When trying to decide on an appetizer to bring to a potluck last weekend, I was tempted to go with an old standby, like hummus or my new favorite pesto .

In my experience, preparing food for a party isn’t the time to experiment with a radical new recipe. Unless, of course, you have a back-up plan ready when things go wrong.

Since I hate to miss an opportunity to try out a NEW recipe– especially when I know I’ll have a crowd of guests to act as my taste-testers– I decided to take a risk, and try my hand at a vegan cheese dip that would please a crowd.

plate with baby carrots, cauliflower pieces, cucumber slices and a bowl of thai coconut curry soup - 1 plate with baby carrots, cauliflower pieces, cucumber slices and a bowl of thai coconut curry soup - 2

Luckily, my risk paid off.

And now I have a big batch of vegan pesto that I don’t need to use as my backup plan anymore. (It’s a good thing it freezes well.)

Red Pepper Cheese Dip (vegan) makes 3 cups

inspired by Doris Choi

Ingredients:

2 red bell peppers, cut and seeded 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 3/4 cup Nutritional Yeast flakes 3/4 cup raw tahini 2-3 cloves garlic (I used 3, but I really like garlic) 1 1/2 teaspoons Himalayan salt 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Throw all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender , and blend until smooth and creamy.

red pepper cheease dip poured into a glass bowl - 3 red pepper cheease dip poured into a glass bowl - 4

Adjust seasonings to taste, then transfer to bowl and store in the fridge until ready to serve. The cheese sauce will thicken up when chilled, so I recommend chilling the sauce at least an hour or two before serving.

cheese dip in a glass bowl with baby carrots in a ziploc bag - 5 cheese dip in a glass bowl with baby carrots in a ziploc bag - 6

Serve with your favorite raw veggies, or chips, and enjoy!

IngredientsUS CustomaryMetric1x2x3x

  • 2 red bell peppers , cut and seeded
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup Nutritional Yeast flakes
  • 3/4 cup raw tahini
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Himalayan salt
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • Throw all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender, and blend until smooth and creamy.
  • Adjust seasonings to taste, then transfer to bowl and store in the fridge until ready to serve. The cheese sauce will thicken up when chilled, so I recommend chilling the sauce at least an hour or two before serving.
  • Serve with your favorite raw veggies, or chips, and enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition

Per Serving: Calories: 428, Fat: 32g, Carbohydrates: 24g, Fiber: 7g, Protein: 16g

This recipe makes a LOT of sauce, so feel free to make a half-batch if you’re not hosting a party, or have a smaller family to cater to. (Or freeze the extras to enjoy for later!)

Personally, I’ve had no problem polishing off the leftovers–> I’ve poured this cheese sauce over everything from leafy green salads to warm steamed veggies.

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It’s delicious either way.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Reader Feedback: What’s your go-to dish to bring to a potluck?

Red pepper cheese dip - 9

Red Pepper Cheese Dip (Vegan)

Ingredients

  • 2 red bell peppers , cut and seeded
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup Nutritional Yeast flakes
  • 3/4 cup raw tahini
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Himalayan salt
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • Throw all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender, and blend until smooth and creamy.
  • Adjust seasonings to taste, then transfer to bowl and store in the fridge until ready to serve. The cheese sauce will thicken up when chilled, so I recommend chilling the sauce at least an hour or two before serving.
  • Serve with your favorite raw veggies, or chips, and enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition

https://detoxinista.com/red-pepper-cheese-dip-vegan/