Crazy Easy Oil-Free, Nut-Free Baked “Cheese” Dip
Growing up we lived about 10 minutes from one set of grandparents and spent most of our holidays with them. My grandma loved to cook good food, and we had a handful of favorite family tradition we would pull out every single year.
At Christmas time one of our favorites was a classic cheese log–cream cheese, cheddar cheese and more rolled up with a walnuts on the outside. It was one of those things I really only had once a year and was always so excited about it!
While I spent the early years of my plant-based journey continuing to enjoy some of these favorites on special occasions, for the most part now I am determined to find a whole food substitution.
I had looked at lots of recipes and most were based in coconut oil and nuts and still pretty packed with plant-based fat. And while I think this is a great next step for anyone working to find plant bs animal options, I was ready for something oil-free and just enough fat to make it something my kids would gobble down.
This recipe is so easy I’ve been testing it on my kids for an after-school snack, but throwing it in the oven with a fancy garnish makes it a great hot dip to pull out for a special occasion.
One of our favorite traditions that lives on is appetizer night on Christmas Day. It’s a great way to pull out simple yet festive foods and give everyone a chance to contribute (each of my boys has chosen one food item to be in charge of for either breakfast or dinner on Christmas Day as has the other family members we’ll be with–I have found appetizer night to be such a great way to stick to plant-based eating and accommodate other guests and their favorites as well).
But this cheese dip is essentially a cheesy tasting hummus, baked to create a crisp top under which the warm gooey goodness is hiding out beneath. It’s as delicious on fresh celery as it is on crackers and has been disappearing in no time!
I used some tahini (or cashews if you don’t need nut-free) to add some fat and richness. This is an area where you can customize to taste. It can be omitted completely, or you can include more for a richer final product. Just keep in mind that if you add a lot more, you’ll want to use it in place of the chickpeas to keep your spice ratio about the same.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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- 2 14 oz cans white beans (navy, chickpea, etc.) or 3 cups, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 tsp each granulated onion, garlic and smoked paprika see notes
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 T apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup water more as needed
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, cashews, tahini optional, more or less to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions optional
- green onion, chopped walnuts for garnish optional
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 425. Puree all ingredients except green onions and garnish in blender or food processor until smooth. Stir in chopped green onion if using and top with optional garnish (or save fresh green onion to garnish after). Spread in a pie plate and bake for 15-20 minutes until top is slightly dry.
**I used granulated onion and garlic from Costco. If using onion and/or garlic powder, start with 1/2 tsp and add more to taste as the flavor is more concentrated.
**I like to use home-cooked beans that have been slightly overcooked. For canned or firmer beans, you may need to add additional water to achieve a smooth consistency.