Caramelized Vegan Zucchini Dip with White Beans
It’s hearty, it uses three pounds of zucchini, and you won’t end up feeling like you’re eating three pounds of zucchini! This slow cooked vegan zucchini dip is sweet, savory, nutty, and toasty, made even more filling with the addition of white beans. We’ve topped ours with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil to add just a few more notes to the dish. I know that slow cooked zucchini isn’t the most colorful or dynamic dish around, but just wait until you smell it cooking, and taste the final product. You won’t be disappointed. Serve with toasted, crusty bread to optimize scoop-ability, and enjoy!
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Zucchini Season
When it comes to resilient and bountiful crops, zucchini is a strong contender for home gardeners. Zucchini plants are known to produce an astonishing yield, and can reach up to 10 pounds or more per plant. With backyard gardeners harvesting pound after pound of these vibrant green gems, the delightful challenge lies in discovering creative ways to savor your zucchini windfall. Whether you’re planning to cultivate zucchini yourself or opting for a local market adventure, there are some key tips to keep in mind.
If you’re contemplating zucchini cultivation, it’s wise to start with just one or two plants, although even this modest effort can leave you with an abundance of zucchini. They start to ripen in July and will continue growing through September. When shopping for this versatile vegetable, seek out local farm stands and farmers’ markets for the freshest and most flavorful options. The ideal zucchini is firm and mostly free from imperfections. When it comes to size, remember that smaller is often better. Zucchinis measuring around 6-8 inches in length offer a perfect balance of tenderness and flavor. While you might encounter gargantuan zucchinis (when left to grow, they can reach lengths of over 7 feet) be aware that as they grow to super-sized proportions, their taste diminishes, and their texture toughens. Some growers do sell these oversized zucchinis at a premium, but they are primarily suited for zucchini bread due to their fibrous and watery nature. So, whether you’re a green-thumbed gardener or a market explorer, zucchini’s versatility and potential for delicious meals make it a summer favorite worth embracing, one tender zucchini at a time.
Looking for Zucchini Recipes? Try one of these!
- Garlic Yeasted Savory Zucchini Bread
- 30 Vegan Zucchini Recipes, Savory and Sweet
- Vegan Sausage Stuffed Summer Squash
- Quick and Crispy Zucchini Fritters
- Zucchini-Ganoush- An Easy Vegan Zucchini Recipe
- Vegan Breaded Zucchini Recipe (Baked)
Looking for White Bean Recipes? You may like one of these!
- Teff Vegan Burger with White Beans and Mushrooms
- Vegan White Bean Salad Sandwiches
- Giant Buffalo Beans- White Beans in Buffalo Sauce
- White Bean Salad with Roasted Garlic Scapes Recipe
- White Bean Creamy Vegan Artichoke Soup
- Vegan Shepard’s Pie with Beans and Kohlrabi
- Stinging Nettle Vegan Green Minestrone
- Hibiscus Flower and Bean Vegan Tostadas
- White Bean Gnocchi, AKA Vegan Protein Pasta
Looking for Vegan Dips? Try one of these recipes!
- Creamy Cauliflower Buffalo Dip
- Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato Dip
- High-Protein Vegan French Onion Dip
- Smokey Butternut Squash Hummus
- Vegan Dip with Roasted Peppers and Pumpkin Seeds
- Creamy Vegan Nopales Dip
- Simple Wild Garlic Recipe- Allium vineale Hummus
- Briny Summer Burdock Stalk Tapenade
- Zesty Vegan Kumquat Salsa Recipe
- Easy Cranberry Vinaigrette for Salads
How to Make Vegan Zucchini Dip
This dip didn’t come entirely from my head, but rather from a trend from the not-too-distant past. Back in 2018, shortly after marrying into the British royal family, Meghan Markel did an interview with a 2-sentence description of one of her favorite pasta recipes. Described as a “filthy, sexy mush”, the dish was made up of slow cooked zucchini, water, and Boullion that was tossed over pasta. And something about the simplicity of the dish (or more likely the adjectives used to describe it) set the internet on fire. I am pretty slow to try food trends, but a mere 5 years later and I’m finally here. With edits, of course. I added lots of garlic for flavor and olive oil for richness. A few boosts of nutritional yeast and miso paste at the end sub for the Boullion. And instead of serving over pasta, I served it on beans, and added some bread for dipping and scooping. To add that extra specialness we opted for toasted pine nuts and basil on top.
The key to this recipe is slow cooking the zucchini. Letting your summer squash cook down slowly at a low heat gives you a range of toasted, caramelized, and nutty flavors that are absent in zucchini cooked at higher temperatures. I did a four hour cook time, popping in to stir my zucchini a couple times an hour. Additionally, after the first couple hours when they started to look a little dry, I added some water to them to help the squash continue to break down. After four hours, your house should smell amazing and your zucchini should look- well let’s just say not as good as it tastes. Use a blender or a food processor to get it extra silky before folding in the beans. I think they add some nice textural variation and a nice boost of protein. Navy beans or cannellini beans would be great here, although I dug into my pantry and rehydrated some Ayocote Blanco beans myself. Garnish with basil and toasted pine nuts- I also added a few chili flakes for color.
And dig in. Although it’s just a dip, I’ve had it more than once for my entire dinner. It’s so rich and silky, made filling from the beans and bread. It might not be the prettiest dish you’ve ever seen, but it doesn’t need to be. It has more than enough deliciousness (sexiness? filth?) to make up for it.
Caramelized Vegan Zucchini Dip with Beans
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. zucchini (about 8 medium zucchini)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp. miso paste
- 2 cans white beans, drained
- 2 tbsp. pine nuts
- Handful of fresh basil
Instructions
- Roughly chop your zucchini into pieces. Add them to a medium sized saucepan, along with your garlic, olive oil, and about ½ tsp. of salt. Cook slowly (I mean slowly- you’ll want to cook for about 4 hours) on a medium-low or low heat, stirring every so often. Make sure the heat is low enough that the oil isn’t simmering, and the zucchini almost seem to be melting. After cooking for about an hour, use a spoon to break up or mush the zucchini. Lower the heat if needed. After the second hour, stir in about ½ cup of water and lower the heat if needed. After the third hour do the same, stirring, adding water, and lowering the heat if needed. The water should be mostly evaporated, the zucchini entirely mushy, and the aroma caramelized.
- Add the zucchini and garlic to a blender, along with the plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, and miso paste. Blend until smooth, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain the beans, rinse, and let dry. Fold the beans into the zucchini dip and add to a serving platter. Gently toast your pine nuts and chop the basil and garnish. Enjoy with a crusty, toasted bread.
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