• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Blissful Basil logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • FAQ
  • Spirituality
×

You are here Home » Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip

8 Comments · July 28, 2020

Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This vegan spicy cauliflower cashew cheese dip is zippy, silky smooth, and addictive. Perfect for sinking crunchy tortilla chips or veggies into, dolloping over tacos, or folding into burritos. 

Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip

With recipes and life, systems are a win.

A few years back, I started using a veggie- and nut-packed combination to create super lush, creamy sauces and soup bases. It's most beloved in this hearty soup recipe but has also been featured in artichoke dip and even pot pie.

It's a reliable win and a sort of recipe "system" I've come to rely on for all things creamy and savory.

While I've mixed and remixed and adjusted it in many ways over the years, the one thing I hadn't yet attempted to do was to thicken it for use as a cheesy, spicy, sink-some-chips-in dip.

Until now...

Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip

It comes together in 25 minutes (usually less) and with just a handful of ingredients. It tastes dairy-rich and like it'd be severely lacking in nutrients but is dairy-free and brimming with micronutrients.

To make it, you'll boil four cups of fresh (or frozen) cauliflower florets along with two-thirds of a cup of raw cashews (or use unboiled shelled hemp seeds for a nut-free alternative).

While the cauliflower and cashews boil, you can get to work gathering your other ingredients—filtered water, nutritional yeast flakes (add cheesiness and depth of flavor), pickled jalapeño juice, salt, arrowroot starch or cornstarch (to thicken), and garlic powder.

Add everything to a blender along with the cauliflower and cashews.

Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip

Then, blend on high until you have a super smooth and creamy sauce.

Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip

Transfer the mixture to a large sauté pan and heat over medium-low for just a few minutes, whisking constantly, or until the mixture thickens into a dunk-worthy dip.

Stir in a can of green chilis.

Taste, and adjust the seasonings according to your taste preferences. More salt, more jalapeño juice, etc.

I like to serve the dip topped with fresh jalapeños, cilantro, and tomatoes with a few dashes of smoked paprika. But garnishes are totally optional here.

Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip

Just be sure to arm yourself with plenty of crunchy tortilla chips and crisp veggies for dipping, dunking, and sinking.

Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip

I hope you love this vegan spicy cauliflower cashew cheese dip!

If you make it, let me know! Leave a comment, rate the recipe, and don’t forget to tag a photo #blissfulbasil on Instagram.

Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip

Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip
Print Pin
3.50 from 2 votes

Vegan Spicy Cauliflower Cashew Cheese Dip

Course Appetizer, Dip, Snacks
Keyword dairy-free, grain-free, plant-based, vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Ashley Melillo | Blissful Basil

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 4 cups fresh or frozen cauliflower florets
  • ⅔ cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons pickled jalapeño juice, plus more to taste
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch or cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 (4-ounce) can green chilis
  • Cayenne (optional for more heat)

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  • Add the cauliflower florets and cashews, and boil for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is fork-tender.
  • Once the cauliflower and cashews are ready, add them to a high-speed blender along with the water, nutritional yeast, jalapeño juice, sea salt, starch, and garlic powder. Blend on high for 2 minutes, or until completely smooth and creamy.
  • Transfer to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken, whisking constantly.
  • Stir in the green chilis. Taste and season with more salt and/or pickled jalapeño juice, if desired. If you'd like to up the kick, stir in a few dashes of cayenne pepper, too.
  • Serve warm with plenty of tortilla chips for dipping.

Related Posts

  • Vegan Cauliflower Cashew Spinach Artichoke DipVegan Cauliflower Cashew Spinach Artichoke Dip
  • Bitchin' Sauce CopycatBitchin' Sauce Copycat
  • Vegan Creamy Cauliflower Wild Rice SoupVegan Creamy Cauliflower Wild Rice Soup
  • Vegan Creamy Cauliflower Mushroom SoupVegan Creamy Cauliflower Mushroom Soup
  • Hot Pepper Pot Vegan Cultured Cashew Cream CheeseHot Pepper Pot Vegan Cultured Cashew Cream Cheese
  • Give-Me-A-Kick Vegan Sweet Potato Nacho CheeseGive-Me-A-Kick Vegan Sweet Potato Nacho Cheese
« Garlic Herb Burst Tomatoes
Vegan Tofu Veggie "Egg" Patty Breakfast Sandwich »

Stay in Touch

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becky says

    July 28, 2020 at 9:21 pm

    I'm looking forward to trying this! I've used the cauliflower + cashew combo for making alfredo, but for some reason it never occurred to me to do the same thing with vegan queso.

