Super Bowl Sunday definitely doesn't need to be a day for healthy eating, but we can still add a few more veggies to the spread. The best place to sneak them in? A couple healthy dips. There's a lot to love about this easy roasted vegetable dip recipe: the caramelized roasted vegetables, the way you can customize it to your heart's content, and how it takes on the color of whatever vegetable you choose (try purple cauliflower for a Pantone color-of-the-year-approved look). Got leftover roasted vegetables in the fridge? Now's the time to use them up. Or, roast something special just for this. Here's how to make it all work.
When deciding what to roast, I like to stick with a single vegetable, plus a bit of onion, garlic, shallot, or leek roasted alongside for added depth and sweetness. My favorite combos right now are beets and garlic, butternut squash and leeks, and cauliflower and onion. But you can also use a blend of different kinds of roasted vegetables—carrots and sweet potatoes are also great team players, for example—and they can all be tossed in your favorite oil and seasoned simply with salt and pepper or any mix of spices and herbs.
Make sure to let your roasted vegetables cool completely before you start turning them into dip, then measure out 2 cups of the vegetables and transfer to the jar of a blender or your food processor (the more powerful your blender is, the smoother your dip will be). Add 1 cup of full-fat plain Greek-style yogurt, ¼ cup of lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of tahini. You’re going to need to add some water too to get the dip to a nice dippable consistency. Start with 2 tablespoons of water, then start blending or processing, scraping down the sides of the jar a couple times, and continuing to blend until smooth. If the dip seems too thick or isn't blending well, add more water, one tablespoon at a time, until your desired consistency is reached, scraping down the sides of the blender between additions. Once it's nice a smooth, blend in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, then taste it. Season your dip with salt and pepper, and you're ready to party.
I like to spoon the dip into a serving bowl, swirl the top smooth, then top it off with a drizzle of olive oil, some chopped fresh herbs, or some crushed red pepper flakes. To make it really look festive, make a few dips with different vegetables (and colors!). You can dip anything you want in these—from crunchy romaine leaves to cucumbers to, sure, potato chips. And you'll still have room for a few extra crispy baked wings.