Recipe-testing is a fickle beast. Some recipes take trial after trial, after (painful) trial, to get right. Others come together easily, like it was meant to be. This is one of the lucky ones: Creamy Vegan Chimichurri Dip. If you’ve never made chimichurri, don’t worry! It’s not hard. In it’s most basic form, you are going to take fresh herbs, garlic, some citrus or vinegar, a few spices, and blend it all up. This chimichurri recipe is unique because we are adding almondmilk and avocado to take it from a pesto-like consistency into a creamy, deliciously thick dip.
I’m using my very favorite almondmilk, the unsweetened variety by New Barn, because it’s made with minimal ingredients: water, organic almonds, organic acacia gum, and sea salt. I love that New Barn doesn’t use any “natural flavors” or weird added ingredients, because when I create a recipe, I don’t want anything funky messing with my dish. I want to know that I am only adding quality ingredients that I would use in my own kitchen. (My January Whole30 friends will be excited to know that New Barn is Whole30 approved, too!)
(For those who don’t know, acacia gum is a natural resin from the sap of the Acacia tree, which is produced similarly to maple syrup. It helps the ingredients come back together after separating when you shake the bottle! Unlike many other gums and stabilizers used in commercial almondmilks, acacia gum is actually considered GOOD for the digestive system due to its high soluble fiber and prebiotic content.)
The best part about this Creamy Vegan Chimichurri Dip is that you truly CAN’T mess it up. It’s so customizable and easy to change to your liking. Don’t like cilantro? Just use all parsley. Want a thinner sauce? Add more almondmilk. Want it spicy? Add more chili flakes. You can really make this dip so many different ways; every time I’ve tried it, it has come out DELICIOUS. Below you’ll see my recommended measurements, but feel free to adjust to your tastebuds!
Use this as a dip for tortilla chips or crudite, thin it out slightly for a more traditional sauce to be poured over grilled vegetables or marinated tofu, you can even spread it on a sandwich, veggie burger, or tostada! The possibilities really are endless. Whenever I make a batch, I find myself leaving the lid open so I can grab a spoonful from the fridge with every single meal. It’s that good.
If you’re making this for a party or potluck, it’s best served when made fresh. With that being said, you can definitely make it a day ahead and store it in the fridge in an airtight container, or enjoy the leftovers for about 5 days. It just won’t be *quite* the same as when it’s super fresh, but still delicious.
Feel free to comment below if you have any questions. And as always, let me know if you try this recipe by tagging me @hashtagvegan and using #hashtagvegan on Instagram so I can see your creations!
For the animals,
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1/2 cup New Barn Unsweetened Almondmilk
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 T)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1 pinch chili pepper flakes, (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except for almondmilk in a blender or food processor. Blend for 30 seconds or so until ingredients are chopped up and incorporated.
- Scrape down sides and then with blender or processor running, slowly pour in almondmilk until it reaches your desired consistency, another 1-2 minutes. Don’t over process!
- Serve with chips or crudite as a dip, with vegetables as a cooking sauce, or spread onto a sandwich or tostada. The possibilities are endless!
Notes
Drop me a comment!