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      July 29, 2020 at 9:40 am

      I hope you enjoy it, Becky!! Would love to hear your thoughts once you've had a chance to make it. :)

      Reply
  2. Caitlin Havener says

    July 29, 2020 at 2:46 pm

    Never enough dips if you ask me! There is nothing better than a summer evening on the terrace, with friends, cold drinks, nachos and lots of different dips. This one will definitely be on my table! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!

    ❤ Caitlin
    cleancookingcaitlin.com

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      July 29, 2020 at 3:39 pm

      Agreed, Caitlin! Hope you enjoy the recipe. The image you've painted with the evening on the terrace with friends sounds so lovely! :)

      Reply
  3. Sarah says

    August 10, 2020 at 5:23 pm

    3 stars
    Made this today. Thought it was a little bland and missing richness. I added a tablespoon of vegan butter and another 1/4 of nutritional yeast and that helped. Not sure I’d make this again but I am a huge fan of the other recipes you have made with this base.

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 12, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      Hi, Sarah! Oh goodness, I'm so sorry it came out bland for you. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. I'll have to retest this one with other tasters to offer input. Pregnancy is a bizarre time for tastebuds, especially since I've had lingering morning sickness into the third trimester—makes everything taste stronger and saltier than it normally does, so I should know by now not to rely on just myself at the moment. Again, thanks for sharing and please accept my apologies for the disappointing recipe.

      Reply
      • Sarah says

        August 13, 2020 at 9:20 am

        4 stars
        I was just coming on here to say that it was REALLY tasty the next day. Kind of like chili, all the flavors were better blended together and more pronounced. I would definitely make this again but let it sit a bit before enjoying it. Thanks Ashley!

        Reply
        • Ashley says

          August 13, 2020 at 3:00 pm

          Thank you for the update, Sarah!! Happy to know the flavors popped a bit more with time. I still plan to rework the recipe a bit and leverage the input of others' tastebuds, too, but very helpful (and reassuring) to know it brightened up the next day. Thanks as always for your feedback—helps me make better recipes. :)

          Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

If you've made this recipe, please feel free to rate it!




Primary Sidebar

Meet Ashley

Psychologist turned plant-passionate recipe writer + cookbook author. Lover of animals, veggies + space documentaries. My name is Ashley, and I’m the writer and photographer behind Blissful Basil. Read More…

Join over 100,000 followers!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Receive Recipes by Email!

Search

Hi, I'm Skylar! This is a fake profile talking about how I switched to a paleo diet and it helped my eczema and I grew 4". Trust me, I'm an online doctor.

More about me →

Popular

  • From Nashville with Love
  • Easy Vegan Enchiladas
  • Dreamy Vegan Tomato Soup
  • Vegan Golden Butternut Squash Bisque

You can duplicate your homepage's trending recipes section in the sidebar to reinforce the internal linking.

We no longer recommend using a search bar, newsletter form or category drop-down menu in the sidebar. See the Modern Sidebar post for details.

If the block editor is not narrower than usual, simply save the page and refresh it.

Footer

↑ back to top


Keep in Touch


  • Sign Up! for emails and updates + receive a Free eCookbook with our top 9 weeknight dinner recipes.

Blissful Basil

  • Privacy Policy
  • About
  • Spirituality + Psychology
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
  • Blog

Food + Recipes

  • Pasta recipes
  • Sandwich recipes
  • Soup recipes
  • Dessert recipes
  • Snack recipes

Copyright © 2010–2022 Blissful Basil