Spreads

The hands-off process of straining yogurt overnight yields labneh, a thicker, creamy spread you’ll use in everything from dips to dressings.

Our best lemon curd recipe is low-effort, high-reward, and results in a spread so light you’ll want to eat it with a spoon.

Combine perfectly ripe, in-season stone fruit (like peaches, plums, or cherries!) with a rich sweet caramel for the perfect ice cream, pound cake, and yogurt topping.

This versatile condiment takes a page from Paula Wolfert’s original version in her book, The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen, in which a surplus of greens gets cooked down to a deeply savory jammy consistency.

Nam prik is a delicious chile-based dip found all over Thailand. Here's our healthyish take on it.

An easy, cheesy dip you can serve this with pretzels, your favorite kind of crackers, or a platter of crudités.

Our version of this dip (called borani esfanaaj in Iran) uses spinach, but it can be made with cooked beets or roasted eggplant, too.

You can replace some of the cilantro or parsley with other tender herbs—basil, dill, chives. Just make sure to include the tarragon; it gives the dip an anise-y, bittersweet punch.

The almond purée that is added to the smoked trout will fool you into thinking there’s a boatload of dairy in this dip. It gives the dip an outrageously creamy consistency.

Creamy avocado hummus, where have you been all our lives?

A little bit of coconut oil make this curried hummus a complete dream.

Harissa + hummus = heaven.

Adding water is key to a smooth and spoonable consistency.

Beer + cheese = the best combination ever.

There’s no substitute for quince, which is closely related to apples and pears. If you can’t find it fresh, look for a high-quality quince jam from a Middle Eastern market.

Blooming the spices—i.e., warming them in oil until they’re fragrant—awakens them and brings out a toasty flavor.

This tangy and slightly tropical curd recipe makes a good layer cake or meringue pie filling. Or, you know, dip shortbread cookies into it. If gifting this, transfer it to a glass jar and make sure the lucky recipient knows to keep it chilled.

Cooking the livers to medium/medium-rare in this recipe is key to a moist and rich tasting spread. Overcooking them will make the finished dish dry and crumbly.