Vegan Cheese Dip and Spread

Meatless, Microwave/Oven Bag , Side Dish

Comparing this vegan-friendly dish to Cheez Whiz may be a bit of a faulty comparison since the taste bears little similarity to Kraft’s famous cheese spread. The idea is not to recreate the exact flavor or texture of a cheese spread, but to tingle the taste buds with a warm and creamy dip and spread that is loaded with umami flavor. It can be enjoyed as a dipping sauce for crackers, chips and vegetables or as a tasty spread for sandwiches and flatbreads. Making this recipe in a Ready. Chef. Go!® bag will help give the spread a perfect texture.

Courtesy of Chef Mark Cleveland

Time to Prep: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Ease to Prep: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Taste Score: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Serving Size: 3 cups

1 can (15 ounces) of butternut squash or pumpkin puree (or 2 cups of cooked and mashed butternut squash or pumpkin)
¼ cup of fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup of yeast
2 teaspoons of Dijon Mustard
¼ teaspoon of turmeric
¼ teaspoon of onion powder
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
½ teaspoon of sea salt
½ cup of Tahini
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil (optional)
¼ teaspoon of chili flakes or hot sauce (optional)
Sesame seeds, paprika, chili powder, and olive oil for garnish (optional)
2 Ready. Chef. Go!® Microwave and Oven Steam Cooking Bags

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Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and use a potato masher to stir it all together. You can stir all the ingredients in a food processor as well if you wish, but when using pureed butternut squash it really isn’t necessary. Spoon the mix into serving dishes or bowls that fit nicely in your Ready. Chef. Go!® bags. Place each dish in a bag and seal them.

Microwave: Cook at full power for 4 minutes. The bag should puff up to steam the “whiz” for a superb texture. Once you see a bit of golden brown on the edges, it’s ready.

Oven: Preheat the oven to 400° F. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges of the “whiz” are golden brown and the center is fluffed.

Let the bag rest for 2 minutes before opening, being careful of hot steam. Serve with a variety of dippers such as carrot sticks, celery, crackers, chips, and flat breads.