Buffalo Chickpea Dip (Vegan)

The chickpea dip uses cashews to make it creamy, Frank's hot sauce for the buffalo flavor, and chickpeas for texture.

The cashews will need to be soaked unless you have a high-speed blender.  If you don’t need to soak the cashews, the appetizer is ready in 30 minutes.  Serve the creamy dip for a party, game day spread, or holiday gathering.  Either way, it's easy to put together!

The dairy-free dip will be baked for the flavors to develop and it firms up the longer it’s cooked.  The dip forms a crust around the edges but leaves the center soft and creamy. Plus it’s super delicious warmed through!  Use leftovers in a sandwich, a quesadilla, or try it in a wrap. 

This vegan buffalo chicken dip utilizes chickpeas for texture to make it a meatless appetizer.  I also have a vegan curry chickpea salad recipe that’s great with crackers and uses chickpeas for texture. For more delicious dips, try oil-free hummus, vegan oil-free nacho cheese, guacamole, or pico de Gallo.

Recipe features

• Vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free, oil-free!
• It's easy to make using simple ingredients!
• The delicious recipe can even be made ahead of time!

Ingredient notes

The chickpea dip recipe uses simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for the full list and exact measurements.

Raw Cashews - The nuts are used as the base of the buffalo chickpea dip and are pureed with milk to make them creamy.  

Dairy-free milk - Use unsweetened plain non-dairy milk to blend with the cashews to make the base of the buffalo chickpea dip.

Chickpeas - Pulse the cooked whole chickpeas into the sauce to break them up and create texture for this vegan version.  Don't puree them until smooth, leave them chunky.

Frank’s Red Hot Original Hot Sauce - Can’t have a buffalo dip without hot sauce!  I only tested with Frank’s Red Hot Original hot sauce.  The buffalo version should work, but I would leave out the nutritional yeast. For another vegan buffalo recipe, try buffalo tofu bites dipped in dairy-free ranch or a buffalo tofu bowl with rice.

Nutritional yeast - Adds a little cheesiness to the dip, don’t worry if you’re not a fan because the flavor isn’t strong.  It does tone down the hot sauce some, so if you leave it out the dip may be a smidge hotter.

Lemon juice - Adds a little more tang to the vegan buffalo chicken dip.  I wouldn’t substitute it for lime juice.  A good substitute would be ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.  If you have yogurt on hand that would work, or just leave this element out.

Garlic, onion, and dried dill - Added for more flavor.

Tips

• The buffalo chickpea dip can be eaten without cooking, but I think it tastes better when cooked since the flavors are more developed and the dip has firmed up. 
• If you prefer it hotter, drizzle a little more buffalo sauce over the top.
• I use a 5x9-inch loaf pan, but a similar size oven-proof baking dish will also work.  
• If you have a high-speed blender, then there’s no need to soak the cashews.  If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak them overnight or use a quick soak method. Do this by boiling water and pouring it over the cashews in a heat-proof bowl and soaking for about 15-20 minutes.

Substitutions

• The recipe calls for unsalted raw cashews.  I have tested with unsalted roasted cashews, which can also be used if you can’t find unsalted raw.
• Any unsweetened plain dairy-free milk will work.
• I haven’t tested these methods, but instead of chickpeas, a can of drained artichokes or jackfruit packed in water (not oil) should also work.  Add them just like the recipe calls for the chickpeas to be pulsed into the dip to break up, but not pureed to be smooth.

Can I make the dip in advance?

The vegan buffalo chickpea dip can be made a day in advance.  Store the uncooked dip covered in the refrigerator.  I like to let the dish sit at room temperature just to take the chill off before baking it in a preheated oven. Then bake at 375 F for 20-23 minutes.

Serving suggestions

Bake the chickpea buffalo dip until a crust forms on top, but it's still soft in the middle. Then the dip can be served warm after it has cooled briefly or served at room temperature.  It can even be served cold, but it’s best to bake it first.

• When the vegan chickpea dip is out of the oven, top it with more Frank's hot sauce, fresh parsley, chives, or sliced green onions.
• Top it with vegan cheese before you bake it.
• Serve the buffalo chickpea dip with crackers, tortilla chips, or pita chips 
• Enjoy the dip with carrot sticks, celery sticks, cauliflower, sliced bell pepper, or your favorite raw veggies
• Serve leftovers in a wrap, sandwich, or a topping for vegan toast

Storage

If you have leftovers, let them cool before storing them.  Then cover it with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the oven or microwave until heated through.

Related recipes

• Vegan nacho cheese
• Vegan nachos
• Buffalo tofu

As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe for vegan buffalo chicken dip! If you like it, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.