so yummy too! I have some homemade dried tomatoes that I can definitely use in this dip. Thanks for sharing, Paula.
Thank you Angie!