Vegan Dips, Sauces and Spreads: recipes & requests

[Yoggy]

Not sure if I should have just put this under the Sauce thread, but I thought it would be nice to have a collection of dip/sauce recipes that most people love but find hard to veganize. Or you could post your requests for others to post recipes.

I'll start with a request: anyone have a good vegan tzatziki sauce recipe? Lately I've had a craving for pita bread dipped in tzatziki sauce. Post it if ya got it!

I'll also post this ranch dressing recipe. It's originally CC's recipe from this thread (http://veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7308#3). I've made it many times and love it to bits!

CC's Vegan Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup Soy Mayonnaise (Vegenaise is the BEST)
6 oz. Firm silken tofu
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup plain soymilk (unsweetened)
3 T. lemon juice
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 T. chopped fresh dill
1/2-1 tsp. each garlic powder and onion powder
1/3 a tsp. salt (or less/more depending on taste)
A few grinds freshly cracked pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper


Mix the lemon juice and soymilk together, stirring and let curdle.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a food procesor and pulse. Add the soymilk and lemon mixture and correct seasonings as desired. For an extra-rich dressing, add 1/3 cup vegan sour cream with the soymilk and lemon mixture. Add unsweetened soymilk to thin to desired consistency.

[piggy]

it's strange you mention that because i've also been craving tzatziki lately.
i don't have a tried and teste recipe, but i think it should be pretty straightforward to veganise one of the many ones you can find online, like this one: http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blsauce12.htm

just use vegan yoghurt instead..

[Yoggy]

Thanks Piggy! I had no idea how simple it was! It tastes so good that I just assumed the recipe would be really complex. The only ingredient that I wouldn't want to buy is red wine vinegar (since I would never be able to use it up), but I happen to have some garlic wine vinegar, I bet that would work too :)

[Mermaid07]

I was just going to request a ranch recipe. How liong will this keep for in the fridge?

[Yoggy]

I've had it in my fridge for up to 4 days without any trouble. I guess the main concern is the tofu, which the package says can keep for up to 3 days after opening. So maybe I'm risking a little on day 4, but it's usually all gone by then.

Oh and a little tip, first add less lemon juice than it says; I found it a little too lemony with 3 tablespoons.

[jamboxrock]

I've used that ranch recipe too, quite a few times. Love it!

What I would really love is something like onion dip, the kind that comes in the can. I've never looked, but this thread made me think of it. I used to eat that stuff by the can when I was a kid.

[Yoggy]

Do you mean the onion dip that you dip chips in? Is it usually sour cream based? If so, maybe you could use tofutti sour cream and add onion soup mix.

What about caramel? I used to love dipping apples in caramel, but I don't think it's possible to veganize. Unless anyone has a suggestion? :D

[Tigerlily]

I buy this organic onion soup mix that's vegan with no weird iffy ingredients and it's not owned by Lipton (if you try to avoid big companies). I don't remember the name, sorry! But I like to make it with half plain soy yogurt and Tofutti sour cream. OMG, DELICIOUS.

I PM'ed you Yoggy.

[jamboxrock]

Yeah, I should look around...I think I've avoided it thus far because I know I'll eat the whole batch with a whole bag of chips!

[RachelJune]

I last tried guacamole at a veggie cafe in Glastonbury about 3 years ago now, and loved it! But I've never come across it since and the supermarket stuff all has dairy in it, so I've discovered a really easy way of making my own.

I mash up an avocado with a bit of lemon juice, cumin, black pepper, chilli powder and salt. Or I sometimes make a variation by mixing just avocado and salsa, even quicker! It's super healthy and tastes yummy :D

[Mermaid07]

I made the vegan ranch dressing. It was good, but i think i processed it too long becasue it turned green.

[Yoggy]

You're just supposed to pulse it a few times until it's mixed (but not blended). I imagine it tasted good anyway though :D

[flying plum]

Do you mean the onion dip that you dip chips in? Is it usually sour cream based? If so, maybe you could use tofutti sour cream and add onion soup mix.

What about caramel? I used to love dipping apples in caramel, but I don't think it's possible to veganize. Unless anyone has a suggestion? :D

isn't caramel just heated sugar? as long as you were careful on the sugar you used, but couldn't it be vegan?

amanda

[Cherry]

You can veganise caramel. Pure caramel is just sugar, but the other softer sort you do in exactly the same way that you would make it 'normally' but use vegan marg instead of the butter.

Mr Flibble made some a couple of months ago. He made some chocolate eclairs too (the chocolate toffee sweets not the cream cakes!) :D