Sweet potato dip recipe

Warmth, softness, ease... these are some pretty good words, aren't they? So, there is no doubt about the taste equivalent for these words. That is to say, it has got to be potatoes. If by potatoes you are thinking a floury white potato, that is only out of force of habit. After all, the earthy, rich sweet potato is just as much a potato.

Further, when you compare baked white potatoes and baked sweet potatoes, you see that the latter have more micronutrients such as magnesium, vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, and iron. They also offer more fibre.(1) Moreover, sweet potatoes offer a range of antioxidants that help your body ward off harmful free radicals in the environment.(2)

Sweet or white... or sweet and white

However, that is not to say that you should stop eating white potatoes altogether. As with everything else, balance is key. Certainly, if you eat potatoes regularly, substituting sweet potatoes in some of your potato-based recipes is a nice idea. And we have not even mentioned flavour! Sweet potatoes are, well - sweeter, albeit in a wholesome way! We're all for some good ole wholesome sweetness. Further, if you want our ten cents, we just feel lighter when  we eat sweet potatoes as compared to white potatoes. Sometimes it's good to go with the gut... in all sorts of ways!   

Scoop it up, spoon it over

Because sweet potatoes have a stronger, more characterful overall flavour than the wonderfully unassuming taste of white potatoes, they work better in dips and toppings. For instance, have you tried mashed sweet potatoes in a roast vegetable sandwich or on top of a vegetarian burger? If not, you are in for a real treat and a nice variation on fries. With the sweet potato in the sandwich, you can serve up a nice green salad as a side instead, without sacrificing the time-tested combination of potatoes and sandwiches. And a sweet potato-based dip is an incredibly versatile dish to have as a kitchen staple. It's filling enough to serve as a quick lunch, offering more novelty than a sandwich or soup.  Moreover, it's indulgent enough to eat in front of the TV on movie night...  fun enough to have outside on a summer evening. You get our drift! However, don't forget that the skin of a sweet potato also carries lovely benefits and that fries or a baked sweet potato are better ways to obtain these.

Lovely and creamy

The tahini in this recipe brings essential creaminess without resorting to dairy or dairy alternatives. The nuttiness of tahini is especially good in tandem with the rich flavour of sweet potatoes. Refreshing lemon and grassy parsley make natural companions for these two ingredients. We have suggested nutritional yeast for body, seeds for nourishment, spices for interest, and capers for flourish. These work a treat, but you could also build many other equally appealing ingredient lists. For example, we love the crunch of fried chickpeas on top of the dip. Or how about mint in place of parsley? In the same vein, you could have a mix of parsley and mint. Opt for chili and add kick and heat. You could also go for chopped black olives in place of the capers if you feel like stronger flavour. A drizzle of oil and more seeds on top of the dip could be well dreamy.