Sluttishly Savoury: Butternut Squash and Chilli Dip

Of course, nothing will surpass the king of dips, taramasalata, for me. It was the food I was practically brought up on (strangely). But sometimes you need to add some variety to your dip repertoire and if like me you are not a fan of the creamy cheesy variety than this butternut squash dip is an ideal addition.

I discovered the M&S Butternut Squash and Chilli dip on one of my many picnic outings. It was a taste revelation. And after a quick google on the internet, I could not find a similar recipe to make my own. So here is one I came up with.

You only want half a butternut squash (unless you are using a small one) for this recipe so maybe the use other half to make this delicious soup. Too much squash and the dip will be too runny, this is where the excellent cannellini beans come in handy, they add that much desired dip-texture. If that is even an official texture.

It’s a slight more faff than Hazel’s easy-peasy Roasted Red Pepper Houmous, but that extra time spent roasting the Butternut Squash adds a lovely depth of flavour. 

Butternut Squash and Chilli Dip (serves 4)

You will need:

• 1 Butternut Squash
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 2-3 tbsp Rapeseed Oil
• 1 tin Cannellini Beans
• 2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp Coarse Sea Salt
• ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
• ½ tsp Cumin
• ½ tsp Chilli Powder
• ½ tsp Ground Coriander
• Handful of chopped Fresh Coriander

Make it!

• Peel, deseed and cube the butternut squash. Lay the squash over a baking tray and drizzle with rapeseed oil. Use your hands to toss the squash to ensure they are evenly coated. Chuck a few whole, unpeeled garlic cloves in the tray too. Roast in a preheated oven at 180C for 40 minutes.
• Remove the garlic cloves and set aside. Continue to roast the squash for another 10-15 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
• Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their cases into the food processor. Chuck in the rest of the ingredients except for the butternut squash and the oil. Blitz. Then slowly drizzle the rapeseed oil into the food processor as you blitz.
• In a separate bowl mash the butternut squash. Add the rest of the mixture and stir to combine. Add a little more oil if you want a smoother consistency. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve with a large hunk of bread or some tortilla chips.
• Serving suggestions: do like the M&S folk and add a dollop of harrisa or salsa on top of the dip. Or maybe go with a crumble some feta cheese.