DRESSINGS, DIPS, SAUCES & SPREADS
People ask me how I can eat the same thing every day, salad after salad, without getting bored. All they see is a pile of mainly raw vegetables and salad greens. Less visible are the dressings, dips, sauces, and spreads. What they don’t realize is that these are the meal makers. With the following arsenal of recipes, I can have Japanese, Thai, Mexican, or Italian food every night of the week without leaving home or ordering takeout. Globally, we all share the same basic produce and greens, but you’ll enjoy the national flavor profiles in these much-loved and coveted regional recipes.
When people think about green salads, they usually envision something pretty bland and unexciting. I wish they could see our salads—these are the recipes we use to make our salads the most hearty, mouthwatering, satisfying concoctions ever. Pile your favorite ingredients onto your greens in a big bowl, mix it all up, and dig in. Chances are, you’ll crave little else once you’ve tried some of these recipes. And people ask me if I still crave burgers and pizza—that’s a laugh!
—NATALIA
Pico de Gallo
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
½ cup finely diced radishes (optional)
½ cup finely diced white onion
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
1 red, green, or yellow bell pepper, finely diced
½ bunch finely chopped fresh cilantro
2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a glass jar or bowl. If preparing in advance, do not add salt and lime juice until right before serving.
MAKES 1 PINT
a note about guacamole
HOW DO YOU KEEP GUACAMOLE FROM TURNING BROWN? STICKING THE AVOCADO PIT IN THE GUACAMOLE DOESN’T WORK. COVERING IT WITH PLASTIC WRAP TO REMOVE ALL THE AIR IS A BIT BETTER, BUT I FIND THAT PLACING A LAYER OF THIN LIME SLICES (SLICED ON A MANDOLINE) ON TOP OF THE GUACAMOLE CREATES A GOOD BARRIER. WHEN YOU REMOVE THE LIME SLICES, THEY LIFT OFF THE BROWNED PARTS WITH THEM, REVEALING A LOVELY GREEN GUACAMOLE.
Classic Guacamole
Customize your home-made guacamole by making it mild, spicy, or even sweet. A couple of tablespoons of Pico de Gallo thrown in with some extra lime juice makes a classic guacamole.
4 avocados, pitted and peeled
¼ cup Pico de Gallo (see recipe at left)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Mash the avocados with a fork until nearly smooth. Add the Pico de Gallo, lime juice, cilantro, and salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
MAKES 1 PINT
Thai Guacamole
Guacamole isn’t just a dip for tortilla chips. It also makes a great spread for collard rolls (see page 116), as well as a delicious dressing for kale salads. Here is a versatile Thai-inspired spin on the classic guacamole.
4 avocados, pitted and peeled
¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves
¼ cup finely chopped Thai or regular basil
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 knob ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese chile paste
Mash the avocados with a fork until nearly smooth, then stir in the rest of the ingredients.
MAKES 1 PINT
Zucchini Hummus
Chickpeas and tahini together in the same recipe are a no-no in food combining. Here is a lighter, more digestible hummus recipe.
2 zucchini, peeled and chopped
¼ cup tahini paste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon za’atar
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and puree in a food processor.
MAKES 1 PINT
Baba Ghanoush
The addition of tahini and spices makes this eggplant spread rich and delectable. Just don’t overdo it on the cumin, since it has a tendency to overwhelm a dish.
2 medium eggplants, halved length-wise
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup tahini paste
½ cup chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped mint (optional)
Broil the eggplant halves, skin side up, under high heat until the skin is charred and the flesh feels soft (about 15 minutes). Scoop out the flesh from the skin. Combine all the ingredients and blend in a food processor until pureed. Garnish with fresh mint if desired and serve.
MAKES 1 PINT
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Don’t bother with the canned or jarred roasted red peppers. The flavor is impaired by the brine or citric acid in which the peppers are packed. For optimal flavor, roast peppers at home.
4 red peppers
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Core the peppers by placing each pepper upright and slicing each side for 4 equal pieces. Remove any membranes and seeds.
Lay the pepper pieces on a baking tray, skin side up, and place 2 inches from a broiler. Broil under high heat until the skin chars (about 10 minutes).
Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with a plate, and let cool before peeling off the skins.
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a food processor until pureed.
MAKES 1 CUP
Raw Pizza Sauce
2 vine ripe or plum tomatoes, chopped
½ cup sundried tomatoes, rehydrated in water for 15 minutes, drained, and chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh or dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup nutritional yeast
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a food processor, keeping it slightly rustic and coarse.
MAKES 1 PINT
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (Tzaziki)
This classic Greek recipe tends to get too watery, which is good as a soup, but not when you want to use it as a sauce or a dip. To avoid this, shred the cucumbers with a box grater, using the largest hole size, and mix it by hand.
