I was driving the car one evening with Mr NQN in the passenger seat and Miss America in the back seat. Miss America asked me how my driving was going and I answered “swimmingly thank you!” And just at that moment, I mounted a curb doing a left turn and the car made this kerthunk sound.
I was hoping that my passengers hadn’t noticed it but of course they did.
“Kerb,” Mr NQN said trying to stifle much laughter.
Having ascertained that I hadn’t hit anyone, I continued on to Miss America. “And that’s what you call an advanced manoeuvre where you get extra points for smoothly mounting the kerb” I said smiling, game show hostess style.
“I don’t drive but I’m pretty sure it’s not” Miss America said skeptically.
Dodgy driving aside Dear Reader, please allow me to offer you something much less complicated than driving. Something that won’t surprise you with out of the blue turns or stop signs. Allow me to introduce you to one of the most delicious dips I’ve ever made or eaten: the Triple Threat Dip.
It came to me after I mixed a pesto with a hummus on a cracker. The fragrant basil and salty parmesan hit me first and then the creamy hummus did afterwards. I kept thinking that it’s really no surprise that these two unusual bedfellows would be good. But something was missing. It was spice and tomato. I’ve been on a mad tomato kick this month. I think I’m feeling the end of tomato season and have been drinking tomato soup, making tomato confit and tomato tarte tatins. So to the basil pesto and hummus I added a spicy tomato pesto and tasted it and it seemed that the sun dried tomato dip was just what it needed. And even though the ingredients list is long, a lot of the ingredients are repeated so there isn’t an inordinate amount of shopping necessary and I had it all made in less than 30 minutes. It is a dip that comes with a bit of a warning though, it’s very hard to stop eating it. You could probably even hop a kerb while eating this and nobody would notice 
So tell me Dear Reader, be honest, how would you rate yourself as a driver? Do you prefer being the driver or the passenger in a car?
The Triple Threat Dip
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
For hummus
- 1x 400g tin chickpeas
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 4 tablespoons olive oil (mild flavoured)
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
For basil pesto
- 1 bunch basil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup roasted walnuts or pine nuts
- 1/4 cup olive oil (mild flavoured)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
For sun dried tomato pesto
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 150g/5 ozs sun dried tomatoes, drained
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup roasted walnuts or pine nuts
- 1/2 cup olive oil (mild flavoured) or a little more if needed
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- chilli sauce to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Tip: roast the walnuts for the basil and sun dried pestos first. To toast them, bake them in a preheated 180C/350F oven for 10 minutes spread out on a baking tray. Cool.
You will also need a food processor or blender-I used a small chopper/food processor for these.
1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. Place the garlic cloves in the processor and whiz until broken up. Add the chickpeas, tahini, olives oil and lemon juice and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in the serving dish.
2. You don’t need to rinse or clean out the processor-I use of those really handy silicon spatulas that get everything out but if you don’t have one, by all means, wipe it clean. Wash the basil and gently shake dry. Place the garlic cloves in the processor and whiz until broken up. Add the basil, parmesan cheese, nuts, oil and lemon juice and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in the serving dish on top of the hummus.
3. Again, I don’t bother washing between these two pestos as long as you’ve done a good job scraping the bowl clean with the spatula. Place the garlic cloves in the processor and whiz until broken up. Add the sun dried tomato, parmesan cheese, nuts, olive oil and lemon juice and process until smooth. Add chilli sauce to taste-I used an adobo chilli sauce from a tin of chipotle chilies. If you need more oil, you can add it to give it a less stiff consistency. Place on top of the basil pesto to create this three tiered dip.
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68 Comments | Add your own
A great idea! This dip is mouthwatering and wonderfully colorful.
Cheers,
Rosa
I love this…
Hummus, basil pesto and sundried tomtaoes pesto… This is a total bonanza.
B/W you always have the best name for recipes… Love it!
I ran into the kerb once when I’d just started driving. Unfortunately, it wrecked the metal part in the middle of the wheel (I don’t know the name! Don’t judge me! Cars have wheels and that’s all I know!). Bloody expensive, argh!
This dip looks heavenly, I’m so glad you thought to add tomato!
It must not be easy to learn to drive as an adult. It also makes it worse when people laugh, shame on mr NQN.
That dip sounds fantastic, I have a basil pesto and a white bean hummus in the fridge now, all I need is somewhere to take it!
I love the look of this recipe. I sometimes buy those triple dip packs but I mostly hate store bought dips – so this is genius
You’re a triple threat darling, you can cook and blog AND drive!
Yummy dip – love the addition of the adobo chilli sauce!
This looks like a fabulous dip – just the thing for a party or veging in front of the telly with crackers.
