Beet Dip With Labneh

Recipe from Heather Sperling and Emily Fiffer

Adapted by Tejal Rao

Published June 8, 2019

  • Bobby Doherty for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Margaret MacMillan Jones.
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Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(1,086)
Comments
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This recipe for a delicious raw beet dip comes from Botanica, a vegetable-focused restaurant in Los Angeles run by Emily Fiffer and Heather Sperling. The recipe is easy — throw everything into the blender raw — though it requires a little time for the blades to break down the beets with walnuts, olive oil and a few other aromatics. Fiffer and Sperling cleverly adapted the dip from muhammara, the Middle Eastern spread made from red peppers. Using beets creates another dish altogether, but one that tastes bright, sweet and earthy. Serve it with a dollop of labneh, as well as warm pita and quartered Persian cucumbers for dipping, and generously drizzle everything with olive oil and crunchy salt. —Tejal Rao

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 medium beet or 1 bunch small beets (about ½ pound), peeled and roughly chopped

  • 1 cup whole walnuts, toasted, plus chopped walnuts for garnish

  • 1 lemon, juiced, plus additional, for zesting and juicing

  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

  • 1 teaspoon chile flakes, such as Urfa

  • 1 garlic clove, peeled

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup labneh, for serving

  • Torn pita, for serving

  • 3 Persian cucumbers, quartered, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

20 grams carbs; 6 milligrams cholesterol; 400 calories; 15 grams monosaturated fat; 12 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 34 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 414 milligrams sodium; 9 grams protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put the beets, whole walnuts, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, chile flakes, garlic and salt into a food processor or blender. Purée on high until beets and nuts are finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, and blend again, until the mixture gets slightly smoother. Add the olive oil, and blend again, scraping down the sides, until mixture forms a coarse purée. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice, if desired.

  2. Step 2

    Spoon labneh into a bowl, smoothing it, then heap the beet dip on top. Top with a generous drizzle of olive oil and chopped walnuts; grate some lemon zest on top. Serve with pita and cucumbers for dipping.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,086 user ratings
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Comments

Robert Glidden

What is pomegranate molasses? What is labneh?

Leah

Substitute for pomegranate molasses? Any ideas?

Rhonda Smart

Labneh is just strained yogurt, or even Fage or a good Greek yogurt would do. Pomegranate molasses is what it is… a syrup made from pomegranates.

Alex

Personally I find this recipe to be a tad heavy on olive oil, so I'd recommend using about half, then adding more to taste. Or, use high quality olive oil! I find pomegranate molasses at Whole Foods.

Amelia

Does anyone have insight as to whether this would survive a stint in the freezer?

mhllewellyn

This dip is delicious and beautiful. I substitute the raw beets for roasted. Persian or Armenian cucumbers for dipping are perfect, but pita chips work too. It stores well in the fridge and travels easily to potlucks. I serve it as an amuse-bouche with a pre-dinner cocktail. Pomegranate molasses is easy to make or purchase at any store specializing in mid-eastern food. Same for labneh.

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Credits

Adapted from Heather Sperling and Emily Fiffer of Botanica, in Los Angeles.

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