1 cup plain goat yogurt
1 medium seedless cucumber, shredded
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
MAKES 1 PINT
Creamy Chipotle Sauce
I first made this sauce specifically with fish tacos in mind. The traditional version with cow-based sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, and lime juice gets a detox makeover. Fresh goat cheese or chèvre is cleaner than sour cream and mayonnaise, and a little bit goes a long way. I added chipotle peppers to give it a kick, but you can leave them out.
4 ounces goat cheese
1 chipotle pepper with 1 tablespoon chipotle sauce (optional, or as desired)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ cup water, as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a food processor, adding the water as needed for desired consistency.
MAKES 1 CUP
Zucchini Pesto
Traditional pesto contains pine nuts, Parmigiana Reggiano, and a lot of olive oil. This is a cleaner version, omitting the pine nuts but adding zucchini for a rustic mouthfeel, substituting sheep pecorino for Parmesan, and using a scant amount of oil to blend all the ingredients.
1 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
Handful of fresh basil leaves
2-3 garlic cloves
Up to ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup freshly grated raw sheep pecorino
Salt and pepper to taste
Process the zucchini, basil, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until slightly coarse, drizzling olive oil as needed to blend. Add the cheese and puree for 1 minute until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
MAKES 1 PINT
Mustard Aioli
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk or ½ avocado, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a high-speed blender until smooth.
MAKES ½ CUP
Avocado Aioli
This is a great alternative to traditional egg-based mayonnaise.
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a high-speed blender until smooth.
MAKES 1 CUP
Cheese Sauce
This velvety cheese sauce is great over steamed vegetables, especially cauliflower and broccoli. It also makes a great base for kale chips (see page 198).
½ red bell pepper
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons raw sesame tahini
1 garlic clove
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a food processor until smooth.
MAKES 1 CUP
Raw Caesar Dressing
This revised recipe originally appeared in Natalia’s Raw Food Detox Diet, and I have been hooked ever since.
3 medium celery ribs, chopped
2 tablespoons white miso
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup water, as needed
Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender, adding the water as needed to facilitate blending.
MAKES 1 CUP
Roasted Beet Dressing
I stole and tweaked this recipe from Tuck Shop, an Australian meat pie restaurant in New York City. Hopefully, they won’t sue me, since I married one of the owners.
4 medium roasted beets, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 knob ginger (1 inch), chopped
1 tablespoon tahini paste
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup water, as needed
Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender, adding the water as needed to facilitate blending.
MAKES 2 CUPS
Herbed Goat Cheese Dressing
4 ounces goat cheese
1 garlic clove (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped herbs (dill, oregano, basil, or parsley)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup water, as needed
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a food processor, adding water as needed for desired consistency.
MAKES 1 CUP
Creamy Sesame Dressing
This is a great dressing for raw Pad Thai Noodles (see page 154) and slaws.
¼ cup raw tahini paste
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
½ cup warm water
1 tablespoon chile garlic paste
5-8 drops liquid stevia
1 lime, zest and juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a high-speed blender until smooth.
MAKES 1 CUP
Tomato Yuzu Dip
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 knob ginger, chopped
2 tablespoons yuzu lime juice, or equal parts lemon, lime, and grapefruit juice
3-5 drops liquid stevia to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a high-speed blender until smooth.
MAKES 1 CUP
Wasabi Avocado Dressing
This wasabi is perfect not just for sushi or nori rolls, but as a dip for chopped vegetables.
2 ripe avocadoes, halved, pitted, and peeled
1 tablespoon wasabi paste
1 scallion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
MAKES 1 CUP
Carrot Jalapeño Sauce
This hearty dressing stands up to collard wraps, crudités, and dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and shredded collard greens.
1 cup carrot juice
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 tablespoons white miso
1 knob ginger, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
½ jalapeño, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a high-speed blender until smooth.
MAKES 2 CUPS
Korean Red Pepper Sauce
This is a much coveted spicy recipe for the traditional Korean bibimbap, a rice and vegetable dish (see page 170). It also makes a good dip for steamed vegetables, such as steamed zucchini spears.
2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey, or 3-5 drops liquid stevia
In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until fully incorporated.
MAKES ½ CUP
Shoyu Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons nama shoyu with equal parts water
3 tablespoons raw coconut vinegar, or 4 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
1 knob ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion or chives
Dash of cayenne
A couple drops of sesame oil (optional)
Stevia to taste
Sesame seeds to garnish
Combine all the ingredients and let flavors steep for at least 20 minutes before serving.
MAKES ½ CUP
Dijon Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chopped tarragon, chervil, rosemary, or thyme
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium zucchini, peeled and chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a high-speed blender until smooth.
MAKES ¾ CUP