Lemon Pepper Parsley Dip with Shallots
Ranch Dip’s Greek Cousin
If you love ranch but also love Greek food, then this Lemon Pepper Parsley Dip with Shallots is for you. Made with cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and the fresh flavors of parsley, lemon and shallot, it gets better as it sits and is the ideal dip for all the spring vegetables.
I wanted to make a dip that was different but still complimented my Easter Sunday meal. We have things like lamb, spanakopita, and my Asparagus with Lemon Cream Sauce.
I came up with the idea of this tangy yogurt dip and found it pairs perfectly with Easter fare. Doesn’t it look like something the Easter Bunny would dip into?
It can and should be made a day or two in advance of serving it so the flavors then have more time to meld together and it gets even better.
I was thinking that this would even be a great spread to use on a veggie wrap or those pinwheel type sandwiches!
Soak Your Shallots
There is a step in the recipe where you soak the shallots. Without getting too science(y), soaking the shallots in cold water helps get rid of some of the intense flavors.
Think of a shallot as a cross between an onion and garlic. Because you let this dip sit for a bit, the flavors of the shallot will just get stronger and stronger.
You do not want people dunking into this dip and walking around breathing “shallot fire.” Soaking them keeps the great flavor while reducing the intensity.
Be sure you’re using a good strainer to drain the shallots so that you are not adding liquid to the dip.
But How Much Parsley?!
Some people are always freaked out when I say to grab a bunch of parsley. My store sells parsley in a big, bushy bunch.
For this recipe you do not need to have an exact measurement of parsley when it is minced. The picture above is how much parsley I added after it was minced.
Add more if you want. This is the curly parsley also, not the flat leaf parsley.
Mexican Sour Cream
One thing I wanted to highlight is the sour cream. Whenever I am making a dip that needs sour cream, I buy one of the Mexican food brands of sour cream, usually called “crema.”
You can see on the label that it is acidified sour cream. This sour cream is thicker, creamier, and, to me, has a less sour taste.
I have never had a problem finding this in most stores. If you cannot find it, regular sour cream is JUST FINE.
Lemon Pepper Parsley Dip with Shallots Recipe
Lemon Pepper Parsley Dip with Shallots. A great option to make-ahead for Easter or whenever you want a fresh burst of flavor, great with veggies, meats, and sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 2 packages of Cream Cheese (8 ounces each) room temp
- 2 heaping tablespoons of Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons of Sour Cream
- 1 large Shallot, very, very finely minced
- 1 large bunch of fresh curly (not flat leaf) Parsley, very finely minced, when minced you should have 1/4 to 1/2 cups of parsley *see post for guidance
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Pepper *or to taste
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of Salt *or to taste
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon of Rice Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar
- Juice from 1/2 of a fresh Lemon
Instructions
- Finely mince your shallot, then add the minced shallots to a bowl and cover with ice cold water. Let them soak for 30 minutes in the fridge. At the 30 minute mark, strain them, preferably into a mesh strainer to get as much water out as possible.
- Finely mince your fresh parsley. There is no exact amount of parsley you need to have for this recipe, it can be anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup after it is minced. Be sure to not leave any large pieces of parsley. After you mince your parsley, add to a bowl and toss it in the tablespoon of vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
- In a bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Beat on medium to high speed until light and fluffy.
- Slowly add your lemon pepper, black pepper and salt a little at time, tasting as you go, to get the perfect flavor for your preference.
- Add the lemon juice to the cream cheese mixture and beat on high again.
- Add the parsley with the vinegar and salt and continue to beat on medium or high speed.
- Drain the shallots and slowly mix them into the dip.
- Add to a bowl and refrigerate overnight. Serve with any dipping vessels of your choice. I used carrots and parsley for a festive spring appetizer.