Perfect Party Food – Roasted Mini Potatoes with Creamy Dill Pickle Dip

The holiday party season is officially upon us and the constant question of what to bring for a dish to pass or what to prepare for guests that isn’t complicated, won’t break the bank, and won’t take a ton of time to pull together, but still tastes amazing, seems to be on everyone’s mind.  The holidays are stressful.  Messed up travel plans, pushy shoppers, annoying relatives, overtired kids, crowded everything.  Can one thing not be stressful?  Can the food not be stressful?

This little gem I am about to share is my secret to stress free holiday food.  It’s simple.  It’s delicious.  It’s one dish that will satisfy the gluten free, kosher, dairy-free, nut free, vegetarian, vegan, or whatever other type of guest you need to accommodate, without alienating the rest of the crowd.  I recently brought this dish as an appetizer to two different Halloween parties and was mobbed with requests for the recipe.  People were literally shocked when I confessed that the dip was made with dairy-free sour cream, an ingredient that makes most people shudder, and rightfully so.  Because let’s be honest, I’ve been eating dairy-free for a few years now, and you really can’t even pretend that dairy-free sour cream is a remotely tasty product.  In fact, my recipe for this dill pickle dip is the result of me trying to not the waste a container I purchased to dollop on top of tacos.  The immediate gagging sounds, crinkled noses, and pursed lips from my sons made it pretty clear we wouldn’t be eating the stuff straight.  Ever.

As it turns out, this dill pickle dip also makes a great sauce for fish.  We throw it on top of salmon filets, and it’s killer on top of Trader Joe’s Frozen Mahi Burgers, along with some crisp lettuce or spinach, a tomato slice, and a slice or two of purple onion.  Roast up some of these mini potatoes to serve alongside the burgers instead of french fries, and when the sauce oozes out as you take that first juicy bite of the burger, you can sweep it up with the potatoes.  Delish.

Dill Pickle Sauce

1 12oz. container vegan sour cream (I try to get any brand that is organic/non-GMO)

1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

1-2 cloves fresh minced garlic

1/2 to 3/4 cup diced dill pickles

Pinch or two of sea salt

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine.  Store in refrigerator.  This can be served immediately, but I find it tastes even better if you make it ahead of time, as the flavors really get a chance to settle in!

Roasted Mini Potatoes

Mini Yukon gold potatoes

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Meanwhile, rinse and pat dry mini potatoes.  Place in a Ziploc bag and drizzle with enough extra virgin olive oil to coat all potatoes.  Throw in a couple of pinches of sea salt and add in some fresh ground pepper (about 6 to 8 turns on the pepper grinder).  Seal the bag and shake up the potatoes so they are thoroughly coated with the oil, salt, and pepper.  If you have time, let the potatoes sit in the bag for 20-30 minutes before cooking.  If not, continue the process by spreading the potatoes out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Sprinkle with another pinch or two of sea salt (a lot of the salt ends up sticking to the sides of the marinade bag when you roll the potatoes out).  Let potatoes roast for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice to allow for even cooking on all sides.