Want a new dip recipe that isn’t hummus or guacamole? This easy but extremely delicious Chestnut Dip will be your new favorite!
I’m not knocking humus or guacamole – I eat each of those at least once a week! But sometimes you want something a little different, you wanna change it up. I promise you’ll love my Chestnut Dip!
It’s made with peeled and steamed chestnuts, so all you have to do is dump them in a food processor – no prep! You’ll also add in creamy goat cheese, garlic confit, dried Herbes de Provence, and fresh lemon. Blend until smooth, creamy, and fluffy. This Chestnut Dip is a winner.
I hosted a girls wine night and we were learning about wines from Tuscany. When I saw the chestnuts in the store, I remembered that they’re very typical of Tuscan cuisine. I bought them, not knowing what I would do with them (maybe put them in the stew I was making???). Instead, I saw the goat cheese and garlic confit in my fridge and knew what I had to do. Needless to say, the girls loved it and told me I had to put the recipe on my blog. So here we go.
What to Serve with the Chestnut Dip
I sliced up some gluten-free sourdough, drizzled it with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkled it with salt and pepper, and grilled each side until it was charred and toasty. This is ideal and absolutely stellar. But I’ve also eaten it with crackers and crudité and it’s absolutely amazing as well. My husband used it as a dip for chicken. Literally whatever you want, it works!
Let’s talk about garlic confit.
It’s incredibly easy to make, don’t be scared of it! Take peeled garlic cloves (I buy the pre-peeled cloves) and place in a small baking dish and cover with oil – olive oil or avocado oil. Cover the entire dish with tinfoil and then bake in the oven until the cloves are lightly golden. Let cool completely and you’re good to go! I like to make a big batch and store in their oil in the refrigerator. They’ll last for a while and are wonderful added to salad dressings, sauces, soups, and veggies. I love adding them to mashed potatoes too!
Ingredient Notes:
- Chestnuts – Make sure they’re peeled and steamed. Usually sold in the refrigerated section of the grocery store or in the nuts section. You can also buy them here.
- Goat Cheese – As always, the better quality ingredients you put in, the better tasting your recipe will be. Pick a goat cheese you love! My favorite is Meredith Dairy – it’s the smoothest, creamiest, and lightest I’ve ever had. You can buy it here, but can also find it in many grocery stores these days, too.
- Garlic Confit – Super easy to make if you buy the pre-peeled cloves. Soooo worth it. I like to make a big batch and keep in my fridge in the oil I used to confit the garlic (it’ll keep forever that way). The recipe will not be as good with raw garlic.
- Herbes de Provence – if you don’t have Herbes de Provence, I think it’s a worthy investment for your kitchen, especially if you like to use dry herbs in your cooking. But you can also use a mixture of dried herbs too (thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil), if those are all that you have in your pantry.
Chestnut Dip with Goat Cheese and Garlic Confit
Equipment
- 1 Small Baking Dish
- Tinfoil
Ingredients
For the Dip:
- 6.5 oz. peeled and steamed chestnuts
- 6.5 oz. goat cheese
- ¼ cup garlic confit recipe below
- 3 tablespoons garlic confit oil recipe below
- ¼ teaspoon herbes de Provence
- Juice from ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons chicken stock or vegetable stock can also use water, plus more if needed
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chives thinly sliced, for garnish
For the Garlic Confit:
- 6 oz. peeled garlic cloves
- Avocado Oil or Olive Oil enough to cover garlic
Instructions
For the Dip:
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chestnuts, goat cheese, garlic confit, garlic confit oil, herbes de Provence, lemon juice, and stock. Process until as smooth as possible. Add more stock, if needed, to get a dippable consistency. Taste and season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
- Serve in a bowl sprinkled with chives alongside grilled or toasted bread, crackers, or crudité.
For the Garlic Confit:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place garlic cloves in a small baking dish and cover completely with oil. Seal the dish tightly with tinfoil. Roast for 30-45 minutes until golden and softened. Let cool completely.
- Store garlic and oil in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use cloves as needed.
This has a complex taste and nice texture with the seasonal chestnuts. I added some sautéed shallots and garlic in place of the confit. At once, tastes delicious and unique. Thank you.