7 Layer Greek Dip
If you’re a fan of Greek or Middle Eastern cuisine, I have the best appetizer, snack, or even meal for you. My dad’s side of the family is Lebanese, and growing up learning how to cook our family’s traditional recipes passed down from my great grandmother to my grandmother to my parents has made me a fiend for Lebanese food. Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food is overall my favorite - both to cook and eat - so I thought it would be so cool to mix a few of my favorite Lebanese and Greek dishes together and turn it into a dip. You can eat this as a dip with pita chips or you can just go at it with a fork, because it really does have all the components of a meal in one dish.
Warning: It requires A LOT of lemon and A LOT of garlic.
The layers are:
Mujadara (Lebanese Lentils and Rice)
Hummus (Chickpea Dip)
Tzatziki Sauce
Tabbouleh (Parsley Salad)
Pickled Onions and Radishes
Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Feta
Make sure that each of the ingredients are equally chilled before layering the dish! Although mujadara is usually served hot, it should be cold for this dish. I made mine the day before wanting to serve the dip to allow adequate refrigeration time.
Layer 1: Mujadara. Mujadara is one of my favorite Lebanese dishes. It’s beyond simple, but I think it’s comfort food at it’s finest. I’ve adjusted my grandmother’s recipe just a little. I like to cook it lower and slower to get a thicker, more combined dish, but traditionally it’s a little soupier and the lentils and rice aren’t as congealed as much.
MUJADARA
1 sweet onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. white wine vinegar
1 cup lentils
1/2 cup rice (u can use brown or white)
1 tsp each: salt, cumin, coriander, pepper, and garlic powder (low key i just eye it but that seems like the right amount - u can taste & add more of whatever)
2 bay leaves
4 cups water + 1 cup if needed
Sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil in a large pot until caramelized over high heat. Deglaze the pot with white wine vinegar, allowing it to cook off for a few minutes. Add spices, lentils, rice, & 2 cups water. Bring the water to a boil, add 2 more cups of water, turn on low and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes and check to see if it looks dry (if it does add 1 more cup of water) - cook for about another 10 min until absorbed & rice/lentils are cooked. I usually add more cumin, coriander, and salt to taste at this point.
Layer 2: Hummus. You can obviously buy store-bought hummus, but I strongly urge you NOT to. Homemade hummus is so easy to make and one thousand times better tasting. All you need is a can of chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. And if you happen to have miso paste and/or hot sauce on hand, those are two of my secret ingredients for making the best hummus.
HUMMUS
1 can of chickpeas - rinsed and drained
1.5 lemons - juiced
2 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tsp salt
1 tbs. miso paste (optional)
a few dashes of hot sauce (optional but highly recommended)
cold water
Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender until all of the ingredients are starting to mix together. Add cold water in 2 tbs. at a time until it reaches a smooth and creamy dip consistency. Chill in the fridge before eating.
Layer 3: Tzatziki Sauce. Tzatziki sauce is another one that you can buy, but is so much better to make homemade.
TZATZIKI
3/4 cup unsweetened plain or greek yogurt
1 lemon - juiced
1 tbs. dried mint
1/2 tsp. dried dill
1 tsp each salt and pepper
1/4 cup finely diced cucumber - peeled and deseeded
1 tbs. fresh mint leaves - roughly chopped (optional)
Layer 4: Tabbouleh. Another one of my favorite traditional Middle Eastern salads is Tabbouleh. It mostly consists of parsley and bulgur wheat tossed in a lemon-oil dressing.
TABBOULEH
2 cups curly parsley - removed from stems and roughly chopped
1/4 cup bulgur wheat
1 tbs. lemon juice + the juice of two additional lemons
1/2 cup finely diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt and black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove- finely minced
Rinse the bulgur wheat in a colander and then place in a large bowl. Squeeze 1 tbs. lemon juice over it and top with 1/2 cup water. Let sit for 20 minutes until absorbed and then fluff. Add in the chopped parsley and tomato. Mix the juice of 2 lemons, oil, garlic, salt and pepper together and toss with the salad.
Layer 5: Pickled Onions and Radishes. This adds a little sweet, sour, and bitterness to all of the lemon-garlic flavors going on, and it also gives a little crunch. These are also great to keep on hand and toss in different salads or eat by itself.
PICKLED ONIONS AND RADISHES
1 red onion - thinly sliced rings
1/2 cup radishes - thinly sliced half moons
1 tbs. garlic powder, dried dill, dried mint
2 tsp. each salt, pepper, and sugar
White wine, red wine, or apple cider vinegar
Water
Fill a large glass jar or container with the sliced red onions and radishes. Add all of the seasonings and fill the jar half way with vinegar. Fill it the rest of the way with water, shake and let refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
Layer 6: Roasted Chickpeas. These add the best crunch to the dip and also bring a little heat. Roasting them will result in a slightly chewier bite, but still crispy. If you want really crunchy, crispy ones, fry them in a neutral oil, like canola, instead of roasting them all of the way.
CRISPY AND SPICY ROASTED CHICKPEAS
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and completely dry (this is SUPER important, especially if frying them)
1 tsp. each salt, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper
2 tbs. olive oil
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the chickpeas in the olive oil and the spices. Spread on a sheet pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Alternatively, roast them for 20 minutes, let cool and then fry in a neutral oil until golden brown and crispy. Drain excess oil off on a paper towel lined plate.
Layer 7: Feta + a little olive oil & za’atar (optional, but so good!)
Serve with pita chips, lavash, pita or any unleavened bread, or dive into it with a fork :)
