Sometimes a recipe speaks to you. Its creamy goodness may be something from your past or something you’ve been craving but avoiding.
This is one of those recipes, even the name “chili cheese dip” gets my mouth watering. I was out of corn tortillas but it didn’t matter, I just couldn’t wait to try this recipe.
I can’t ever remember eating Chili Cheese Dip but boy was I ready after having a great workout earlier. I’m starting a running program and the idea that I could eat this dip without guilt was even better.
Want more healthy and Savory Plant-based recipes? Here’s a few more to try:
- Cashew Cheese Sauce
- Oil-Free Potato, Yam or Tortilla Chips – A perfect pairing
- Chili-Topped Potatoes with Corn Salsa
- Enchilada Casserole
There are cashews in this recipe and they add creaminess but some of you may be avoiding added fats. If that’s the case, try substituting 1 can of drained cannellini beans for the cashews.
But you should note that cashews are one of many “healthy fats” that our bodies need and in moderation, the benefits far outweigh the cons.
Dr. Weil has a great read about how to portion a healthy balance of nuts into your diet without increasing your caloric intake.
This dip has a spicy tang from the salsa and the satisfying addition of black beans balances out the other flavors and adds the heartiness any good bean dip or chili should have.
My plan was to serve it at a gathering of my long-time gourmet club friends. We’ve been having “gourmet” gatherings for over 25 years.
I’m hosting this time in Boulder and they’re all coming from California. The theme: “Vegan Mexican” and this will be our starter.
I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Chili Cheese Dip! If you have a photo, post it on my Facebook page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking
This recipe is Plantricious Friendly because it meets the following guidelines.
The Trusted Seal for
Plant-Based Nutrition
- Must be whole food plant-based, contains no animal products
- May be minimally processed
- No added oil
- No added sugars
- No artificial additives or preservatives
- *Plantricious Friendly foods may include but are not limited to condiments, fermented foods, soups, sauces, beverages, dressings, marinades, etc.
Chili Cheese Dip
Equipment
- Silicone Cooking Utensil Set
- Baking Sheet or
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews (or substitute 1 can drained cannellini beans)
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (or 1 cup homemade)
- 2 tsp chili powder
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 whole orange bell pepper (or red) roasted or unroasted, seeded and rough chopped
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- ¼ cup yellow onion minced
- 1 15 oz. can no salt black beans drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups homemade )
- 1 cup fresh salsa (low-sodium)
- 2 Tbl salt-free taco seasoning like No-Salt Mrs. Dash's
- 1 Package Tortilla chips or make your own. See homemade method below.
Instructions
- Soak the raw cashew at least 1 hour or longer up to 24 hours.
- Place the soaked, drained cashews, almond milk, nutritional yeast, bell pepper, chili powder, lemon juice, mustard, and salt in a blender and blend a few minutes until smooth. Set aside.
- Water sauté the onions in a large frying pay for a few minutes, stirring so they don’t stick.
- Add the drained and rinsed beans, salsa, taco seasons and heat for about 5 minutes to combine flavors.
- Pour in the “cheese” sauce and stir to combine.
- Heat through.
- Serve with crackers or baked tortillas.
Baked Tortilla Chips
- Makes 72 chips
- Corn tortillas, 12 count, cut into 6 triangles each
- Preheat over to 390 degrees
- Place in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle or spray a small amount of water over the chips and lightly salt.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Watch them carefully as they’re easy to overcook.
Microwave:
- Place in a single layer on a plate.Microwave in batches for about 4 minutes or until crisp.
I’m going to make this thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome. I’m pretty sure you’re going to like this one! ????
Looks yummy. How much is one serving of the dip?
One serving is about 1 cup.
Is French’s yellow mustard the same as prepared mustard?
Yep, that’s it.
I made this dip for a potluck at work and it was gone before the end of the day. Everyone loved how creamy it was. I didn’t have regular mustard, so I used dry mustard powder instead and instead of red pepper flakes for the taco seasoning, I used a squirt of sirrahca.
Hey Deanna, I’m so happy to hear that the dip was a success! Thanks so much for the feedback and it’s great that you could mix up the ingredients. I encourage people to do that and experiment a bit with their own take. Yay!
This dip looks amazing! I don’t have fresh salsa – is bottled chunky salsa ok?
Sure, that would work just fine. 🙂
Just made this and I love it! So much more tastier than making plain cashew “queso” because of the added beans and onions. Will definitely make this again.
Thanks, Kelly, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 💕 It’s one of my favorites, too. 🙂
Served over a baked potato. Very good! Definitely a repeat dish.
Thanks, Kristi. It’s one of my favorites.
How much is a serving size.
Hi Jo, I calculated an estimate but would need to make the recipe to check for certain. It’s about 1 cup per serving. It’s 1/6 of the recipe, but I’m sure that doesn’t help much. I’ll update it soon after making the recipe.