I took a traditionally dairy filled party staple and turned it into a hot, creamy and mouthwatering vegan buffalo chicken dip! The most amazing remake ever!
Originally published
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.
It’s no secret that I love buffalo sauce. You also know I love a delicious creamy sauce! So it should be no surprise to you that this dip is my idea of heaven.
I challenge you to make it for your next party and see if anyone has any idea there is no dairy. This dip will stand up next to all it’s chicken and cream cheese based counterparts!
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies. It’s so versatile and the perfect chicken substitute in this vegan buffalo chicken dip. Plus it adds some extra veggies into an otherwise veggie free recipe!
How do you make the dairy free creamy base?
The best part about this vegan buffalo chicken dip is that it can stand up to any dairy based equivalent. My love for creating non dairy alternatives for popular dairy based dishes is strong! Showing that they can taste just as good, and even better, is always my goal.
The creamy base that makes this appetizer (or snack/dinner/breakfast/anything really) go from amazing to mind blowing incredible, is achieved from a combination of ingredients. Each one contributes equally and all are necessary to reach ultimate buffalo dip heaven.
- Potato- gives the gooey creamy base that all dips need for ultimate texture.
- Cashews- the star of most vegan cream sauces for a reason. These amazing nuts give a dairy tasting base like no other.
- White beans- these protein packed powerhouses help contribute to the creamy nature of this dip with also cutting a lot of the fat that extra nuts would give.
- Cashew milk- my go to non dairy milk of choice for the amazing creamy texture and flavor it contributes to everything it is in. I used the Silk brand for this recipe for it’s creamy flavor that shows you that you do not need to compromise when it comes to dairy free alternatives!
Adjusting Spiciness Levels
You can really adjust the level of spice in this with how much (or little) hot sauce you put into this dip. There are different types of hot sauce out there as well, so use the one that you love the most!
If you take out some of the hot sauce, you’ll need to replace it with some other liquid to maintain the texture of this. You can definitely use broth and/or cashew milk, but if you want to get creative you could try a mild salsa as well.
If you love creamy dips but not the spice, give these other favorites a try:
- Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Vegan Bean Dip
- Fully Loaded Guacamole
- Vegan Chili Cheese Dip
- Mexican White Cheese Dip
Can you make this buffalo dip ahead of time?
This recipe can easily be made ahead of time. Which makes it an excellent candidate to take with you to all those holiday parties. I wouldn’t make it more than a few days before you need it. You want the flavor to be nice and fresh.
The best way to make this so that it tastes the best is to wait to bake it until you’re ready to serve. Make the dip, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to bake. Take it out the morning of, and allow it to return to room temperature.
You can bake it in a glass dish or if you are traveling with it, I would choose cookware that has a lid and travels well. Something similar to the item below would be perfect!
KOVOT 1.8 Quart Ceramic Round Casserole Bakeware Dish With Lid – Ivory White With Antique-Style Finish
If you want to take this with you and keep it nice and hot! You can always invest in a travel bag for your dishes. These are great for transporting any dish you want to keep warm.
Insulated Expandable Double Casserole Carrier and Lasagna Holder for Picnic Potluck Beach Day Trip Camping Hiking – Hot and Cold Thermal Bag in Gray – Tote can hold 11 x 15 or 9 x 13 baking dish
Make sure that when you’re reheating this dish, that you let the cookware come up to room temperature before popping it into the oven. You don’t want your nice bakeware to crack.
How To Make Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Bake cauliflower.
- Blend sauce.
- Add baked cauliflower into sauce.
- Put into a baking dish.
- Bake and devour!
If you like buffalo flavor, you should also try these amazing recipes:
I took a traditionally dairy filled party staple and turned it into a hot, creamy and mouthwatering vegan buffalo chicken dip! The most amazing remake ever!
- 1 head cauliflower , medium sized
- ½ cup buffalo cayenne pepper hot sauce (I like Franks brand)
- 1 cup cooked potato , about 1 medium potato
- 1 cup raw cashews (see note)
- ½ cup cooked white beans , drained and rinsed ( I use canned)
- ¼ cup cashew milk (I use Silk brand, almond would work too)
- ¼ cup veggie broth , low sodium if needed
- ¼ cup buffalo cayenne pepper hot sauce (I like Franks brand)
- ¼ of a medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
Preheat oven to 450°F/230°C.
Chop cauliflower and mix with ½ cup hot sauce until fully coated.
Spread out on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes until slightly crisp. After baking it should be about 3 cups cauliflower (easier to measure after baking as it is softer and fits into a measuring cup easier).
Lower oven temp to 350°F/180°C.
Cook potato and onion by boiling until soft.
Place all sauce ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Then pour into a large bowl. You can also pulse baked cauliflower here if you prefer smaller pieces.
Put baked cauliflower into the bowl with the sauce and mix well.
Pour into a square baking dish (I used an 8 x 8 inch). Or you can also use smaller baking ramekins or casserole bowls.
