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    The best vegan chili cheese dip

    Published: Jun 26, 2018 · Modified: Mar 7, 2022 by Cadry Nelson
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Vegan chili cheese dip on tortilla chip with bowl of queso + text.

    Looking for the best vegan chili cheese dip? Look no further! This savory dip is loaded with three bean chili, seitan chorizo, and creamy cashew queso. A crowd-pleasing appetizer that everyone will love!

    Nutritional yeast & cashew dip in bowl, tortilla chips, and Mexican beer with lime.

    While I love a good vegan cheese dip as much as the next person, what makes chili cheese dip extra special is that you get so much STUFF in every bite.

    Whether it’s a bit of seitan chorizo, spicy beans, or chunks of fire-roasted tomatoes, there’s reason after reason to grab another chip and go dunking. Who knows what deliciousness you’ll get with the next mouthful?

    It’s a cheesy treasure hunt. And every dive is a winner.

    A great way to use leftover chili

    Hand dipping tortilla chip into cashew dip plus tortilla chips, lime, and avocado.

    For this vegan chili cheese dip, I used leftovers from my favorite chili recipe. My vegan three bean chili is a fan favorite around here.

    I’ve heard from so many readers who have made it and loved it. (One person even won a chili competition with it!)

    I’ve also made this chili cheese dip with lentil chili. And it’s amazing either way!

    I’m a big believer in cooking once and eating multiple times – but not by leftovers alone (although that works too). By re-purposing a dish, it feels new but with very little added effort.

    Extra cheesy by way of cashew queso

    Close up vegan chili cheese dip on tortilla chip. Vegan cheese dip.

    This protein-packed chili comes together with cashew queso.

    Now, I have a regular cashew queso recipe on the blog that I use for things like fully loaded nachos, breakfast nachos, chili cheese tater tots, and breakfast nests. However, for this one I kept things simple since the chili already has so many spices in it.

    So with this vegan cheese dip, now you get the velvety creaminess of cashew queso and the added heft of three bean chili.

    It’s hearty enough that a person and her spouse could make a lunch of it along with some tortilla chips… Not that I know anyone who would do that. Cough, cough.

    Vegan cheese dip in bowl with chives on top, tortilla chips, and napkin.

    In fact, while David is typically not a chili fan because of his dislike for tomato-based stews and pinto beans, he was ALL IN on this vegan chili cheese dip. Every time I’ve made it he’s said, “This is the best vegan cheese dip I’ve ever had.”

    So you’ll have to take David’s word that this dip is perfect for summer get-togethers, games nights, or as a starter for your next Taco Tuesday with your sweetheart.

    How to make this dip recipe

    Pot with cashew queso, hot sauce, seitan, and vegan chili.

    Blend raw cashews in a high-speed blender with nutritional yeast flakes, white miso paste, and water. (Don’t have a high speed blender? I give a couple alternatives in the recipe below.)

    Then add the cashew liquid to a pot with leftover chili, seitan chorizo, and hot sauce.

    Feel free to use your preferred homemade or store-bought vegan chorizo. I used Upton’s Naturals chorizo seitan, which is already pre-crumbled in the package for easy use. Just heat and eat!

    Stir the pot frequently over a medium heat until the liquid reduces, and the sauce becomes thick like a gravy. It should only take about ten minutes.

    Vegan chili cheese dip in bowl with tortilla chips, Mexican beer, and limes.

    Just add tortilla chips and get dipping!

    Put this warm & melty vegan cheese dip in a bowl along with a generous amount of tortilla chips for dunking. Or air fry some french fries and pour them over the top.

    Serve with an icy cold Mexican beer (with lime, of course) or a refreshing glass of peach rooibos tea.

    This chili cheese dip also works beautifully with a vegan nacho bar!

    Hand dipping tortilla chip into vegan chili cheese dip (vegan cheese dip).

    Vegan chili cheese dip in bowl, tortilla chips, and Mexican beer with lime.

    The best vegan chili cheese dip

    You're going to want to look for any excuse to add this vegan chili cheese dip to your food line-up. "Friends, it's time for an emergency game of Uno. Mommy needs cheese dip." Packed with three bean chili, seitan chorizo, and creamy cashew queso, you'll have no problem polishing off this dip with every last tortilla chip in the bag. Don't say I didn't warn you!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan
    Keyword: dairy free, dip
    Prep Time: 3 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 167kcal
    Author: Cadry Nelson

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup raw cashew pieces*
    • ¾ cup water
    • 1 teaspoon white miso paste
    • ½ cup nutritional yeast flakes
    • ½ cup vegan three bean chili or your favorite vegan chili
    • ½ cup seitan chorizo I used Upton's Naturals seitan chorizo
    • 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce Trader Joe's Jalapeno pepper hot sauce is my favorite for this dip
    • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

    Instructions

    • In a high speed blender, blend raw cashew pieces, water, white miso paste, and nutritional yeast flakes until smooth.
    • Pour the cashew mixture into a medium-sized pot along with vegan three bean chili, crumbled seitan chorizo, 1 to 2 teaspoons of hot sauce depending on your heat preference, and up to ¼ teaspoon salt. (Depending on your chili and chorizo, you may need more or less salt, as those things vary in saltiness.) Bring the pot to a medium heat, stirring often. (The cashew mixture has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan, and so you want to prevent burning by stirring regularly.)
    • Cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced, leaving a thick, velvety queso. If the mixture gets too hot and starts to bubble, lower the heat. If it gets too thick, add up to ¼ cup water.
    • Serve hot with chips for dipping.

