There are a few dishes in my repertoire that are so stupidly easy to make that I actually kind of feel guilty calling them a recipe.
Take this crazy good dip, for example... literally all you have to do is throw some roasted red peppers, cream cheese, mayo, garlic and lemon juice into the food processor and then blitz until smooth.
That's why I call it "ridiculously easy" roasted red pepper dip, as opposed to "reasonably achievable" or "usually not too difficult" roasted red pepper dip.
Yes, This really is The Easiest Red Pepper Dip Ever
Making this dip is literally a 5-minute affair from start to finish.
And that's probably a rather generous estimate, because five minutes is enough time to dig around the fridge for the ingredients, go fetch your food processor, dump everything into the bowl, and then ponder the meaning of life for a minute or two before you hit the "on" button.
The end product of all that hard work is a pale coral dip that's equal parts creamy, tangy, and flavourful. It's got a hint of sweetness from the roasted red pepper and just enough sharp garlic bite to keep things lively. And it's so dang good that I've seen an entire bowl disappear faster than the time it took to make it in the first place.
I might feel guilty calling this a recipe, but I most certainly do not feel guilty whipping up a batch at the slightest excuse.
Last minute guests? Check.
Potluck party at the office? You betcha.
Random Tuesday night snacking? Heck yeah.
Got five minutes and a jar of roasted red peppers kicking around in the pantry? Sure you do. Let's make some dip.
How to Serve Roasted Red Pepper Dip (and What to Serve with it!)
I do recommend letting the dip rest for a bit before serving. While the finished dip is perfectly good eaten straight from the food processor if you're in a hurry, I find a half-hour rest in the fridge allows the flavours to mingle a little and lets the dip set up into a lovely thick consistency that's equal parts dippable and spreadable.
As for what to put on the platter beside your dip, my personal favourite is an assortment of colourful vegetables. That's partially because a pile of colourful vegetables is so pretty to look at, but also because all that freshness makes for a nice change of pace from all the rich, fatty appetizers that tend to end up on party menus.
Not sure where to start? Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers spears, raw peppers, radishes and baby carrots are all delicious choices!
That said, if you're looking for something a little more substantial, you can also serve it with a pile of toasted pita wedges or a selection of crackers and breadsticks.
More Easy Appetizers for your Next Party
Every girl (and guy) needs a few easy appetizer recipes in her repertoire. Here are a few of my favourites:
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Ridiculously Easy Roasted Red Pepper Dip
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
This creamy red pepper dip comes together in a flash and requires a grand total of 5 ingredients. Serve with wedges of toasted pita or fresh vegetables for dipping. Holiday entertaining doesn't get any easier than this!
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 jar (500ml / 17oz) roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 package (250g / 8 oz) cream cheese
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Using a food processor, pulse the garlic close until finely minced. Add the roasted red peppers, cream cheese, mayonnaise and lemon juice, and process until smooth.
- Spoon the dip into a pretty bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
- Serve the finished dip with wedges of warm pita bread or an assorted of colourful fresh vegetables for dipping.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Category: Appetizer
Paula Akin says
Is that a 17 oz jar of red peppers, or should it be a 7 oz jar?
Isabelle Boucher says
It's a 17oz jar, which is the equivalent of the 500ml jars that are typically sold in Canadian supermarkets. If you're in the US, it looks like many brands come in a 16oz jar, which will do just in fine in this recipe.
Either way, you're aiming for roughly 2 cups of roasted pepper.
Kay says
Sounds DELISH! I may try this as a spread over my veggie burgers tonight, with some extra to dip my sweet potato fries and onion straws in. Sounds good for pita chips, as well!
Isabelle Boucher says
Hope you enjoyed the dip, Kay! It's amazing with pita chips, and I bet it would be pretty great with sweet potato fries too!
Nicoletta says
I love the title of this post! :-) And I love this dip, too. It is super easy but that doesn't make it less delicious. And we all need fast, reliable recipes in our "lazy" days. I have quite few of those ;-)
Amanda | The Cinnamon Scrolls says
I love the hue of this dip, Isabelle! What a gorgeous colour! Not to mention it sounds absolutely delicious. I feel you on the "this isn't really a recipe, but I need you to know about it" front. I have a few of those myself, haha.
Loreto Nardelli says
I love the smokiness of roasted red peppers and in a dip amazing, and yours looks fantastic. The fact that it is that easy makes it irrevocably attractive. Love these types of recipes.
Great Job great post.
Loreto