Smoky And Creamy Sweet Potato Dip Recipe

Looking for a healthy appetizer that's perfect for fall gatherings? This sweet potato dip is a delicious blend of smoky and savory flavors with a hint of sweetness, and it pairs well with veggies, chips, or crackers. We start this recipe by baking the sweet potatoes until they are soft and creamy, and then it's as simple as scooping them out of their shell and combining them with the other ingredients — no other appliances needed. You've got the nutty richness of tahini, the sharp bite of Dijon, and the tanginess of lime juice, which all balance out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. The bold smoked paprika brings in the smokiness, and, combined with cumin, it offers warm depth to the dip.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I love making healthy dips that are full of nutritious ingredients. This recipe is perfect for game days, Halloween night, Thanksgiving, or any other fall gathering."

To make this recipe, start by picking up sweet potatoes. You can use most varieties, but a garnet sweet potato, which is orange inside and has a purple, reddish skin, works best. You want to avoid using a Japanese sweet potato because these are white inside and have a much drier texture.

Then, grab a few condiments — tahini, Dijon mustard, and lime juice. If you are using a fresh lime, one lime will yield about one tablespoon of juice. Then, check your spice cabinet for salt, cumin, garlic granules, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper

Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork in 6–8 spots.

Place the potatoes on the sheet pan and bake for 45 minutes, until very soft.

Let them cool on the sheet pan for 15 minutes.

Cut the sweet potatoes open and scoop the flesh out into a bowl.

Add the tahini, Dijon, lime juice, salt, cumin, garlic granules, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. Stir to combine.

Top with chopped cilantro, if desired, and serve.

This sweet potato dip is versatile and can be used in many ways. As a dip, it pairs well with pita chips, crackers, or tortilla chips. If you want to add some vegetables to the mix, it goes well with sliced cucumber, red pepper strips, carrot sticks, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, or radishes.

You can also use the dip as a spread in a sandwich or wrap. Try roasting up a tray of vegetables, such as asparagus, red potatoes, red bell pepper, and fennel, and adding the veggies to a whole-grain tortilla with the spread. For another version, combine meats and cheese with the spread and load the mixture into homemade Greek pita bread.

The dip makes a great topping for a grain bowl with quinoa, greens, roasted vegetables, and cubed chicken or maple sesame tofu. You can also add the dip to tacos, burritos, or quesadillas. It pairs well with salsa that has some heat to it.

If your oven is in use and you want another way to cook the sweet potatoes, there are a few options. To make them in the Instant Pot, start by poking them like we do in the oven method. Then, place the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot inside the metal container and add 1 cup of water. Place the sweet potatoes on the trivet in a single layer. If you have medium-sized sweet potatoes, select high pressure and cook for 16 minutes. When the time is up, let the Instant Pot natural release for 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to heat up before it starts the actual cooking, so make sure to include that time in your planning.

If you want to use the air fryer to cook the sweet potatoes, poke them and place them in the air fryer basket, spacing them a few inches apart. Set the temperature to 375 F and set the time to 40 minutes. The good thing about using the air fryer is that you can easily stop it during cooking time to check the progress.

A microwave oven will work also. Just poke the potatoes and microwave on full power for five to eight minutes. Let them sit on the counter for several minutes after cooking so they continue to steam.