Roasted sweet red peppers whirled up with Marcona almonds, garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar, paprika, and plenty of salt — it sounds minimalist, but this dip is intensely flavorful. The sherry vinegar is sweet and bright, and so is the red pepper (in its vegetable way). Plus, there’s a little heat from the garlic. All those light, sharp notes are balanced out by the healthy fats in the nuts and olive oil. They give the dip a plush, airy texture and so much unexpected rich depth that a few of our tasters thought there was Parmesan in it.

Can you tell we love this dip? It tastes amazing spread on salty crackers or super crisp, fresh vegetables (cucumber is a must). It’s so easy to make too; the food processor does every bit of the work for you.

Our tip: Make a double batch. You’ll want the leftovers because they’ll be fantastic on everything from roasted vegetables to sandwiches. We also like the dip folded into noodles and sprinkled with, yup, a little Parm.

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained well

1 cup Marcona almonds

1 large clove garlic, smashed

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp sherry vinegar, plus more to taste

1 tsp tomato paste

½ tsp smoked Spanish paprika

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Minced Italian parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine the roasted red peppers, Marcona almonds, garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar, tomato paste, and smoked Spanish paprika in a blender or food processor and purée until almost smooth but still thick in texture. Season with salt, pepper, and additional sherry vinegar to taste.

2. Serve at room temperature with crackers and fresh vegetables.

3. The spread can be refrigerated for up to one week; bring to room temperature before serving.

Recipe adapted from: The Kitchn

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