I'm a big fan of goat cheese. I'm also a big fan of pesto. So why not swirl them together on a plate to make a fancy dip that draws attention on a party with a table full of appies? It's simple enough to make this whipped goat cheese and pistachio hemp pesto dip with the right tools (i.e. electric hand mixer and a blender or food processor). And with a pistachio hemp pesto, you don't have to break the bank on pine nuts, while still packing a delicious punch of flavour.
Keto Whipped Goat Cheese and Pistachio Hemp Pesto Dip Recipe
Whipped Goat Cheese Ingredients:
- 8 oz fresh goat cheese
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened coconut milk beverage (*Or other unsweetened non-dairy milk.)
- Flaky sea salt (like Maldon or Fleur de sel and freshly ground freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Pistachio Hemp Pesto Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup salted shelled pistachios, chopped
- ⅓ cup hemp hearts
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 cup packed arugula leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- 6 fresh mint leaves
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 3 tablespoons hemp oil
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon or Fleur de sel and freshly ground freshly ground black pepper
- 4-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Garnish Ingredients:
- Crushed red pepper flakes, for garnish
- Chopped fresh herbs, for garnish
- Chopped salted shelled pistachios, for garnish
Directions:
First start with the whipped goat cheese, add the goat cheese to a medium mixing bowl. Gradually beat in the non-dairy milk until smooth creamy and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Spread over the centre of a plate then using the handle end of a wooden spoon, draw a swirl. Cover and put in the fridge to chill while you work on the pesto.
To make the pesto, process pistachios and hemp hearts in a blender or food processor until finely ground, then add garlic, lemon juice, arugula, basil, and mint. Pulse until everything is very finely chopped. You'll probably need to scrape down the sides a few times. Add in the hemp and olive oil a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Blend until fairly smooth. I prefer a bit of texture in my pesto myself. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer pesto to liquid measuring cup and pour into the swirl as desired. Top with garnishes, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with keto crackers, keto bread, keto tortilla chips or pork rinds or cut veggies. There may be more pesto than you need for the dip. If so, add what's left to a container and store in the fridge.
Did you make this keto whipped goat cheese and pistachio hemp pesto dip recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out in the comments. Or if you share pics of your creations on Instagram, please tag me so I can see them. Enjoy! :)
