With football in the air, the first thing that comes to mind is cheese dip. Unfortunately, vegan cheese dip isn't often found in local bars and restaurants. In fact, finding a vegan cheese dip in most places is difficult, especially one that tastes good with hot pretzels. We often like to watch football at home, so we can eat. Or, like many other plant-based people, we eat before we go. The longer I have been vegan, however, I now take food to people's houses without any hesitation.
WHEN IN DOUBT, BRING YOUR OWN FOOD
If we get invited to a party, I always bring a couple of appetizers, because the food I bring may be the only plant-based food we can eat. Simply put, I like to eat, and I’m not going to be hungry at meat and cheese-fest. I do though, like my carnivore friends, despite their food choices, so I bring food, I eat, and I'm happy.
PLANT-BASED CHEESE DIP MADE OF VEGETABLES NOT NUTS
Lets first discuss taste; cheese sauce, for example, has little to do with tasting like cheese. In fact, its the salty, savory component that brings people back for more. And, the creamy, hot texture of a dip is just simply appealing. So, pant based people should dip happily.
Although many store-bought cheese alternatives exist, my Skinny Nacho “Cheese” Sauce made from potatoes and carrots is my go-to base cheese dip for a variety of recipes. First, I plan ahead and make a large batch of cheese sauce, and then use it for a variety of recipes by tweaking the base recipe to meet my particular recipe needs.
HOW TO DIP LIKE A PROFESSIONAL
For skinny mustard cheese dip, for example, I made my base Skinny Nacho “Cheese” Sauce without the Rotel tomatoes and added ½ cup yellow mustard instead. Next, you just reheat and serve with hot soft pretzel bites or regular pretzels. Roasted Cauliflower, is another great dipping option for this cheese sauce.
I was able to take the mustard cheese dip to the party and zap it in the microwave to make it piping hot, but you can heat it on the stove as well. I used frozen Super Pretzel Soft Pretzel Bites, which are vegan and have no added fat or oil. The pretzels, for example, literally cook in 5 minutes in a 400-degree oven.
Beer vegan cheese dip, however, just requires the addition ½ cup of your favorite beer. However unappealing this sounds to me personally, there isn't a man I know who hasn't eaten the whole bowl and looked around for more.
And if you like these options, you are sure to like my personal favorite Skinny Chili ‘Cheese’ Dip.
Skinny Mustard "Cheese" Dip
Ingredients
- 2 cups Skinny Nacho “Cheese” Sauce without the Rotel tomatoes recipe below
- ½ cup prepared yellow mustard; you may also use brown mustard or spicy mustard or any type of mustard you like depending on the type of dip you desire.
- 1 box Super Pretzel Soft Pretzel Bites or hard pretzels (sticks); pita bread works as well.
Mustard Cheese Ingredients:
- 3 small Idaho potatoes washed, scrubbed, skin left on
- 3 large carrots
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 Tablespoon Tamari liquid aminos or soy sauce
- 1 Jalapeno; seeded and cut
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce I used Chalupa
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup yellow mustard set aside; do not blend in blender with the above ingredients
Instructions
- Wash three averaged sized potatoes; cut into large chunks (leave skins on potatoes)
- Clean and cut three large carrots and chop them the same size as potatoes
- Place in a large soup pot; cover in water
- Boil for 20 minutes
- While potatoes are boiling, put vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, jalapeno, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, hot sauce and soy sauce in a blender
- Drain potatoes and carrots
- Put potatoes and carrots into a blender; blend until smooth
- Mixture will be thick; add water
- Measure 2 cups of cheese sauce and put in a small sauce pan; reserve the rest in a different container (it makes a lot, so you can use it for other recipes throughout the week)
- Add ¾ cup yellow mustard and cook on low while pretzels cook
- *You can also separate 2 cups of cheese, mix in the mustard and put in a container and microwave later.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Ian
This recipe worked like a charm.