Mediterranean Sun Dried Tomato Dip
You’ll want to hang onto this Mediterranean Sun Dried Tomato Dip recipe! The flavor and texture combination is wonderful and the recipe is easy to make! There’s no cream cheese in this version, just a creamy Boursin cheese, infused with garlic and herbs topped with a savory tomato mixture, roasted chickpeas and fresh parsley and basil!
Personally, I’m tired of cream cheese based dips, so I decided to use a creamy garlic and herb Gournay cheese. Boursin is probably the most popular brand, but Alouette is another brand that works just as well.
Why this recipe works
This Mediterranean dip has a few things going for it:
- The seasoned Boursin cheese has just the right amount of garlic and herbs so you don’t have to spend extra funds getting a rich flavor.
- The texture is smooth and creamy due to the addition of a few tablespoons of milk to the crumbly, creamy cheese. This gives the dip fabulous dipping properties.
- Serve this delicious dip slightly warm or at room temperature with pita chips, crostini, baguette slices, pita bread or a nice herb-flavored Focaccia bread.
Mediterranean Sun Dried Tomato Dip
Creamy garlic infused Boursin cheese topped with sun dried tomatoes, roasted chickpeas and olives!
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Rate
Yield: 2 cups
Ingredients
- 2 5.3 oz. pkgs. Boursin Garlic and Herb Cheese Spread See recipe notes
- 8 oz. jar Sun Dried tomatoes in oil with garlic and seasonings
- Reserved sun dried tomato oil
- ½ teaspoon minced shallot
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 3 tablespoons milk, 2% or whole
- 1 15.5 oz. can Garbanzo beans (or chickpeas)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried, ground Italian seasonings
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4-5 Spanish olives stuffed with pimento (garnish);
- 1 tablespoon minced roasted red pepper (garnish)
- fresh basil and parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉; drain and rinse a can or Garbanzo beans or chickpeas; place them in a medium mixing bowl; lightly season with olive oil and kosher salt; place on unprepared baking sheet; bake on middle rack 14-20 minutes, turning after about 10 minutes; bake until light golden brown; remove from oven and set aside.1 15.5 oz. can Garbanzo beans (or chickpeas), 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine Boursin cheese and milk; combine until smooth; transfer cheese mixture to serving bowl2 5.3 oz. pkgs. Boursin Garlic and Herb Cheese Spread, 3 tablespoons milk, 2% or whole
- Drain sun dried tomatoes, reserving the oil. Place tomatoes, garlic cloves and shallot in food processor; pulse 6-10 times until pureed; transfer to small saucepan on low heat8 oz. jar Sun Dried tomatoes in oil with garlic and seasonings, 2 cloves fresh garlic, ½ teaspoon minced shallot
- Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato oil, italian seasonings, salt and pepper to the tomato mixture; cook on low 5 minutes or until the garlic and shallot is tender; spoon tomato mixture over Boursin cheese1 teaspoon dried, ground Italian seasonings, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, Reserved sun dried tomato oil
- Top with toasted Garbanzo beans; Garnish with sliced Spanish olives, a few pieces of roasted red pepper, chopped parsley, basil, a drizzle of the reserved tomato oil and crushed red pepper flakes (optional); serve with warm bread4-5 Spanish olives stuffed with pimento (garnish);, 1 tablespoon minced roasted red pepper (garnish), fresh basil and parsley (for garnish), Reserved sun dried tomato oil
Notes
Make this in advance if you like. To reheat, pop it into the microwave for about 30 seconds.
Boursin and Aloquette are brands of Gournay cheese, usually found in the deli section of your grocer. You can use either brand for this dip.
Nutrition Estimate
Serving: 2cupsCalories: 327kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 7gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 2063mgPotassium: 1827mgFiber: 7gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1507IUVitamin C: 116mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 3mg
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Recipe Tips
- If you don’t have a food processor, don’t worry. Just chop the sun-dried tomatoes up into fine pieces
- Taste for salt last; the Gournay cheese is pretty salty already
- Don’t care for chickpeas? Substitute with toasted pine nuts
Ingredients
This is an overview; see the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Gournay cheese– you’ll need about ten ounces of either Boursin brand or Alouette brand – Garlic and Herb cheese
- Chickpeas – or garbanzo beans; we’re gonna lightly toast them
- Sun Dried tomatoes – oil-packed with garlic and spices; I used Mezzetta brand, which you can find at most grocery stores, on line or at World Market
- Garlic – 2 small cloves of fresh garlic is all you need
- Shallot – just a pinch of minced shallot; if you don’t have a shallot, you can substitute with a little red onion or omit it all together
- Italian seasoning blend – just a little bit is needed
- Olive oil– just a tablespoon to coat the chickpeas
- Crushed red pepper flakes – optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, fresh basil, sliced Spanish olives, roasted red bell peppers as garnish (optional)
How to make it
This recipe only takes a couple of minutes to make, and it makes a beautiful and delicious appetizer for entertaining or a great snack. I think it’s the perfect dip for entertaining, I mean, who doesn’t like a delicious cheese spread?
- Bring the Gournay cheese to room temperature
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas (garbanzo beans); place in a bowl, drizzle a little olive oil and kosher salt over them and bake them for 14-20 minutes until light golden brown
- Drain the sundried tomatoes and reserve the oil
- Place tomatoes, garlic cloves and shallot in food processor and pulse 6-10 times; transfer to a small saucepan; add 2 tablespoons of the reserved sundried tomato oil to the pan and heat on low until mixture is well incorporated
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the room temperature Boursin cheese and a few tablespoons of milk; combine until the mixture is smooth and creamy
- Transfer to a serving bowl
- Top the creamy cheese with the tomato mixture, then add a few roasted chickpeas
- Garnish with fresh basil and fresh parsley, sliced Spanish olives, a few small pieces of roasted red pepper, a drizzle of the reserved tomato oil and a few red pepper flakes.
Serving suggestions and storage
Store leftover Mediterranean Sun Dried Tomato dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to serve, allow to come to room temperature and serve it like that or, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up. It’s delicious either way, but I think the warm chickpeas add depth to the flavor.
Whip up this easy Mediterranean Sun Dried Tomato Dip and serve with your Italian recipes or Greek recipes!
