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. 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.
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! — 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. 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?
