Vegan and gluten-free dippers for ranch!

May 4, 2011 2:20 PM

Best vegan, gluten-free foods to dip into ranch?

I need to know all the best, most delicious and most creative things you can think of to dip into ranch. It can be anything from veggies to bread to some sort of bean thing I'm not thinking of - with a pretty big catch: it has to be both vegan and gluten-free (for all you who will be like "What? But... ranch??" - it's vegan ranch).

Thanks!

posted by jitterbug perfume to food & drink (18 answers total)

Broccoli. Possibly also carrot sticks. Obvious choices? Yes, because they are awesome.
posted by infinitywaltz at 2:26 PM on May 4, 2011

Bell pepper slices, jicama chunks, celery!
posted by dolface at 2:32 PM on May 4, 2011

Celery sticks. Red pepper strips. Cherry/grape tomatoes. Any kind of veggie, really. Potato chips are an obvious one. Corn chips are less obvious (tortilla or Frito-ish) but that sounds really good to me.
posted by darksong at 2:33 PM on May 4, 2011

sliced radishes and cucumbers. endive leaves. baked spicy sweet potato fries, okra or green beans. baked onion. blanched and shocked snow peas.
posted by bunderful at 2:35 PM on May 4, 2011

Popcorn
Tortilla Chips
Radishes
Tomatoes
Baby Carrots
Celery
Broccoli
Bell Peppers (green, orange, yellow, red)
posted by TooFewShoes at 2:35 PM on May 4, 2011

Lays potato chips and Kettle Chips both advertise as being gluten free.
posted by decathecting at 2:35 PM on May 4, 2011

Not dippable, but I found that kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and sunflower seeds mixed in ranch are incredibly good over a simple spinach salad.
posted by TooFewShoes at 2:37 PM on May 4, 2011

Kale chips.
posted by backwards guitar at 2:41 PM on May 4, 2011

Well, all vegetables are gluten free, and I can't think of a vegetable that wouldn't go well with ranch. Carrots, celery, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, tomatoes, etc.

How about tempeh? I haven't tried this with ranch, but the way I make tempeh is: saute strips of it in olive oil with garlic, dried dill weed, and paprika; then simmer it for at least 15 minutes in water or vegetable stock (till the liquid is gone). Of course, you'd need to use a fork to dip it.
posted by John Cohen at 2:41 PM on May 4, 2011

Try these things - saw them in the store and they look really tasty!

http://www.moomooscuisine.com/chickpea-patties.html

I bet you can cook them and cut them in to little strips, or into chunks with a toothpick inserted :)
posted by sleepykitties at 3:04 PM on May 4, 2011

Buffalo Tofu! More classically eaten with blue cheese, but ranch would be good too.
posted by c'mon sea legs at 3:15 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]

What about a gluten free, vegan falafel recipe? There are severl, I have no experience with any of them, otherwise I would link.
posted by kellyblah at 4:08 PM on May 4, 2011

Aren't potato chips gluten free? I know you can get them vegan.

As a side note, I had some awesome vegan onion dip this weekend and would love to know what the base was, because I am generally not a fan of things vegan.
posted by small_ruminant at 4:59 PM on May 4, 2011

Kale chips are super awesome, but generally (at least how I prepare them) they are not strong enough to support any sort of dip.
posted by soleiluna at 5:22 PM on May 4, 2011

French Fries!
posted by troublewithwolves at 5:33 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]

I second falafel. I have an old favorite baked falafel recipe that a friend makes gluten free by subbing rice flour (I use toasted wheat germ.) Here's her version of it.

Baked Falafel

3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup tahini
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 cup brown rice flour, divided use

Sauté onion and garlic over medium heat until
translucent - about 5 minutes.

Blend all ingredients except rice flour in a food processor. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in ½ cup rice flour.

Form chickpea mixture into 16 balls. Roll balls in remaining rice flour, and flatten slightly to form patties. Spray a baking sheet with cooking-oil spray.
Place falafel patties on baking sheet and spray the tops lightly with more cooking oil spray. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, turning over after 10 minutes.

Serves 4
posted by zinfandel at 6:27 PM on May 4, 2011 [4 favorites]

Falafel! Make 'em by hand. With a little practice, they're pretty easy.
posted by stoneweaver at 8:56 PM on May 4, 2011

Roasted chickpeas! You may need to use a toothpick to pick them up with, but they're delicious with ranch. Even better if, instead of dipping them, you roast them in some kind of ranch seasoning.
posted by kro at 9:35 PM on May 4, 2011