Hello lovelies, after the blog was offline for half a day due to some server problems, I'm happy that I can finally share the first part of my vegan Christmas menu with you. And where do you begin? Right at the start, of course, with a cosy apéro. In Switzerland, family gatherings always begin with a little apéro: a glass of wine or a non-alcoholic drink and plenty of snacks, fresh veggies, olives and other little things to nibble on. Everything in small portions to share, so you still have enough room for the dinner ahead.
The first dip I want to share is an alternative to a classic hummus. Since a food-intolerance test showed that I react most strongly to chickpeas, I try to avoid them. So this dip is made with white beans instead, which I find makes the result even creamier. I make two varieties and add beetroot to one part.
Creamy white bean and beetroot dip
Ingredients:
- 500 g (17.6 oz.) white beans (out of a can or cooked yourself)
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- juice of 1/2 a lemon (or more to taste)
- 1/2–1 tsp paprika
- 1 pinch of cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- vegan cream to taste (if it is too thick)
- 1/2 beetroot (precooked)
How-to:
- Add the beans, garlic, tahini and lemon juice to a blender and blend until creamy. Add the spices and a little cream if the consistency is too thick.
- Take out about two thirds of the mixture. Add the precooked half beetroot to the rest and blend again until smooth.
- Drizzle both dips with a little olive oil and serve with veggie sticks and bread.
The second dip is one of my favourites from the time before I switched to a fully vegan diet: a warm spinach-artichoke dip that is simply divine. A vegan version had been on my to-do list for ages, and thanks to the wonderful vegan cheese from New Roots it finally worked out – I use their Cream Cheeze with chives. You'll find the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Even my daughters absolutely adore this dip. It can be enjoyed cold too, but I really prefer it warm and straight out of the oven, with its crispy crust – even better than the cheesy version I remember. The nutritional yeast gives it that cheesy taste, a little secret weapon among us vegans :-).
The complete Christmas menu (parts 1–4)
The dips and snacks are part 1 of my vegan Christmas menu – here are all four courses to cook:
- Part 1: Spinach-artichoke dip and white bean dips (this post)
- Part 2: Carrot soup with saffron
- Part 3: Savoy cabbage rolls with black rice
- Part 4: Cashew-cinnamon creme with mandarine compote