I’ve made this before with mascarpone as the third dip instead of hummus and it is ridiculously decadent and rich. Will definitely give this a go as a less heavy option!
Lorraine, how fun is that! I am definitely in the driver’s seat: I love driving!
Your dip looks fantastic, all I want is to dig in it with a crusty bread! Perfect! Oh, and one more thing: I made that Thai sweet and spicy sauce, it’s so good we almost spooned it out! Thanks! 
Hi Marina! Thanks very much and I’m so glad that you like the Thai sweet chilli sauce! Hehe I was the same way and we ate it on everything!
Looks delicious. There’s a bunch of fresh basil in the garden just begging to be harvested.
I live in Sydney. I’ll be chauffeured any day.
This triple dip looks fab. Great colours and must be so tasty. I’m a dreadful passenger, I always think the driver is going to crash! GG
Lovely appetizer. Just lovely colors. Great mix of flavors as well.
Yes, I think I am a good driver, though I admit that I don’t like to drive in really big cities where I don’t know my way around. But I loved your kerb story.
Ohhh great triple dip recipe Lorraine
Perfect for when I have a party next ~
Hmmm to be really honest, I think I’m a much better driver now compared to when I first started. I’m a lot more cautious now and not over confident
While my boyfriend on the other hand, is still a little too confident for my liking hehe
We’ve been mixing hommus and pesto in my house for ages, it’s so very tasty! Yes I consider myself a good driver although according to my husband I’m a very slow driver.
Delicious, Lorraine -the colours look really great too! Are you using a new camera/lens?
I definitely prefer being the passenger although, since coming back from a 2 month holiday, I enjoy being behind the wheel a lot more..
Hi Lucy! Thanks so much!
No new camera equipment and still using my Sigma lenses which I love! 
Lovely dip recipe, thans. We’re on quite a hummus binge here – ever since I worked out I could cook chick peas in the slow cooker and then freeze them!
This looks utterly delicious and I think could easily be a meal in itself.
I’m going to give it a go this weekend.
A great triple spread aka dip! The 3 layers in that glass bowl looks really tasty & apart too!
I love making different dips & spreads, you know that now!
This is even better with some good quality mascapone instead of the hummus, it gives it a beautiful creaminess and balances the richness of the pestos.
Now that’s my kind of triple threat!
My dad always said it wasn’t me he was worried about, it was the other d***heads on the road. But then, I learnt to drive in a paddock when I was eight, so I guess I had an unfair advantage.
If you’re only just learning to drive, my advice is this: if you’re on a freeway in traffic, and someone has left a gap in front of them (especially a truck), the gap is there for a good reason. Don’t zip into it. You won’t get there any faster (pet hate, in case you couldn’t tell!).
Would it be wrong to eat this all by myself? I mean, if I made it and ate it before the rest of the family saw it.. what they don’t know can’t hurt them, right?
My MiddleC just got her P’s and luckily bought her own car. We made sure it has full comprehensive insurance
Mmmmmm. This reminds me a little of a Mexican bean dip I used to make… beans spiced with an assortment of spices and crushed garlic, with layers of grated cheese. When ready to eat, mike slowly for a few minutes to melt the cheese and voila!
Love this dip Lorraine! I’m a huge fan of layered dips and digging in to get a little bit of everything.
As for driving, I’d actually say I’m a good driver. I’ll never forget the first time I drove with my husband in the car. I had to reverse park outside a cafe we were visiting for lunch, so I parked and started to get my things together to hop out of the car when I looked over and saw my husband with a look of complete shock on his face. I asked what was wrong and he said he’d never seen anyone reverse park so easily. I couldn’t help but smile.
As for whether I prefer driving or being a passenger, I actually prefer to drive, but my husband usually drives as he’s a bit old fashioned and thinks it’s odd when he sees a woman driving a man. Also, he says my only job is to sit there and look pretty while I’m chauffeured around.
WOW! I would kill for that to be in front of me right now with a packet of biscuits and some cheese.
This is going to be on my mind until I try it.
Lorraine, this just looks so good I acually find it upsetting.
I want it, and I WANT IT NOW
I, myself, am still on my Ls… Which are soon going to expire! Damned that short period of keeping our licences…
I love all 3 of those dips separately, yet I can’t imagine how it’ll taste combined together! Something about dips always keeps me coming back for more…
What a genius idea, combining 3 dips
ooh 3 of my favourite dips combined! all my friends think im weird for combining dips, i can now say nope even NQN does it!
Colorfully exciting dip to me!
Your photos are always great to see!
Used to prefer driving, now am more than happy and content on being a passenger, TRUE!
