Smoky sun-dried tomato and sunflower seed dip

Smoky, creamy, flavorful… this dip hits all the right spots, plus it’s soy- and nut-free for people with allergies. Perfect for veggies or chips to scoop in all that rich tomato-ey goodness.

As October Unprocessed starts to wind down, I hope you’ll let me know what kind of experience you’ve been having. Or if you’re here because of the Vegan MoFo (Vegan Month of Food), let me know if you’ve tried any recipes.

Smoky sun-dried tomato and sunflower seed dip
Makes about 3 cups of dip

2 C. (260 g) raw sunflower seeds
1/2 C. (20 g) sun-dried tomatoes
1 T. (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons
1 T. (5 g) nutritional yeast
1 t. (2 g) smoked paprika
1 t. (2 g) cumin powder
1 t. (2 g) smoky mesquite blend, optional
1 t. (2 g) sea salt
1/2 t. (1 g) onion powder
1/2 t. (1 g) garlic powder
drizzle of chili oil

Soak the seeds with the tomatoes in filtered water for 2-4 hours, using enough water to keep them covered as they absorb it. Drain, reserving the liquid. Add them to the bowl of a food processor. Juice the lemons into the bowl, and add all the other ingredients except the chili oil.

Process until smooth, stopping several times to scrape down the sides. Add additional soaking water if needed to get the consistency you want. You can leave it thick for a sandwich spread, or thinner so it’s more of a hummus or onion dip consistency.

To serve, put it in a pretty bowl and drizzle with some hot chili oil, topping with a thinly sliced sun-dried tomato if desired. Serve with raw veggies or chips.

Required FTC disclosure: The smoky mesquite blend was sent to me last year by Spice Islands. The sun-dried tomatoes were sent by San Marzano. I was not paid to write this post.

All of our recipes are gluten-free, sugar-free, and made with plant-based ingredients to help you build a healthy life. We support Meatless Monday. Look for midweek essays and Friday how-to and giveaways (when available).

Never heard of nutritional yeast? It’s a great addition to faux cheese dishes and dips. I use Bob’s Red Mill because I know it’s gluten-free:

Tagged as: chili oil, cumin, garlic powder, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, olive oil, onion powder, sea salt, smoked paprika, sun-dried tomatoes, sunflower seeds