Mild Cheesy Dip

Excerpted from Plant-Powered Families by Dreena Burton

Many of you have asked for a nut-free version of my popular Vegveeta Dip from Let Them Eat Vegan. Here it is! Using precooked potatoes as a base, the mixture magically transforms into a thick, bubbly, creamy dip with a very mild cheesy flavor. Be sure to try it with salsa!

Makes about 2 1/4 cups

3/4 cup peeled, precooked, and roughly chopped yellow or red potato
3 tablespoons rolled oats
2–2 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (see note)
2 tablespoons tahini
1 1/2 tablespoons chickpea or other mild miso
1 tablespoon white chia seeds
1 small clove garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8–1/4 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
1 1/4 cups plain unsweetened nondairy milk (plus more to thin as desired; see note)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2–1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar or pure maple syrup
1/4–1/2 cup salsa (optional; see note)

Combine all ingredients except salsa in a blender (starting with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast) and puree until very smooth.

Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan, and heat over low/ low-medium heat for 5–8 minutes, stirring often, until mixture starts to slowly bubble and thicken. Avoid thickening the sauce over high heat because it can cause scorching. Add extra salt/ lemon juice to taste, and 1–2 tablespoons of milk to thin sauce if desired. Stir in optional salsa, and serve!

Nutritional Yeast Note: Adjust the nutritional yeast to taste. My kids love the full 2 1/2 tablespoons, but adults may prefer 1/2–2 tablespoons.

Milk Note: I prefer to use plain, unsweetened soy or almond milk in this cheese dip. If you can’t use nut milks, then opt for soy.

Salsa Note: We love this dip with several tablespoons of mild salsa added in. You can also try adding chopped sun-dried tomatoes, minced green onions or chives, sliced olives, fresh herbs, a few tablespoons of chopped jalapeño peppers, or a few dashes of hot sauce to kick up the heat!

Idea: Try adding 1/4 cup of diced raw carrot when blending. It adds a nice pop of orange color to the dip. If using a standard blender, you may want to cook carrots until tender to fully puree.

2 Comments

  1. Kate said on

    What can be substituted for miso. Soy sauce? Hubby can’t have miso.

  2. Heather Butterfield said on

    Hi Kate! Dreena has these recommendations: “If you cannot use miso, best to add a little extra salt to taste. There are different varieties of miso, so if there is something specific to the brand/type of miso you’ve tried in the past, you might look for another brand with different ingredients.”

Leave a Reply

Connect with us

Calendar

March 2024
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

Subscribe to our Newsletter