Swiss Chard Stem and Beet Tahini Dip

This beautiful Swiss Chard Stem and Beet Tahini Dip is a delicious, no waste recipe that uses leftover chard stems, beets, and fresh chives.

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You guys, this is a really big day for the Veg World!!! Why? Well, this Swiss Chard Stem and Beet Tahini Dip is the first recipe I made in my new kitchen!!

Will and I moved this past weekend to South Minneapolis (into our first ever house!), and to say that I’m absolutely smitten with the kitchen is an understatement. In fact, I’m so excited about it that I wrote a post about how we organized the kitchen to maximize functionality.

Before we get to that though, let’s chat about this dip. I wasn’t actually planning on posting new recipes this week, especially since our house is in disarray. But I just had to whip up a few recipes in my new office. I mean, I really couldn’t help myself! 

As the name suggests, this dip uses leftover chard stems. You may or may not know that most recipes that call for swiss chard just use the leaves. (I’m guilty of this…see my Weeknight Swiss Chard and Lentils for example). This is mainly because the stems are pretty tough, not because they’re inedible or anything. 

But wouldn’t it be nice if we could all reduce our food waste…even just a little bit? There are tons of recipes out there featuring veggie stems, leaves, stalks, etc, and I’m so excited to add this one to the mix.

Here’s why you’re going to love this one:

• it will literally be the prettiest dip to ever hit your blender
• it can help you decrease food waste
• it’s loaded with healthy fats from tahini, the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E, magnesium, potassium, and more
• it’s so versatile and tastes great with veggies, pita chips, and on sandwiches

Oh, and if you’re wondering why I called this tahini dip and not hummus (which also uses tahini as the main ingredient), it’s because I didn’t add any chickpeas. Even though this dip is not technically hummus, it can be used in all the same ways.

How to Make Swiss Chard Stem and Beet Tahini Dip

Now that you know all of the reasons why you should make this dip ASAP, I’ll tell you how to make it. First, you will need to dice up a beet and steam it with the swiss chard stems. If you are new to steaming, check out my recent post on steamed veggies.

If you don’t have a steamer basket, have no fear! I actually misplaced my steamer during our move (it’s still in an unopened box somewhere), and I was able to make perfectly steamed veggies using a metal sieve instead of a steamer. 

After you steam the veggies, you can transfer them to your blender or food processor along with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, and some freshly chopped chives. Blend everything until it’s smooth, adding more olive oil as needed to promote blending, and there you have it!

The final result is a creamy, thick dip punctuated by fresh chives, garlic, and lemon, with earthy hints from the chard stems and beets and a savory sesame flavor from the tahini.

Omg, I’m drooling! Let’s get cooking!! 

For other zero waste recipes, check out:

• No Waste Broccoli Salad with Peanut Dressing
• Radish Green Pesto

If you make this one, remember to rate and review in the comments below!

Swiss Chard Stem and Beet Tahini Dip

A beautiful, no waste recipe using chard stems, beets, tahini, and fresh chives. Serve with sliced veggies and pita chips for a healthy snack.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 229kcal

Author: Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup chard stems - roughly sliced, from about 1 bunch swiss chard
• ▢ 1 beet - scrubbed, trimmed, and diced into uniform pieces
• ▢ ¼ cup tahini
• ▢ ½ cup olive oil
• ▢ ¼ cup chives - freshly chopped, more to taste and for garnish
• ▢ 1 clove garlic - pressed or minced
• ▢ ½ lemon - juiced
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt

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Instructions

• Add 2 inches of water to the bottom a pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Place the diced beets into a vegetable steamer basket (or a metal sieve if you do not have a steamer). Transfer the steamer or sieve to the pot with the boiling water, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until the beets begin to soften. Keep the beets in the steamer and add the chard stems. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes or until both the beets and stems are tender.
• Transfer the steamed veggies to a high-powered blender or food processor. Add the tahini, olive oil, freshly chopped chives, garlic, lemon juice, and sea salt. Blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add more olive oil as needed to promote blending.
• Garnish with chopped chives and olive oil, and serve with fresh veggies and pita chips. Enjoy!

Notes

You can store this tahini dip in the fridge for up to five days.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 440IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @its_a_vegworld_afterall and follow me today!

Have an awesome Wednesday! 

Lizzie