Author Notes: A few things I can guarantee about my fridge: there’s always yogurt, herbs, and chile paste. I put together this spicy butternut squash dip in an effort to use up leftover roasted butternut squash and, if I’m being honest, as a conduit for a fresh batch of homemade dukkah (second recipe and a great way to clean out the pantry). The recipe instructions include roasting the squash; omit that if you’re using leftovers. Dukkah is that delicious Egyptian spice blend of toasted nuts and seeds. My favorite dukkah recipe uses a wide range of nuts and seeds, but use what you have on hand, or already made dukkah if you’ve got some in your pantry (lucky you!). —Chase the Flavors
Makes: about 4 cups
Ingredients
for the dip: 1 butternut squash or about 2 cups leftover roasted butternut squash, cilantro, salt, garlic, sambal oolek (or other spicy chile paste), honey, plain Greek yogurt
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1
butternut squash
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1
tablespoon olive oil
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1/4
cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
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1/4
teaspoon kosher salt
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1
clove garlic, peeled
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1
teaspoon honey
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1/2
cup plain Greek yogurt
for the dukkah: almonds, pistachios, peanuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, turmeric, sweet paprika, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, sea salt, ground black pepper
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1
cup almonds
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1/4
cup pistachios
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1/4
cup peanuts
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1/2
cup cashews
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1/2
cup sunflower seeds
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1/2
cup pumpkin seeds
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1/2
cup sesame seeds
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1/4
cup coriander seeds
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1/4
cup cumin seeds
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2
tablespoons fennel seeds
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1
teaspoon turmeric
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2
teaspoons sweet paprika
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1/2
teaspoon cinnamon
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1/4
teaspoon red pepper flakes
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2
teaspoons kosher salt
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1 /2
teaspoons ground black pepper
Directions
for the dip: 1 butternut squash or about 2 cups leftover roasted butternut squash, cilantro, salt, garlic, sambal oolek (or other spicy chile paste), honey, plain Greek yogurt
- (Omit this first step if using leftover squash) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Stick the whole squash in the oven on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes to soften it a bit in order to ease cutting (optional, but it does make a world of a difference). Carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise, then use a spatula to scoop out the seeds. Discard the seeds, brush the squash with olive oil and bake cut side up until tender and easily pierced through with a fork, about 45-60 minutes depending on the size of the squash. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Scoop out the cooked squash into a small bowl and discard the skin.
- In a food processor combine cilantro leaves, salt and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Add in cooked butternut squash, sambal oelek, honey and yogurt. Process until smooth. Return to a serving dish; serve immediately with your favorite crudités or refrigerate until ready to serve. Generously coat with dukkah when serving.
for the dukkah: almonds, pistachios, peanuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, turmeric, sweet paprika, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, sea salt, ground black pepper
- Roast the nuts and seeds separately to ensure even browning. Combine just the nuts (almonds, pistachios, peanuts and cashews) in a large mixing bowl. Spread out on a large baking sheet and roast in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Immediately return them to the mixing bowl to cool. Alternatively, toast the nuts on the stovetop in a large skillet over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant.
- Repeat this step with the seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, coriander, cumin and fennel).
- Combine the toasted nuts and seeds in a large mixing bowl with turmeric, sweet paprika, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir well. Working in two batches, pulse the dukkah in a food processor until coarsely ground.
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Photo by Chase the Flavors
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Photo by Chase the Flavors
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Photo by Chase the Flavors