Bake at 350°F/180°C for 15-20 minutes. Check at 15 minutes and see if it has formed a nice firm layer on the top. Everything is cooked already so no need to worry about the cauliflower cooking, but you want it nice and heated all the way through. Keep in mind it will cook a little more as it is cooling.
Enjoy nice and warm with your favorite tortilla chips, celery, veggies or crackers!
Equipment
- I prefer to use a veggie broth without tomato in the base.
- If you are not using a high speed blender you can either soak the cashews overnight or grind them into a fine powder using a coffee grinder.
Tips to prep ahead:
- Make sauce. Soak cashews if not using a high speed blender.
TheresaS says
Could you substitute jack fruit for a more chicken-like texture? My husband is interested in dabbling in more veg based dishes and want to ease him in with tasty treats. 🙂 And also try to skip it in to a regular party. Thanks!
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Theresa!! So happy to hear the hubby is interested. I swear if he liked buffalo dip he will love this. My dad swore up and down this had dairy at Christmas! LOL You can use jackfruit but in my opinion it isn’t the best texture, it is too mushy for me. I only like it when I bake it to dry it out then add it to things. But give it a shot and let me know how it goes!
Ashley says
AMAZING! I don’t think I’ve ever commented on a recipe before. Was feeling ‘naughty’ on NYE and made this up. I was intrigued by the idea of beans and potato and cauliflower – it works! My carnivorous teenager inhaled it as well. Printed and in my binder of recipes. Cannot thank you enough! One small question- how would this freeze? Any experience with this? No worries, if not, I’ll give it a try since I’ll be the sole one pigging out on it! Thank you!
veggiesdontbite says
I am so happy you liked it Ashley!! And so did others. Thank you so much for the great review! I freeze this all the time. The only thing to remember is that the texture will defrost a little weird, but when you heat it up and give it a quick mix, it will get creamy smooth again. Let me know if you try it!
Courtney says
Can you make this ahead of time, refrigerate it overnight, and then bake it the following day? Will it still turn out okay? If so, should I increase cooking time? Thanks!
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Courtney! Yes, you can definitely make this ahead of time and put it in the fridge. I would take it out of the fridge a few hours before you want to bake it to allow it to get to room temperature. Then bake as normal. Keep an eye on it but it shouldn’t need anything different.
Crystal says
This is my go-to for any potlucks!!! I am curious if I could double it and freeze half for an event have in a couple weeks?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Crystal! yep, you could definitely freeze it. I would freeze it before baking through so it doesn’t dry out when you reheat it. Just let it defrost slowly on the counter, then bake.
Jolisha Muna says
Hello. I would love to try this recipe and was wondering if by cooked white beans you mean you cooked them yourself or will canned work?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Jolisha! Yes! I use canned. I update the recipe to make it more clear!
Laurel says
This was awesome! I made it for Monday night football watching and husband and I loved it. We had tortilla chips and carrot sticks with it. Celery sticks would have been perfect if we had them. If it’s a bit spicy for some, I’d recommend leaving off the hot sauce on the roasting cauliflower and just put the 1/4 c in the sauce. It was perfect for us, with a good kick of Frank’s hot sauce. We also liked the cauliflower being mostly blended small. Thanks!
veggiesdontbite says
I’m so happy you liked it Laurel!! It’s one of our favorites too! Thanks so much for your feedback.
Cynthia says
Hi Stephanie!
What if you are allergic to Nuts? Can you substitute?
Thank you
Cynthia
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Cynthia! So cashews really give this an ultimate creaminess. However if you are allergic, you can try adding a combo of more potatoes/white beans/cauliflower to make up for it!
patty clark says
The garlic is raw and cooked when the dip is baked. I added two large cloves and even after baking there was a raw garlic spiciness that I didn’t find appealing. I would try roasting the garlic next time. Overall a tasty recipe I will do again!
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Patty! We love garlic, but even then I didn’t find this overly garlicky. If you did then definitely try adding less or you could roast it as well. Glad you liked it overall!
Mary Olson says
My sister shared this recipe with me and I am so happy. We did not bake the dip and serve it hot, instead we use it cold right out of the blender! perfect veggie dip, or substitute for mayo on sandwiches. We also used it as the filling in stuffed mushrooms that we did bake and it was awesome. Very versatile.
Today I was making this and realized I am out of potato. So rather than go to the store, I experimented to see if just adding extra white beans would keep the texture or if the potato is a must have ingredient. While the texture wasn’t exactly the same, it worked in a pinch.
veggiesdontbite says
I’m so happy to hear Mary!! I love it cold as well. And good to know about the white bean sub!
Casey says
Oh my goodness. The best vegan dip and so healthy. I can’t wait to fake out my non-vegam family members with it!! Thank you for the amazing recipe.
veggiesdontbite says
Yay! I am so happy you like it!
Stephanie says
Could we do this in a crockpot??
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Stephanie! I’m sure you can! I haven’t tried it so not sure on timing, but most everything is cooked so you just need to keep checking for thickness and when it starts browning on the edges. Let me know if you try it!
Debby says
Did you try it in the crockpot? Great idea.
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Debby! I have not tried it in the crockpot but I bet it would work!