Chilled Spicy Lentil Dip Recipe

This chilled spicy lentil dip will taste a little like all your favorite dips…cheese dip, hummus, bean dip. And, it is super healthy! Bonus that you eat it cold or room temperature so it is the perfect dip for a picnic or party!

I really need you to taste this dip.  I can’t even believe how much I love it.  I am a bean dip person, but I do not like hummus.  Chickpeas (bleck).  I wanted a chip dip that was healthier than bean dip, since I always mix it with lots of white cheese.  I do like Lentils.

Many years ago, before Pinterest, I remember tearing out a magazine recipe of a lentil dip made with red lentils.  I never made it, but I always remembered that I wanted to try something with lentils.

Last year, I decided to give it a go.  I consulted a number of recipes, but I knew that I wanted to bring the spice!  But then I got a huge surprise.  I liked it fine after making it (while it was warm).  But oh my!  When I chilled it, and then decided to give it a taste before warming it back up…it was so much better!  It was like the coldness countered the spice in the dip.

THEN, when I made it this year, it went to a whole new level when I decided to throw in some sour cream.  Oh. My. Goodness.  I have to tell you that I make this a meal.  I eat until I cannot eat anymore, I love these so much!

I use blue corn chips with this.  I honestly like them better with this dip than the white corn tortillas.  White corn tortillas have enough flavor to eat alone, so I don’t like them messing with my flavor profile!    Blue corn chips just provide the vessel with a hearty corn flavor and texture.

Now, I know you are wondering just how spicy this is.  Because some of you are scared.  It is just right for me, but is it right for you?  I cannot eat food where all you can taste is hot pepper and you are looking for a drink.  I love spicy flavor and I love it as long as it doesn’t take over.  Here is what you have to know:  when you are done blending the hot lentil mixture, the mixture will probably taste too spicy.  But don’t you worry.  Both chilling it and adding the sour cream is what brings that heat down to perfection!  Trust me!

This dip is so perfect for a picnic or cookout in the summer!  Since it is chilled, it is just so easy to grab out of the fridge and go.  It will still be awesome when it sits out and gets to room temperature, and even a hot day won’t spoil it.  It will be a hit.  People can’t stop eating it!

Chilled Spicy Lentil Dip Recipe

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• Author: Jill Levenhagen
• Prep Time: 30
• Cook Time: 30
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8 cups 1x

Print Recipe

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Description

This dip will taste a little like all your favorite dips…cheese dip, hummus, bean dip. And, it is super healthy! Bonus that you eat it cold or room temperature so it is the perfect dip for a picnic or party!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

2 cups dry red lentils

4 cups chicken stock

8 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 jalapeno pepper

1 poblano pepper

1 medium onion

1 t. cumin

1 t. chili powder

Juice of 1 lime

1 t. salt

8 oz. softened cream cheese

2 cups sour cream

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Instructions

1. In a large pot combine all ingredients except the cream cheese and the sour cream.
2. Bring pot to a boil and simmer until the lentils are soft (1 hour+). Or, stew in a crockpot for 3-4 hours.
3. Add the cream cheese.
4. Use a stick blender and puree mixture.
5. Chill for at least 24 hours.
6. Add 1/3 cup sour cream per 1 cup of lentil mixture to serve.
7. SERVE CHILLED!

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Notes

This is a big batch. It makes 6 cups of dip before the sour cream. I like to make it and freeze the lentil mixture in 1 cup containers after the cream cheese is added but before the sour cream is added. Then when I want to eat or take to a party, I add 1/3 cup of sour cream to a 1 cup container of lentil mixture.