Roasted Butternut Chipotle Dip with Tahini Black Beans + Peanuts

I’ve gone and done it again, yes another butternut recipe. Did I tell you it’s my favorite fall veggie. This time it’s a perfected party dip that I feel must be made this season. This chipotle flavored, roast butternut, ultra-creamy chip-ready homemade dip recipe has been a long time coming! + this recipe very highly versatile, we discovered so many uses after we made it. We have used it as sandwich spread, dip of course and paired it with roast vegetables all excellent pairings.

I have a thing for warm smoky rich dips which might explain my obsession with this nut rich, smoky chipotle butternut dip. I created this recipe because I love butternut specifically roasted butternut and I think chipotle and butternut are best friends. Along with tahini, peanuts and black beans this is quiet a substantial dip. The fool-proof, hearty recipe will stay for upto 4-5 days refrigerated and is delicious for weekend movie night snack as well as perfect for entertaining guests. This rich, and flavorful dip is just begging to be put out on the table and swarmed by friends and family, eager to get in on the dipping action. Enjoy!

TIPS

• Start with one chipotle for mild flavor, I needed to go up to 4.
• Best squashes for this recipe are butternut, Honeynut, Acorn, Kabocha. avoid spaghetti and delicata squash.
• Best served with tortilla chips and crudite style cut vegetables, if you have different types of crackers or crostini it will be just as delicious.
• Look for a small head of garlic anything over 6-7 cloves will render a strong garlicky flavor. I prefer a well balanced dip in this case and found 5-7 medium cloves work the best. Extra roasted cloves will be delicious rubbed on toasted bread, vinaigrettes, salad dressing, pasta sauces!

Roasted Butternut Dip with Chipotle Tahini + Black Beans, makes about 2-2.5 cups

Ingredients

• 1 small head of garlic
• 1 small Honeynut or Butternut squash, halved lengthwise (see notes)
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts
• ¼ cup tahini
• ½ cup e.v olive oil, divided, you may not need all of it
• 3/4 cup cooked black beans (drained and rinsed if using canned)
• 1-4 chipotles in adobo + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce I started with one and wound up using four.
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• sea salt and ground black pepper as needed

Garnishes

• good e.v olive oil
• chives
• pumpkin or sesame seeds
• chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line both one large or 2 small baking trays with parchment paper if you like.
2. Cut the top ¼ inch off of the head of garlic, exposing the cloves inside.
3. Half the squash, place the cut sides facing up, on the other baking sheet. In a piece of aluminum foil big enough to wrap the bulb of garlic, place the garlic on the foil and on to the baking sheet too.
4. Drizzle the cut squash and the exposed top of the garlic bulb with 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season both with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic bulb up tight with the foil and flip the squash over so that the cut side is facing down.
5. Transfer this baking sheet to the oven and roast until squash is tender, about 30-40 minutes. Let the squash and garlic cool slightly.
6. Once it’s cool enough to handle, scoop out the seeds of the squash and discard. Then measure roughly 1-1½ cup of the roasted squash. Remove the bulb of garlic from its foil wrapping.
7. Place the peanuts in the food processor and pulse to a coarse ground consistency. Then, add the roasted squash, black beans, tahini, 1-2 chipotle with adobo sauce (add more if desired after tasting), paprika, cumin, lemon juice, cider vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
8. Squeeze the bulb of roasted garlic into the food processor.
9. Pulse the food processor a few times until you have a chunky paste. Scrape down the sides with a spatula to get everything combined and evenly puréed.
10. With the motor running, slowly drizzle e.v olive oil into the food processor through the feed tube. Once you have a thick, luscious and creamy consistency, the dip is ready.
11. Check the dip for seasoning and adjust if necessary before transferring.
12. Serve the dip with the suggested garnishes or just as-is to use as spread.