Goat Cheese & Roasted Red Pepper Dip — Small Recipe

Prepare peppers

Drain jarred roasted red peppers well and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the pepper liquid if you like a slightly looser texture.

Blend base

In a food processor or high-speed blender, add the goat cheese, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and roasted red peppers. Pulse until the mixture becomes smooth and homogenous, scraping down the sides once or twice (about 30–45 seconds total).

Emulsify & season

With the processor running, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the lemon juice to help emulsify and loosen the dip. Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Pulse 6–10 times until seasonings are fully incorporated. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. If dip is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon of reserved pepper liquid or up to 1 tablespoon more olive oil and pulse again.

Final texture

For a slightly chunkier texture, pulse only briefly so small pieces of pepper remain. For a silky-smooth spread, blend an additional 10–15 seconds until completely smooth.

Chill

Transfer the dip to a small serving bowl, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to let flavors marry (can be served immediately if short on time, but chilling improves flavor).

Garnish

Just before serving, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the dip. Sprinkle with torn fresh basil leaves and toasted pine nuts if using.

Warm and slice pita: Warm house pita in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 4–6 minutes or in a skillet 1 minute per side until pliable. Slice into wedges. Arrange pita wedges on the platter.

Prepare vegetables: Trim and cut carrots and celery into sticks; slice cucumber into rounds. Arrange vegetables around the dip bowl on the platter for an attractive presentation.

Assemble platter: Place chilled dip bowl in center of a small platter. Surround with warmed pita wedges and prepared vegetables. Serve immediately so pita is still warm and dip is chilled.

Storage: Leftover dip keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Stir before serving and add a small splash of olive oil if texture firms up.