Instant Pot Cheesy Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

User Reviews

4.9

121 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    10 mins

  • Cook Time

    25 mins

  • Total Time

    35 mins

  • Servings

    16

  • Calories

    81 kcal

  • Course

    Appetizer

  • Cuisine

    American, American

Instant Pot Cheesy Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

This dip blends white onion, garlic, raw cashews, cannellini beans, and cauliflower with cayenne pepper sauce, coconut sugar, smoked paprika, almond milk, and nutritional yeast. Pressure cooking in the Instant Pot softens ingredients fully, then blending them creates a creamy, spicy dip with a rich cheesy-like flavor without dairy. Serve warm with chips or crackers.

Description

The recipe puts chopped onions, garlic, cashews, cannellini beans, and cauliflower into the Instant Pot with Frank's Redhot or similar cayenne pepper sauce, along with coconut sugar and paprika to balance heat and add depth. Unsweetened almond milk and nutritional yeast contribute creaminess and umami, mimicking a cheesy texture.

After cooking under pressure for seven minutes, the mixture is blended until silky smooth. The resulting dip harnesses the natural creaminess of cauliflower and cashews balanced by the bright heat of the hot sauce, making it a flavorful option for snacks or appetizers served alongside tortilla chips or crackers.

Adjusting the hot sauce quantity can tailor the dip's spiciness. Various hot sauces can substitute if desired, and the smoked paprika provides subtle smokiness which is optional. Nutritional yeast amount may vary by brand to achieve desired flavor and thickness.

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Ingredients

Servings
  • 1/2 white onion chopped, medium
  • 4 garlic roughly chopped, cloves
  • 1 cup cashews raw
  • 1 3/4 cups cannellini beans cooked or canned, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 3/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce Frank’s Redhot Original or Xtra Hot Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
  • 3/4 cup almond milk unsweetened plain or other nondairy milk
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

Optional Toppings

  • cilantro chopped, or green onions

For Serving

  • tortilla chips or crackers

Instructions

Instant Pot Directions

  1. Lightly grease the inner pot of the Instant Pot with a bit of oil or cooking spray. This is to make cleanup easy, but it’s optional. Feel free to omit if you are oil-free.
  2. Place the chopped onions, chopped garlic, cashews, cannellini beans, cauliflower florets, hot sauce, coconut sugar, paprika, almond milk, and nutritional yeast in the inner pot of Instant Pot and stir well to combine.
  3. Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting and set to high pressure for 7 minutes.
  4. Once the 7-minute timer has completed and beeps, perform a quick pressure release by switching the Pressure Release knob from Sealing to Venting and open the pot.
  5. Open the pot and, and carefully transfer the mixture to a blender. Be sure to remove the center cap from the blender lid to vent steam, but cover the hole with a kitchen towel. Blend until the dip is smooth, thick, and creamy. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender, but it will take several minutes, and the texture will be chunkier and not as smooth.
  6. Allow to cool for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.

Stovetop Directions

  1. Soak the cashews. Cover the cashews in boiling water and soak for 1 hour. Alternatively, you can soak them in cold water overnight or for 8 hours. Drain thoroughly and pat dry.
  2. Sauté the onions and garlic. Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil or cooking oil* of choice. Once hot, add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and stir together for 1 minute. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add the garlic and stir frequently for 2-3 minutes to prevent the garlic from burning. Turn off the heat.
  3. Steam the cauliflower. Bring about 1/4 inch of water to a boil in a large frying pan. Then add the cauliflower florets. Cover the pan and steam until very soft and tender, about 7-9 minutes. Drain any remaining water to prevent the dip from becoming watery.1. You can also steam cauliflower in the microwave or in a steamer basket. For the microwave.
  4. Assemble the Dip. Place the sautéed onions, soaked and drained cashews, and steamed cauliflower in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients—drained cannellini beans, hot sauce, sugar, paprika, plant-based milk, and nutritional yeast. Be sure to remove the center cap from the blender lid to vent steam, but cover the hole with a kitchen towel. Blend until the dip is smooth, thick, and creamy.
  5. Allow to cool for at least 15-20 minutes before serving
  6. *If you are oil-free, sauté the onions and garlic in water instead.

Notes

  • Reduce the cayenne pepper sauce to about 1/2 cup if a milder, less salty dip is preferred.
  • Alternative hot sauces like Cholula or Tabasco can be used in place of Frank's Redhot.
  • Smoked paprika adds a subtle smoky note but regular paprika works well too.
  • Nutritional yeast measurements differ by brand; adjust amount to taste for cheesiness and thickness.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 81kcal (4%) Carbohydrates 9g (3%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g (10%) Sodium 422mg (18%) Potassium 209mg (4%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 62IU (1%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 36mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 81 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 81kcal 4%
Carbohydrates 9g 3%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Sodium 422mg 18%
Potassium 209mg 4%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 62IU 1%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 36mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Overall Rating

4.9

121 reviews
Excellent

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