Beet Dip with Goat Cheese

Why You'll Love This Dip

Easy to make - You won't believe how simple this dip is! If you use precooked beets (highly recommended), this dip is incredibly easy to make! Just add everything into a food processor, blend, and enjoy!

Fancy but simple - This dip is truly restaurant worthy but it doesn't require any special or hard-to-find ingredients. It's beautifully pink and flavorful. With this dip, you can easily impress your guests with minimal effort!

Creamy and flavorful - Soft goat cheese makes the dip creamy while beets make it nutritious and give it that classic beet earthiness with a hint of sweetness. Lemon juice brightens the dip and balances all the flavor. The dip is seasoned with za'atar and I highly recommend making your own! You can add it to eggs, dips, spreads, and any veggies or meat.

Ingredients

• Beets - You can either steam or boil raw beets or you can buy them already cooked, peeled, and ready to eat. Cooking them yourself is always the best but I most often buy the precooked packaged version to save time.
• Soft goat cheese - Goat cheese is my favorite here because it makes the dip super creamy but you can also use feta, cream cheese, labneh, or even full-fat Greek yogurt.
• Za'atar - Make your own za'atar spice or buy it premade from a specialty grocery store or online.
• Garlic - Whenever you're using raw garlic, less is always more. One clove of garlic is all you need for this dip! It gives it a garlicky flavor without being too overpowering. If you don't like raw garlic, use garlic powder or oven-roasted garlic instead.
• Parsley - Fresh herbs add flavor and brighten up the dip. Dried parsley can also be used but I highly recommend using fresh here.
• Lemon juice and zest - Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds tang and balances all the flavor really well. Definitely don't skip it! Organic lemons are always better for zesting.
• Extra virgin olive oil - It adds flavor, creaminess, and healthy fats to the dip but you can skip it if you prefer.
• Honey - This one is totally optional but it balances the earthiness of beets really well. You can also use maple syrup.
• Garnish - I recommend adding toasted hazelnuts, fresh parsley, za'atar, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top for some crunch, texture, and more flavor. Crumbled goat cheese also makes a great garnish.

Variations and Substitutions

• Pine nuts - Toasted pine nuts would make a delicious garnish if you don't have or don't like hazelnuts. Toasted sunflower seeds would also work great.
• Make it vegan - You can use vegan cream cheese or vegan feta instead of soft goat cheese to make the dip vegan. Don't forget to also use maple syrup instead of honey.
• No za'atar - Za'atar is made with toasted sesame seeds, dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, and sumac. If you don't have any za'atar spice on hand, you can just add a little of each spice. The dip will be just as delicious with just the dried herbs.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cooked beets: If you're not using precooked beets, you'll want to steam or boil them first. Cooking your own beets will always be the best but to save time and dishes (and to save my hands from turning bright pink), I most often use precooked beets. They can be found in the refrigerated section in vacuum-sealed packages at most grocery stores.

When you have all your ingredients ready, simply add them to a food processor and blend until smooth. You might have to scrape the sides down a couple of times with a spatula.

Taste the dip and add more parsley, lemon juice, seasoning, or hot sauce. You can also add more goat cheese to make the dip creamier and slightly thicker but keep in mind it will thicken once it sits in the fridge overnight or at least 2 hours.

Serving and Storing

Serve the dip either right away or chilled. It thickens up slightly after storing in the fridge but it's not a necessary step. I most often serve it right away and store the leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Toppings: Serve the dip topped with finely chopped toasted hazelnuts, fresh parsley, za'atar spice, and extra virgin olive oil. You can also add crumbled goat cheese on top for added color.

Serving ideas:

• As a dip with crackers, homemade pita chips, toasted naan cut into triangles (what I used in the photos), torn-up sourdough, or veggies.
• In sandwiches
• On toasted bread with a sliced hard-boiled egg for breakfast.
• In burgers
• As a base for a salad dressing - just add lemon juice and olive oil!

FAQs

More Beet Recipes

If you have a lot of beets on your hand, check out the four recipes below! If you're looking for more dips, head over to the Dips, Dressings, and Spreads category.

• Greek Beet Salad with Yogurt (perfect for leftover cooked beets)
• Beet Hummus (great with beetroot powder or cooked beets)
• Arugula Basil Pesto Pasta with Roasted Beets (ideal for using up lots of raw beets)
• Sweet Potato Rounds with Hummus, Pesto, and Goat Cheese (top these with leftover roasted beets or chopped cooked beets)