I’m looking forward to the future where you can get in a car, program it and it gets me to my destination too! lol
As I love fairly strong flavours this trio seems tailormade for me! Serve one or two or go the whole way – thanks for your recipes
! Driving: I think I’m a pretty good one with a funny twist. I don’t like speed and hence fast highway driving as far as I am concerned. Give me a busy city and tho’ I’ll rue the time in traffic and waiting at lights, I am more than comfortable negotiating all the crowded spots 
!
[sigh] Lorraine you are just so loveable! I love the stories you tell and particularly the stories about driving.
I’m a cautious driver. If I can bribe someone else to drive, I will. Mounting a curb is something I could quite easily do…
What a beautiful dip trio. I’m also starting to panic about the approaching end of tomato season!
This dip looks fabulous for parties. I love how you’ve combined them, all those flavours would go together so well, genius idea!
Irresistible is so right my friend, this looks delicious
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Oh I much prefer to drive, unless I am somewhere really scenic. Then I love to have a good look around! But you have to have a really good driver so you can enjoy looking and snapping away. Erm … no kerb-thunking! Sorry (ducks).
I love layer dips- plenty of variety to satisfy all your cravings haha. Oh my remind me to never go driving with you
I like to drive but prefer to be the passenger while my bf drives, but am a bad passenger when my mum drives (like a hoon mind you!)
This would be great for a party. Look at all those lovely layers of colors. On second thought, I might just hoard it all to myself. Forget the party. LOL
This will be an amazing thing to make for picnics! Now to rev up my hummus recipe…
oh my mouth is watering!
Hahaha,I always prefer not to be observed as I do *special* extra fancy road moves.
Pesto and hummus together?! Amazing! The two types of pesto sound so perfect together, and I kind of love that you added chili sauce to the sun dried tomato one!
Hi Rosa-Thanks so much Rosa!
Hi Reem-Thank you! Hehe that name came to me straight away! I was unable to resist it
Hi Hannah-Oh no! That’s no good at all (and I don’t know the name either) I wouldn’t judge-trust me!
Hi Laura-Thanks Laura! I’m a tomato addict
Hi Eva-It’s really hard! I don’t know if it’s harder as an adult but it’s really hard!
Oh fabulous!! 
THat’s perfect!
Hi Linda-Thank you! Yes this is really easy too! It was so quick and I didn’t even wash the chopper between dips!
Hi Celia-Haha you are too sweet!
Thanks! I love chilli 
Hi Cakelaw-Yep, I had some while watching The Oscars last night!
Hi Annie-oOoh yes mascarpone would be really rich! Yes, it’s a bit lower calorie which I need
Hi Heather-Oh that’s perfect!! Fabulous and hehe I agree, wouldn’t it be nice?
Hi GG-Thank you! Haha well perhaps I won’t be driving then. I get very anxious as a driver!
Hi Victoria-Thanks so much! Yes that can be really too challenging!! Hehe thank you!
Hi Daisy-Thank you Daisy!
I’m sure you are, practice really makes for a better driver 
Hehe oh dear Mr Bao! 
Hi Claire-Hehe I’ve always kept them separate! Oh really? I think I am too. A friend called me “careful”
Hi Amanda-Yes it’s such a tasty and healthy dip too!
Hi Ms L’Orange-I agree! Just some bread and a knife!
Please let me know what you think!
Hi Sophie33-Thank you! Yes I do too, it’s so fun
Hi Bob-Well that’s an interesting alternative but it’s also much heavier on the calories and fat
Hi vanessalillian-Thank you! Oh yes there are heaps of bad drivers, even when I was on my Ls I was sure there were others that were worse
Thanks for the advice and I agree-there are so many crazy adn risky drivers! 
Hi Rebecca-Absolutely not!
Exactly, I won’t breathe a word! 
Oh good! You can never be too safe 
Hi Tiff -Yum! That sounds amazing!
I’m drooling at the though! 
~~~
Hi Jennifer-Thanks! Hehe now that’s a skill-he clearly underestimated you! Oh really? Hmmm that’s interesting! I don’t think it has ever crossed my mind that that was odd! I think I would probably smack hubby on the arm if he said that
Hi Steph-Hehe I would love to send it to you!
If you try it, plmk what you think! 
Hi Karen-Hehe Karen you are hilarious! I loved your comment!
Hi Sherrie-They expire so quickly! It’s probably so they can make you sit yet another test! *sigh* Yes they work really well together!
Hi milkteaxx-Hehe not weird at all!
Hehe! 
Hi Joanne-Thanks Joanne!
Yes I don’t mind either. You get to see more as a passenger which I like 
Now, I’d love that!
Hi Eha-Absolutely, it’s all about strong flavours here!
Yes I don’t like freeways or highways either. I can’t drive as fast on my Ps and everyone gets so impatient!
