Roasted Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Name: Roasted Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 whole garlic heads, whole, unpeeled; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided; ¾ cup (120 g) sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), drained and chopped; 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, at room temperature, cut into chunks; ½ cup (125 ml) ricotta cheese; ¼ cup (30 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh basil, loosely packed, torn; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; to taste kosher salt; to taste black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A vibrant, creamy Mediterranean dip made with roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and cream cheese, finished with fresh basil. Smooth, rich, and bursting with depth, it's perfect for entertaining or a simple appetizer. Serve warm or at room temperature with crackers, crudités, or crusty bread.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: About 2 cups (480 ml)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
Have cream cheese at room temperature for smooth blending
Gather all ingredients before starting

1
Roast the garlicOven 400°F / 205°C
- Cut the top off each garlic head to expose the cloves.
- Place cut-side up in a small baking dish.
- Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Cover loosely with foil and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 30–35 minutes until the cloves are soft, golden, and fragrant.
- The garlic will smell sweet and nutty.
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Ready when: Cloves are soft, golden, and fragrant
Tip: Don't skip covering the garlic—it prevents the cloves from drying out.
2
Cool and extract garlic
- Remove the roasted garlic from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Squeeze or press each clove out of its skin into a small bowl.
- You should have about ⅓ cup (80 ml) of soft, sweet roasted garlic pulp.
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Ready when: Garlic cloves separate easily from skins
Tip: If garlic is still too hot, let it cool a bit longer to avoid burns.
3
Combine cheeses and garlic
- Add the room-temperature cream cheese, ricotta, and roasted garlic pulp to a food processor.
- Pulse until mostly smooth, 1–2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse again briefly.
- The mixture should be creamy but with some small texture, not completely uniform.
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Ready when: Mixture is mostly smooth and creamy with minimal lumps
Tip: Over-processing will make the dip dense; pulse gently and stop while some texture remains.
4
Add sun-dried tomatoes and herbs
- Add the drained, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, torn basil, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Pulse until just combined, about 1 minute.
- The sun-dried tomatoes should be visible in streaks throughout the dip.
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Ready when: Sun-dried tomatoes are distributed and basil is roughly chopped
Tip: Avoid over-blending or the basil will brown and lose its fresh flavor.
5
Season and taste
- Drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
- Start with ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) of salt and adjust from there.
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Ready when: Flavors are balanced and taste suits your preference
Tip: Taste carefully—the sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan are already salty.
6
Transfer and serve
- Spoon the dip into a serving bowl or shallow baking dish.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil and garnish with a few basil leaves or a light sprinkle of red pepper flakes if desired.
- Serve at room temperature or gently warmed, with crusty bread, crackers, vegetable crudités, or toasted bread chips.
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Tip: For a warm dip, transfer to a shallow baking dish and warm in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 10 minutes just before serving.

Good to know

Tips

Roasted garlic is sweet and mild—the slow roasting transforms raw garlic's sharpness into creamy, caramelized depth, so don't skip this step or substitute raw garlic.
Sun-dried tomatoes vary in oil content; if yours are very oily, drain thoroughly before chopping to prevent a greasy dip.
This dip benefits from resting for 30 minutes after blending so flavors marry—but it's delicious served immediately too.
For a warm, elegant appetizer, transfer the finished dip to a shallow baking dish, top with a few fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil, and warm gently before serving alongside toasted baguette slices or crackers.

Make ahead

Prepare up to 3 days ahead; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature or warm gently before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (2 hours): Keep covered. Refrigerator (3 days): Store in an airtight container. To reheat, transfer to a shallow baking dish and warm at 325°F (160°C) for 10 minutes. Freezer (up to 1 month): Freeze in an airtight container or bag; thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat as above.

Substitutions

ricotta cheese → Greek yogurt (use ½ cup / 125 ml). Makes the dip slightly tangier and lighter; reduces richness a bit.
sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed) → Roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and chopped (use ¾ cup / 120 g). Offers a milder, sweeter flavor and smoother texture; skip the red pepper flakes if substituting.
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese → Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (use ¼ cup / 30 g). Creates a more robust, peppery flavor.
fresh basil → Fresh parsley (use ¼ cup / 15 g) or 2 teaspoons (2 g) dried Italian seasoning. Dried herbs won't offer the same brightness; reduce quantity if using dried.