Do you have a love-hate relationship with dairy? If so, you're not alone. For many of us, while we love dairy products, they don't sit well with our stomachs. Or, maybe you're following a vegan diet and are looking for alternatives to your favorite dairy-based foods. Whatever the reason behind your search for dairy free foods, we're glad you found your way here. We're a big fan of snacking at Bob's Red Mill, and one of our favorite snacks is chips and dip. That being so, many store-bought dips and dip recipes use dairy to achieve their creaminess and texture. To help you stick to your dairy free diet, we've created a complete guide on dairy free dips. Continue reading as we share a few of our favorites.
How to Create a Dairy Free Dip
Once you master the steps below, creating a dairy free dip will be a breeze. These tips and tricks will lead you to dip-making success, from choosing the desired flavor to using the right ingredients. If you're ready to learn how to make a delicious dip, check out our tips below.
Choose Your Flavor
The most critical step of creating any dip is to flavor it according to your taste preferences. For example, if you're a fan of savory foods, opt for a salty dip that uses herbs and spices to flavor it. Or, if you prefer sweet snacks, use foods like dairy free Greek yogurt and peanut butter to create a dip that can be paired with fresh fruit like apples, bananas and oranges. Choosing the style of dip you'd like to make will help you find a recipe that will satisfy your cravings.
Use Dairy Free Alternatives
Following a dairy free diet doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite foods. If some of your favorite dip recipes have dairy in them, search for alternatives to the dairy-based ingredients. In the past few years, vegan and vegetarian lifestyles have grown in popularity, making plant-based options easier to find than ever before. From vegan sour cream to plant-based yogurt products, you can find a wide selection of vegan alternatives that are just as tasty as the real thing. If you’re searching for an excellent egg substitute, use our Gluten Free Egg Replacer. Or, maybe you're looking to recreate that cheese flavored dish that you grew up with—there's a substitute for that too! Below we've listed just a few of the many dairy free ingredients that you can add to dips to boost their flavor and texture.
Nutritional Yeast
Cheese is often one of the foods people miss most when transitioning to a dairy free diet. Luckily, there's a way to satisfy your cheese cravings while remaining dairy free. Nutritional yeast is one of the most popular dairy free alternatives. Its naturally cheesy flavor heightens whatever you combine it with. Adding it to vegan, vegetarian and dairy free recipes can help you recreate dishes that you once thought were off-limits. Aside from its great cheesy flavor, nutritional yeast is also good for you. Rich in vitamins like B-12, it's an excellent source of protein—making it an ideal addition to any vegan’s diet. Add it to sauces, scrabbles, crackers and dairy free dips!
Vegan Butter
Following a dip recipe that calls for butter? Luckily there are a few alternatives out there that can help you keep the recipe a plant-based one. Many companies produce vegan butter, usually a combination of natural oils and plant-based protein, that you can substitute into recipes at a 1-to-1 ratio. Using vegan butter will help replicate the same butter-like taste and texture and ensure recipe success. Vegan butter is best used in dips and works excellent as a spread—just like dairyl butter.
When baking, there are several butter alternatives you can choose from. Dairy free coconut oil, coconut butter and nut butter are a few of the many substitutes that will help you create baked goods minus the dairy.
Plant-Based Milk and Creams
Many times, homemade dip recipes use milk or creams as the main ingredient. However, if you're hoping to create a dairy free version of a dip that calls for milk, the best way to do so is by using a plant-based one. Plant-based milk like almond milk, oat milk and cashew milk can usually be substituted into dip recipes at a 1-to-1 ratio.
Tofu
Another popular vegan ingredient in dips is tofu. Tofu is a food made from soybeans and adds a creamy texture to whatever you combine it with. It is often used to add a bit of creaminess and protein to smoothies and can be used in dips when blending or mashing is required.
Use In-Season Ingredients
When creating dairy free dips, one of the biggest concerns we hear is that they lack flavor. Often, this is credited to the ingredients used in the recipe. However, simply swapping the original ingredients of a recipe for plant-based ones won't always provide you with the same result. Instead, it's essential to get creative and pay attention to where the flavor may be lacking so that you can add in ingredients of your own. Additionally, when making homemade dip, we recommend using fresh, in-season ingredients. Doing so will ensure that your dip is bursting with delicious flavor.
Dairy Free Dips
Now that you've discovered some tips and tricks to create delicious dairy free dip recipes, it's time to make one yourself. Not only will you enjoy making these healthy dips, but your guests will love tasting all of the fresh, wholesome flavors—they're sure to be a hit! Choose from the recipes below to create a dairy free dip that's sure to upgrade your daily snack session.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
When making a homemade dip to take to a gathering, the flavor must be something that almost everyone will enjoy. For a no-fail dip that guests will surely love, we recommend making Spinach and Artichoke Dip. One of the most popular cracker appetizers around, this dip is known for its creamy and cheesy flavor. And that same flavor can easily be made without dairy with just a few simple swaps. This dip becomes almost an exact replica of the traditional version by using dairy-free cream cheese and nutritional yeast. The only difference is that this one can be enjoyed by individuals who can't tolerate dairy.
Avocado Cashew Dip
If you ask a vegan or vegetarian what their favorite fruit is, most of them will say avocado. This is because avocado does an excellent job at re-creating dairy-based flavors and textures. Spread it on toast, turn it into a chocolate mousse, or use it to make a delicious dairy free dip. An excellent substitute for cream when combined with cashews, it creates a smooth and tasty dip that you can pair with almost anything. Add a zesty flavor to this Avocado Cashew Dip with jalapeno, cilantro and lime to create an appetizer that kids and adults will go crazy for.
Cheesy Cauliflower Dip
If you're not sure how to use cauliflower, then you're not alone. Cauliflower is a produce item often overlooked. However, withvegan and vegetarian diets rising in popularity, cauliflower has become a shining star in many recipes. Use it to make pizza crust, a faux version of buffalo wings, or the main ingredient in a cheesy and creamy dip. The possibilities are endless! To make a Cheesy Cauliflower dip that's oh-so addicting, cauliflower is combined with jalapenos, garlic powder, tomato paste and Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast. Where the cauliflower adds the creaminess, nutritional yeast lends a cheesy and slightly nutty flavor. All of the whole food ingredients used in this recipe combine to create a delicious dip that's exceptionally great for you. We love this dip and are confident you will too!
Making healthy dairy free dips is easy once you get the hang of it. We hope that this article helped answer your questions about what goes into dairy free dip and how you can make one yourself. From avocado cashew dip to the widely loved spinach and artichoke dip, there are several dairy free recipes online to choose from. You just have to decide which flavors sound best to you. Whether you decide to make one of the dips above or create your own masterpiece in the kitchen, we're confident it will taste great. From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, we hope you have a healthy and happy day!
Have a favorite dairy free dip recipe that you love to make? Share your favorite dip recipes and tips in the comments below. We can't wait to hear about all the creative recipes you've cooked up in the kitchen.
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