    Notes

    *If you're not using a high speed blender, you'll need to soak the raw cashews in water for a few hours to soften them. Drain and continue the recipe as follows. Or if you need queso in a hurry, grind the dry raw cashews in a clean coffee grinder until they become a flour. Add them to your regular blender and make the recipe as follows.
    This dip will thicken in the refrigerator. So if you're making it ahead of a party or gathering to re-heat later, you may want to add up to ¼ cup of water either while making the cashew queso initially or when reheating.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 450mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 2.7mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!

    Other ways to use leftover chili:

    Hand holding vegan chili dog covered with three bean chili, non-dairy cheese, and pickles.

    Pour it over a vegan chili dog.

    Hand holding vegan chili dog pizza with mustard and pickles.

    Add it to a cornmeal crust with frankfurters for a vegan chili dog pizza.

    Vegan chili cheese tater tots: These mouthwatering and indulgent tots are topped with 3 bean chili, cashew queso, and a sprinkling of spring onions. A delicious dish for the big game or a handy way to repurpose leftovers. | cadryskitchen.com

    Pour it over tater tots along with non-dairy queso for vegan chili cheese tater tots.

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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shell

      June 26, 2018 at 1:45 pm

      5 stars
      I love the idea of cooking once and eating multiple times!

      This dip looks amazing. I clicked over to revisit the chili recipe, too. Yum! I’m enjoying summer, but the chili makes me (briefly) look forward to fall.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 27, 2018 at 9:45 am

        Thanks, Shell! It’s such a great time saver to figure out ways to re-purpose food that’s already cooked. It keeps variety while not requiring loads of extra effort. I hear you on fall food. There are some tasty treats that time of year, but I can happily wait for it!

        Reply
    2. Dianne

      June 27, 2018 at 1:00 pm

      5 stars
      I’m a big fan of cooking once and eating several times, too. And this certainly looks like a delicious way to eat leftovers! I’m sure this would be a fun dip for parties, but I don’t think I’d want to share it! 🙂

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 29, 2018 at 10:06 am

        Haha! I know the feeling! This appetizer could totally feed four, but David and I didn’t have any problem finishing it off by ourselves.

        Reply
    3. Jeni M Hernandez

      June 28, 2018 at 10:06 am

      This looks amazing! I can’t wait to make this dip. I make chili all the time and always have some leftover. This is the perfect way to use it up!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 29, 2018 at 10:06 am

        That’s great, Jeni! I hope you love it as much as I do.

        Reply
    4. Becky Striepe

      July 02, 2018 at 8:48 am

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh, Cadry! This looks so decadent! I need to make it next time we have people over.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        July 03, 2018 at 10:23 am

        Thanks, Becky! I think you’re going to love it!

        Reply
    5. Kristie

      September 23, 2018 at 12:07 pm

      Hi Cadry! I’m having a hard time finding the white miso paste at any of my local stores. Do you think the flavor would really be affected if I left it out or do you have an idea for a substitution? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        September 23, 2018 at 12:30 pm

        Hi, Kristie! You can definitely omit it. You may need to add a little more salt, because miso is salty. Otherwise, it adds some cheesy richness, but there’s a lot going on in this dip. It won’t be a dealbreaker. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    6. David

      March 08, 2019 at 12:37 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve had this many times, and can testify that it is, indeed, the Best Vegan Chili Cheese Dip!”

      Reply
      • Cadry

        December 19, 2019 at 1:43 pm

        So glad to hear it!

        Reply
    7. Kiki

      December 17, 2019 at 8:52 am

      5 stars
      I made this after first making the three bean chili. It comes together so quickly and the payoff is big! I could not stop eating it. It’s so cheesy and flavorful. And very versatile. And a great way to get nutritional yeast into my diet. I also made Cadry’s vegan corn cakes and poured some of this over the corn cake as a different meal. Could pour it over nachos, the possibilities are endless! I am wondering if this would “keep” in a small crock pot for a potluck at work. Might have to experiment! This recipe is a keeper 100 times over!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        December 19, 2019 at 1:46 pm

        I’m thrilled you enjoyed it so much! In answer to your question, it will keep in a small crockpot. However, the dip is already so thick, and in a crockpot, it continues cooking, which only thickens it more. So I’d advise keeping an eye on it, and adding a splash of water to the pot as needed to thin it out. Thanks again for the great feedback!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Cadry!

    I’m a longtime vegan. (14 years!) But I grew up eating a Standard American Diet. I know that all of us crave foods that are familiar, comforting, and delicious.

    That’s why it’s my passion to share mouthwatering plant-based recipes that taste like home.

    More about me →

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    Easy weeknight meals

    • Air fryer baked potato in about 35 minutes
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    • Vegan taco pizza with black beans: A taste of nostalgia
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