Hi Margaret-Aww Margaret thank you!
I still find driving such a curious thing 
I’m so glad to hear I’m not the only
one! I know, me too! I love tomatoes so much and they’re just not the same in winter!
Hi Christine-Thanks! Yes it’s a great party dip because it’s also vegetarian so feeds everyone
Thank you!
Hi Uru-Thank you very much!
Hi bronnie -That’s true, scenery is a factor! Hehe you must be a really good driver!
Hi Bek-Hehe I don’t think that that will happen so you’re safe
Haha your mum drives like a hoon?
Hi Carolyn-Thanks, I agree!
Hehe no-one needs to know that there was a dip! 
Hi Midge-Thanks Midge! I hope that you like it!
Hi YaYa-Thank you!
Hi Saguna-Hehe I have to agree! It’s hard to live some down isn’t it?
Thank you! I love adding chilli to things, especially tomato! 
This looks so delicious! I never drive, hubby loves driving so I’m a very happy passenger
Yum! That’s such a pretty recipe, and I bet those three elements would taste great together! Although I’d be tempted to replace the hummus with a layer of cream cheese, hehe
xox Sarah
What a pretty triple threat. I consider myself an excellent driver (just like Rain Man) and yes, I have been known to bounce of gutters. xx
Yummo, the triple dip looks marvellous.
Good Luck with your driving, I didn’t get my license until I was 32. I would far rather drive than have other half drive, he wants to be driver AND passenger and look around when driving, scary! My brother in law is the world’s worst driver(lives at Lake Macquarie so do avoid that area!) he regularly hits kerbs and recently drove into their garage door, requiring whole wall to be rebuilt!
am sure I would love this dip – much more than I love driving – I was just thinking the other day that those people I know who got their licence as soon as they were old enough enjoy driving more but then I remembered a friend who is the exception to that rule. I drive to get there rather than living to drive!
Oooo I love this, looks so colorful and vibrant and has all the components which I like.. pesto, hummus and tomatoes!
love the whole idea, i have to take a dip next week so have my shopping list done, actually have all but basil and enough garlic… will be great for the gluten free girls too, now just gotta work out what ‘things’ to make to dip in that are grain free and yum
Great dip Lorraine, thanks for the post. I love homemade dips with everything especially veggie sticks. Can’t wait to make this combo. I’m an ok driver. I’m more cautious now that I’ve become a mother. I like being a passenger except when my mum is behind the wheels, she is shocking on the roads and shouldn’t have a driving license :-/
I’m so looking forward to tomato season this summer. You dip sounds wonderful…I can’t wait to try it.
Hahahahahaha! I was never a massive fan of driving and very rarely do it myself. Stud if the driver in our house and I got my licence to keep him happy
Now this dip on the other hand, I can totally do!! YUM!
LOL!! I read this as “Tripple Treat Dip” I am sticking with my first impression. YUM! What a treat
Oh wow this is genius! I love all three of these dips independently!
Oh yum, this tripple dip is brilliant. Would not have thought of it but it really sounds amazing. Driver, driver, drive (without a car)
LOVE the presentation of the dip! So much more attractive than three blobs next to each other on a plate!
now I want dip for dinner.
And I want to be the driver always. Except in Sydney. In Sydney I want a general anesthetic and for you to wake me when we get there… CRAZY DRIVERS!
Hi Lorraine! Love the three layered dip, fantastic colors! And the combination is so mouthwatering!
As a driver, I can say I’m improving:) I don’t like it though, I drive just because I have to. I prefer to be the passanger.
Sounds delicious and looks so pretty!
Your tomato craving is because you are sick! It’s your body’s way of telling you that you need vitamin c
I don’t know if I’m a good driver or not, but I hate to drive, I don’t like to drive, I don’t like the terrible traffic we have in Lime and I don’t like how the bus drives drive. Hope some day I can have a chofer.
Such a great idea! I love the look and flavor. Combination of hummus and pesto sounds awesome, and I must try your sun dried pesto!
i was fulling expecting to not like at least one component of your triple threat because i’m picky like that, but no–i love them all!
okay, just made this delicious combination, managed 2 glass containers looking lovely in layers, now one has had quite a bit of taste testing lol and the other one in the freezer for another day… i freeze everything!
HI Wendy! Hehe taste testing is mandatory I agree! And hehe my mum loves freezing everything too-she swears by it!
Such an easy, but superb dip! I will make this soon.
Stumbled across your blog…and I am in food porn heaven.
Just a quick question how long will the dip last in the fridge? Without any of the brood having a sneaky taste
Hi Jeskah! Thank you so much!
I left one batch in the fridge in an airtight container for a week and it lasted perfectly 
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