Looking for a dairy-free, sour cream-like dipping experience? Look no further – even vegans can dip!
I wanted to create a creamy vegan onion dip for chips and veggies to completely dazzle guests and for those fun movie nights at home.
From the amount of “mmm’s” I received, I think I succeeded!
Whenever I am faced with a vegan challenge involving either a cheesey taste or any type of creamy texture that I need to create, my first impulse is to experiment with soaked cashews. They work so well for these types of recipes. Their soft texture, neutral taste and light color make them the perfect dairy alternative. They are also extremely healthy. I get them raw and unsalted to maximize their nutritional value.
I personally love hot peppers, but the jalapeño is entirely optional here. Likewise, the chili flakes can be left out to create a mild version of this dip.
Adding an avocado to this recipe is a tasty alternative, making it even more creamy! The avocado doesn’t keep fresh as well as the other ingredients in this recipe, so add it only if you plan on eating the entire quantity right away. Also, I suggest to make the dip the day before if you can because I find it tastes best when the flavors have had sufficient time to marinate. However, do not add the avocado the day before. Add it to the dip right before serving. Just mash it well with a fork and mix it into the dip. Really delicious!
As many of you know, I am in the final stages of writing my cookbook, Cooking with Amore: 100 Vegan Recipes for Health, Well-being and Spiritual Evolution. This dip is just one of the irresistible recipes you will find among the 100 I created. The book will be published sometime this summer, and will be followed by a launch party, to which all of you will be invited!
In the meantime, have fun and enjoy this amazing totally vegan recipe!
Maria’s Creamy Cashew Onion Jalapeño Dip
Ingredients:
Makes approximately 6-8 servings
1 cup (250 ml) raw cashews, soaked overnight
½ cup (125 ml) water
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
2 teaspoons (10 ml) lemon juice
4 tablespoons (60 ml) nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons (10 ml) sea salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) black pepper
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) red chili flakes
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried chives
2 cloves of garlic, minced
⅓ cup (80 ml) green onion, finely chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh dill, chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh parsley, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
Method:
1. Drain cashews and place in a blender or food processor. Add water, oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, chili flakes, garlic, parsley and sea salt. Add the mashed avocado, if desired. Blend until creamy.
2. Pour into bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Garnish with added chives, small pieces of green onion and jalapeño pepper if desired.
3. Chill for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator to allow all the flavours to blend perfectly. If you can, make this dip the day before and let the flavors marinate in the fridge overnight. Serve with veggies, crackers or your choice of chips.
Join me on my Facebook page where I share vegan recipes and health-related articles every day!
“When we bring mindfulness to the dinner table, it suffuses the rest of our life as well. We become more sensitive to the well-being of animals, of the environment, and of ourselves and our families. We are more aware of the choices we make in all areas of our life. We enjoy food more, know that, while the obtaining of even plant foods necessitates some suffering, the amount and kind of suffering is dramatically reduced when we leave meat off our shopping lists and out of our kitchens. We become more aware of how meat consumption feeds violence and anger.”
~Kate Lawrence, Mindfulness in the Marketplace: Compassionate Responses to Consumerism
