No-Cook

Ranch Fun Dip From Sohla El-Waylly

by:
July 14, 2021
4.7
16 Ratings
Ranch Fun Dip From Sohla El-Waylly
Photo by Kristen Miglore
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Makes 1/2 cup
Author Notes

This recipe started as a fresh, crunchy road trip snack, but along the way Sohla El-Waylly created a speedy, genius way to eat loads more vegetables anytime, anywhere. Take it on picnics and car rides, sure, but you'll also want it for the cheeriest—and fastest—work-from-home lunches around.

As Sohla writes on Bon Appétit: “Guaranteed to make any raw vegetable taste good, and it will last for weeks! The pistachios, nutritional yeast, and salt should be ground to the texture of coarse sand so the dip easily clings to the cut sides of the vegetables—just like, well, Fun Dip candy.”

A few more tips from Sohla: If you don’t have a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, feel free to use a food processor, blender, or even cocktail muddler—you just want the texture to be about as fine as coarse sand, without taking it so far it starts to clump up. You can use this recipe as a template to make whatever flavor of Fun Dip you’re craving. In the video for this recipe, Sohla made a satay-inspired version with charred cashews, dried shrimp, coconut sugar, and extra-spicy ground chiles, and she recommends blending like-sized things to get them to break down evenly.

Recipe adapted slightly from Sohla El-Waylly at Bon Appétit.

Want to hear more about this recipe? On here. —Genius Recipes

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Ranch Fun Dip From Sohla El-Waylly
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup raw, shelled pistachios
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons Aleppo-style pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
  1. Toast the pistachios in a medium skillet over medium heat, shaking and tossing often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a spice mill or mortar and pestle and let cool.
  2. Add the nutritional yeast and salt to the pistachios and grind or pound until they’re the texture of coarse meal. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in the Aleppo-style pepper, dill, sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder.
  3. Serve the fun dip with crudités. If taking on the road or on a picnic, pack the crudités in a jar with a half-inch of water to keep them fresh.
  4. The Ranch Fun Dip can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
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28 Reviews

Melissa Y.
Melissa Y. April 22, 2023
This is insanely delicious. I don’t even like ranch, but am always looking for something fun for crudite. 100% recommend!
 
Krispyecca
Krispyecca May 6, 2022
This is fun to make and eat! Although I haven’t tried it yet, I bet it would be great stirred into sour cream or mayo for dip,.
 
Paul M.
Paul M. February 6, 2022
MIND...BLOWN!!! This is a revelation, and would probably make tree bark taste good! I recommend roasted chickpeas (rinsed, patted dry, roasted @ 425F 25 min) tossed in this "magic dust". Works as a sprinkle for homemade tortilla chips, too!
 
Luz S.
Luz S. September 15, 2021
Have made this 1x million times. Very good. Everyone loves it. Especially good on celery!
 
Monica U.
Monica U. December 30, 2020
I’ve been making this on repeat since May (sans sugar) and today I tried it on a hard boiled egg and STEP BACK LORETTA! Dynamite! I think I’ll make it a little coarser next time for added crunch when used with soft food like eggs.
 
ashleya4
ashleya4 December 16, 2020
All I’ll say is that my three-year-old asked for more carrots and fun dip AFTER eating ice cream! Amazing!
 
talfazert
talfazert September 12, 2020
I just tried this using toasted almonds, pimenton picante and dulce in an attempt to give a "romesco" flavor. I'm going to up the pimenton picante and add sumac to give it that acidic quality.
 
Alex B.
Alex B. August 31, 2020
Obsessed! I made this for a weekend trip away and served it as part of a "snack lunch" of cheese, charcuterie and crudites. It was a hit! Delicious no matter what was dipped in. I'm converting my friends - especially some vegan ones who miss ranch dips.
 
Kootenaycook
Kootenaycook August 24, 2020
My family loves this. I am going to make the dried shrimp cashew version. In the video, there is a mention of lime and I can see a zested lime -- is it a simple matter of adding lime zest to the mix--- after grinding or in grinder? Thanks!
 
Virginia
Virginia August 23, 2020
Delicious! Great with veggies, but amazing on popcorn.... and sprinkled on potato chips. I can imagine this will be sprinkled on everything savory this week... if this batch lasts that long! Thanks Sohla and Food 52!
 
Kathinka
Kathinka August 22, 2020
This is really good, and makes me look forward to crudités (not thinking of chips instead) I have made this several times now, usually with cashews. The nut change did not affect flavour in my opinion. Today I forgot to toast the nuts and as it is still very good I think the little extra work of roasting pays off. Enjoy!!
 
indykath
indykath August 22, 2020
This is so good! Didn’t have the pistachios so used pecans and almond flour as the base. Worked beautifully. Could see this sprinkled on pasta or baked potato as well as w veg. Thank you for the recipe!
 
beejay45
beejay45 August 6, 2020
To go for the mundane, you could use these a bases for dips (e.g., with sour cream), or salad dressing (a la Ranch dressing) or whatever. Better than the packets at the grocery store that are loaded with salt and who knows what. /;)
I think a lot of people undervalue Sohla because she is so down-to-earth and her recipes are so much "make it your own" kinds of things. So much more inclusive.
 
Ray B.
Ray B. August 24, 2020
It could just be her personality.
 
lwinikow
lwinikow August 5, 2020
Ok...not the most covid friendly recipe, which might be just as well because I think I just want to eat the whole thing by myself. And to think, raw veggies magically turn into something I WANT to eat instead of something I should eat because too many mini hot dogs in crescent dough blankets can't be nearly as good for me.
 
char418
char418 July 29, 2020
I love this! I’ve had it with veggies and on popcorn. I’m dreaming up other ways to use it or customize it.
 
Maria S.
Maria S. July 29, 2020
I could eat this alone with a spoon. Made it last night for the first time and fell in love. Brought some to work today and have shared the recipe link with 3 people who want to make their own now. I used cashews because that's what I had and left out the pepper because I didn't have, and it's divine. I'm already dreaming up new variations
 
Julie
Julie July 25, 2020
Really delicious and quick to make. I am excited to try the peanut-cinnamon twist she mentioned too!

 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. July 28, 2020
Me too!
 
Gilliwinks
Gilliwinks July 25, 2020
I am so excited to try this for myself. I was also wondering about substitutions for my kids with nut allergies? I thought I heard the mention of lentils...how we would that work?
 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. July 28, 2020
Hi Gilliwinks, in the video, Sohla mentioned idli podi, or gunpowder spice, in which dry lentils are toasted and then ground along with spices—here's a recipe: https://www.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/gunpowder-spice-mix/ Also, if there are any other nut substitutes that work for your family, like seeds, Sohla encourages riffing!
 
Megan M.
Megan M. May 27, 2021
I made this with raw unsalted pumpkin seed kernels (pepitas) in place of the pistachios and I was happy with the flavor and texture.
 
witloof
witloof July 23, 2020
I watched the video and then put together a dip with what I had in the pantry: toasted salted almonds, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast, freeze dried shallots, onion powder, jaggery, smoked paprika, and a few grinds of black pepper and black salt. I just tossed it into the food processor and pulsed it until it was a powder. It was really good and I think I will be making variations to sprinkle on raw and roasted vegetables. It would also be fun sprinkled on salad.
 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. July 28, 2020
Love your riff, witloof—thank you for sharing.
 
529hh
529hh July 23, 2020
This recipe is incredible! It is so tasty (almost deceptively so) and puts an end to the chore of eating/snacking on raw vegetables.
 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. July 28, 2020
So happy you're a fan!