Description
This Vegetarian Cheesy White Bean Buffalo Dip is a creamy, spicy, and crowd-pleasing appetizer perfect for game days or casual gatherings. Made with cannellini beans, tangy hot sauce, and melted cheddar cheese, it offers the classic buffalo flavor in a vegetarian-friendly, protein-packed dip that pairs beautifully with chips, crackers, or fresh veggies.
Ingredients
Dip Ingredients
- 2 (15oz) cans cannellini beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/3 cup hot sauce
- 1/4 cup ranch or bleu cheese dressing
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
Garnish and Serving
- 2 tablespoons diced green onion (for garnish)
- Tortilla chips, crackers, celery sticks for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) so it’s ready for baking the dip.
- Prepare Beans: Drain and rinse the cannellini or great northern beans thoroughly. Place them in a food processor and pulse gently until the beans are broken down but remain slightly chunky for texture.
- Mix Ingredients: Transfer the processed beans to a large mixing bowl. Add the cottage cheese, hot sauce, ranch or bleu cheese dressing, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together until well combined and creamy.
- Assemble the Dip: Spoon the bean mixture into an 8-inch baking dish, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake the Dip: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the dip is hot and bubbly.
- Broil for Cheese Melt: Switch the oven to broil and broil the top of the dip for 5 minutes to fully melt and lightly brown the cheese topping. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven, sprinkle diced green onions over the dip, and serve warm with tortilla chips, crackers, and celery sticks for dipping.
Notes
- You can adjust the heat level by adding more or less hot sauce according to your spice preference.
- For a vegan version, substitute cottage cheese and cheddar cheese with plant-based alternatives and use vegan ranch dressing.
- If you don’t have a food processor, mash the beans thoroughly with a fork or potato masher, although the texture will be less uniform.
- This dip can be made ahead and refrigerated, just reheat it in the oven before serving.
