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 cannelloni 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 balance out the other flavors and add 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.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
Servings |
people |
- 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 or red bell pepper roasted or unroasted, seeded and rough chopped
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- ⅓ tsp sea salt or to taste
- ¼ cup yellow onion minced
- 1 15 oz. can low sodium black beans drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups homemade )
- 1 cup fresh salsa
- 2 Tbl Taco Seasoning or make your own: 1 Tbl. chili 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp. dried oregano, 1/4 tsp. smokey paprika, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
- 1 Package Tortilla chips or make your own. See homemade method below.
Ingredients
|
- 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.
- Makes 72 chips Ingredients:
- Corn tortillas, 12 count, cut into 6 triangles each Salt Method: Oven:
- 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.
- Place in a single layer on a plate. Microwave in batches for about 4 minutes or until crisp.
Chips not included
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. 🙂