Make Easy Chia Seed Dressing: with Fresh Dill
Whisk together yogurt and sour cream. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Set aside 10 min for chia to swell and absorb flavors. Serve as a salad dressing, drizzle on roasted veggies, or enjoy as a creamy dip with quesadillas and other fried/savory snacks.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Sour cream - light (low-fat) preferred for vegan dressing, use your preferred vegan sour cream, preferably made with live cultures
- 1/4 cup Yogurt - plain, full fat preferred be sure to use unflavored yogurt; for vegan dressing, use your preferred vegan yogurt, preferably made with live cultures
- 1/4 cup Water
- 2 tbsp White wine vinegar if not available, use rice vinegar instead
- 1 tbsp Lime/lemon Juice - fresh preferred
- 1/8 tsp Salt adjust as per taste preference
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper - freshly crushed preferred
- 1 tbsp Chia seeds if not available, use basil seeds (Sabja, Tukmaria) - see Recipe Notes
- 1 tbsp Grated Parmesan (powder) for vegan, use your preferred substitute for Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp Fresh Dill - chopped if not available, use another fresh herb instead ( basil, thyme, rosemary - use sparingly (about 2 tsp only); I don't recommend using dried dill - it does not have much flavor at all.
Optional Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp Garlic - peeled and finely chopped or minced or use 1/8 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp Sugar
- 1/8 tsp Dried thyme
Instructions
- Measure out 1/4 cup each of fresh yogurt and sour cream. I like using home-made, full-fat yogurt and low-fat sour cream. Note: If you prefer, you can use 1/2 cup Greek yogurt instead - I do NOT recommend using the fat-free variety.
- Whisk it till smooth.
- Add 1/4 cup water, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp lime/lemon juice, 1/8 tsp each of salt and freshly crushed black pepper. Stir to mix well.
- Add 1 tbsp Chia seeds.
- Stir the seeds into the dressing: observe the Chia seeds - they start to swell almost immediately and begin to thicken the dressing.
- Add 2 tbsp grated Parmesan (powdery texture) and stir till incorporated well.
- Set aside to allow the Chia to soak further while you prep the fresh dill. Pinch off some of the feathery dill greens. Remove any thick/tough stalks. Rinse in a mesh strainer, then chop into about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) pieces - you need about 2 tbsp after chopping.
- Add the chopped dill to the dressing
- Stir to mix. Taste-test and adjust the flavors as per you preference - salt, black pepper.... You could also add a pinch of sugar if you like (1/8 tsp), or maybe a pinch of garlic powder...It's now ready to serve with a salad, and also in several other ways... see some suggestions below.
- Here are some things for you to try... a dollop on roasted baby potatoes, or other roasted veggies like cauliflower, zucchini, beets, carrots, etc.
- Serve as dipping sauce for quesadillas, along with sweet and spicy pineapple relish.
- Spread it on crunchy crackers for a tasty snack.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Chia seeds not available?
If Chia seeds are not available in your part of the world.... no worries! Make this dip with Sabja seeds instead. Also called Tukmaria, these seeds somewhat resemble Chia in appearance - black and tiny. Also like Chia, these seeds begin to swell immediately when placed in water. However, they are not related to Chia at all! In fact, they are the seeds of the Thai Basil plant (Ocimum basilicum) .- In India, Sabja seeds are used for making the popular dessert called "Falooda", and are widely available.
- In the US, most Indian grocery stores carry these seeds. They may also be available in international markets.
Do ahead for a party?
Absolutely! You can make this dressing up to 24 hours in advance of the time when you plan to serve it.- Store in a glass jar until use.
- If it looks too thick when you're ready to serve, just add a little water to thin it out.
Storing leftovers:
Store leftover dressing in a glass jar with a good lid. Refrigerate and use within 3-4 days. I have not tried freezing this dressing: I will try it soon and update as appropriate.- My feeling is that the texture of the yogurt and sour cream might not be very smooth upon thawing the frozen dressing.
- However, it may be possible to whisk it gently to smooth it out again.
Nutrition
Calories: 26kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 58mgPotassium: 39mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!