Is anyone else craving fresh fruits and vegetables after a month of holiday treats? While I don’t make outrageous New Years diet resolutions, I do like to reflect on how I can be the best version of myself so obviously adding more servings of veggies and fruits daily is always on my mind. This Mediterranean Veggie Dip helps me to get more veggies in and even enjoy them!
I honestly don’t mind eating carrots, celery, or any fresh veggies really, but I do love them even more when I have a bright, fresh dip to dip them in to and this is one of my favorites. This dip has some of my favorite flavors – olive oil, lemon, za’atar, oregano, garlic and black pepper and when mixed with plain Greek yogurt these flavors get my taste buds singing and I can eat an entire bag of carrots without even thinking about it. (Not to mention I don’t feel guilty.)
This Mediterranean Dip was inspired by the marinade I make for my chicken and pork souvlaki skewers. I just loved the smell of the marinade so much that I played around with it a little to make a dip and haven’t looked back! When I eat it I’m transported back to our visits to Greece when I was a kid and the fabulous flavors we enjoyed there – don’t you love how food makes and brings back memories?
A couple of tips for this recipe:
- You can use non-fat, low fat or full fat plain Greek yogurt. However, the less fat it is, the thinner your dip will most likely be. I used low-fat yogurt this time but often use the non-fat which is not quite as thick.
- Be sure to use fresh lemon, not the bottled juice. This makes a lot of difference!
- I like to use a garlic press with cloves of garlic as it minces them down so you don’t have chunks of garlic in your dip. If you don’t have a garlic press, you can grate it on a small zester/grater or very finely mince it and then smash it with the back of the knife.
- If you don’t have za’atar seasoning, you can use dried thyme instead. It won’t taste exactly the same, but it’s the closest substitute. As a note, za’atar is a wonderful combination of seasonings good to grill chicken or pork with or add to dips or marinades. It consists of seasonings such as oregano, dried thyme, marjoram, sumac and sesame and adds a blast of Mediterranean flavor to anything you add it to!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh garlic, finely minced, pressed or grated (about 1 clove)
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp za’atar seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions:
- In a small mixing bowl, add the yogurt, lemon juice and olive oil. Whisk until well combined.
- Stir in the garlic, oregano, za’atar, onion powder, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
Mediterranean Vegetable Dip
EQUIPMENT (Amazon Associate Links)
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh garlic finely minced, pressed or grated (about 1 clove)
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp za'atar seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, add the yogurt, lemon juice and olive oil. Whisk until well combined.
- Stir in the garlic, oregano, za'atar, onion powder, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
Notes
- You can use non-fat, low fat or full fat plain Greek yogurt. The less fat it is, the thinner your dip will most likely be. I used low-fat this time but often use the non-fat which is not quite as thick.
- Please be sure to use fresh lemon, not the bottled juice. This makes a lot of difference!
- I like to use a garlic press with cloves of garlic as it minces them down so you don't have chunks of garlic in your dip. If you don't have a garlic press, you can grate it on a small zester/grater or very finely mince it and then smash it with the back of the knife.
- If you don't have za'atar seasoning, you can use dried thyme instead. It won't taste exactly the same, but it's the closest substitute. As a note, za'atar is a wonderful combination of seasonings good to grill chicken or pork with or add to dips or marinades. It consists of seasonings such as oregano, dried thyme, marjoram, sumac and sesame and adds a blast of Mediterranean flavor to anything you add it to!
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