Vegetarian Buffalo Chicken Dip

It’s hard to resist a warm, gooey cheese dip flavored with Buffalo wing sauce—but vegetarians just might have to if it’s made with chicken. Whether you eat fully vegetarian or are following a more relaxed meat-light diet, this vegetarian Buffalo chicken dip lets you enjoy all the flavors of traditional Buffalo chicken dip without the poultry. It’s so tasty that even meat eaters will happily wipe the bowl clean.

This vegetarian recipe replaces the meat with black beans and mushrooms, which are so rich in umami that they actually give the dip more savory complexity than chicken does. Cream cheese, sour cream and ranch flavoring mellow the spiciness while sharp cheddar cheese provides a striking contrast. This easy recipe cooks in a slow cooker, so it’s ideal as a make-ahead tailgating food and stands out among other dip recipes for a crowd at a party or potluck.

Ingredients for Vegetarian Buffalo Chicken Dip

• Sour cream: For this dip, use sour cream to build on the tanginess of the Buffalo sauce. Substitute Greek yogurt for a similarly tangy base.
• Cream cheese: Softened cream cheese gives veggie Buffalo chicken dip bulk, so it doesn’t just slide off tortilla chips and other dippers. Whipped cream cheese might become too soft when heated, so buy a block and let it soften at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Ranch salad dressing mix: Ranch salad dressing is a common pairing for Buffalo wings. This vegetarian Buffalo dip recipe calls for one envelope of dressing mix to incorporate its traditional spices and seasonings.
• Sharp cheddar cheese: This recipe specifies sharp cheddar cheese because it stands out better against the other bold flavors than medium cheddar or American cheese. Bagged shredded cheese has additives that prevent it from melting evenly, so grate your own cheese for the smoothest dip.
• Black beans: We recommend black beans for Buffalo bean dip because they have a strong earthiness that’s noticeable even among the other ingredients. You don’t want too much black bean liquid, so drain the canned or home-cooked dried beans well.
• Mushrooms: Chopped fresh mushrooms make this vegetarian Buffalo dip seem meaty even when it’s not. When choosing the mushroom type, pick sturdy white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms over more delicate varieties.
• Buffalo wing sauce: The signature flavor of any Buffalo dip comes from this sauce, named after its city of origin in New York State. Different brands offer varying levels of heat and include different spices. Some contain ingredients that might not be part of your plant-based diet, like anchovy-based Worcestershire sauce and egg yolks, so check the label’s ingredient list before you buy.

Directions

Step 1: Mix the ingredients

Combine the sour cream, cream cheese and ranch dressing mix in a bowl and stir until they’re smooth. Stir in the cheddar cheese, black beans, mushrooms and Buffalo wing sauce.

Step 2: Bake the dip

Transfer the dip to a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook it on high for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until it’s warmed through.

Step 3: Garnish and serve

If desired, sprinkle the warm dip with green onions. Serve it with tortilla chips or other dippers.

Vegetarian Buffalo Chicken Dip Variations

• Make it all from scratch: Make homemade ranch dressing mix for fewer fillers and preservatives and more control over the sodium. To replace one envelope, use 2 tablespoons of homemade mix. Make wing sauce by heating butter, brown sugar and hot sauce together like you would for this Buffalo wing recipe.
• Change the beans: Replace black beans with creamy white cannellini beans, richer and larger butter beans, or smaller great northern or navy beans. For an extra chunky dip, use meaty, starchy giant white beans. For a smoother one, blend half or more of whichever beans you choose with the sour cream, and then stir in the other ingredients.
• Use a plant-based meat substitute: In terms of texture, seitan is one of the closest vegetarian substitutes for chicken. It is made from vital wheat gluten and is often seasoned with soy sauce and spices. A block of extra-firm tofu takes on a meaty texture if you press, freeze and thaw it, and then shred the block with a large-holed cheese grater. Silken tofu works as a meat substitute if you prefer a smooth dip. Jackfruit has also become an increasingly popular plant-based substitute for pulled pork and chicken.

How to Store Vegetarian Buffalo Chicken Dip

Let the vegetarian Buffalo chicken dip cool completely and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To speed up the cooling process, remove the dip from the slow cooker and spread it in a shallow heatproof dish. If you use a glass or metal one that comes with an airtight lid, you can simply pop on the top once the dip has cooled.

How long does vegetarian Buffalo dip last?

Vegetarian Buffalo dip lasts up to four days in the refrigerator when stored in a tightly sealed container. At a party, you can safely leave it out at room temperature for up to two hours. Keep it warm during this time by serving it directly from the slow cooker. The warm setting of most slow cookers keeps food safely and consistently above 140°F, but with the lid off and with guests scooping from it regularly, that temperature might fluctuate, so it’s still best to leave it out for no more than two hours.

Can you freeze vegetarian Buffalo dip?

We don’t recommend freezing vegetarian Buffalo dip. The cream cheese and sour cream will likely separate when thawed, and the mushrooms will become extra watery. If you have leftovers, reheat the dip gently with an additional can of black beans and stuff the mixture into flour tortillas with shredded lettuce and avocado for a vegetarian version of Buffalo chicken tacos. This dip also works as a cheesy, spicy topping for baked potatoes or grilled cauliflower wedges.

Vegetarian Buffalo Chicken Dip Tips

Can you make vegetarian Buffalo dip in the oven?

Baked vegetarian Buffalo dip tastes just as delicious as this slower-cooker version—and even more so if you’re a fan of oven-crisped, melted cheese toppings. Scoop the dip into a shallow 3-quart baking dish and slide it into a 350° oven for 30 to 35 minutes. If desired, instead of mixing all the cheddar cheese into the dip, sprinkle half on top for a golden surface that you can still break through with sturdy dippers.

How should you serve vegetarian Buffalo dip?

Serve vegetarian Buffalo dip with thick tortilla chips, toasted pita chips, crackers or bagel chips. Sturdy fresh vegetables like celery sticks, carrots, radishes and sweet pepper wedges also make excellent dippers. Serve the slow-cooker dip as an appetizer at your next board game night, Super Bowl party or neighborhood potluck. Make serving even easier by turning the dip into finger food and baking it in vegetarian Buffalo chicken-stuffed poblano peppers.