Vegan Refried Black Bean Layered Dip (oil free)
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This vegan refried bean dip is a delicious recreation of a childhood favorite of mine.
Circa 2002. My best friend's dad use to make an amazing refried bean dip with multiple layers and a tonnn of sour cream and cheese - we cannot forget the cheese. It was amazing. Bad for your health - but middle schoolers didn't care about that.
So fast forward a few years ( <-- more than a few), and while brainstorming what to create for superbowl weekend - I had a flashback memory of my favorite refried bean dip of all time. And why not recreate it but with healthier vegan ingredients?
So from that, was born this.
Vegan Refried Bean Dip Topped With Cashew Cheeze
I did quite some research online regarding refried beans - the do's, the dont's. Whether to go for five layers or seven - mine ended up being six layers soooo I guess i broke that rule.
This dip is not your traditional junk food dip. It is made mostly from scratch with the exception of a few clean store bought ingredients. It is fresh. It is good for your soul.
So let's talk about the layers of this vegan refried bean dip:
Layer one - Refried Beans: Starting with the base, we're going to use canned refried beans. If you're down to make your own from scratch - go for it. But in the name of keeping things simple, i opted for canned. I like my beans to be uber creamy in dips so in order to do that I like to heat the beans up a little bit on the stove, add some flavor by adding spices, and mixing in a bit of homemade 'sour cream' to get the creaminess factor.
Layer Two - Homemade vegan chia 'sour cream' (or you can use store bought): I have yet to find a clean oil free sour cream at the store so for now I will continue making my own substitute. I really enjoy this chia sour cream because it has a slight acidic taste like the real deal, and the chia seeds give it a nice thick consistency especially when refrigerated overnight. I also get extra nutrition from the chia seeds!
Layer Three - Homemade guac. Keeping things super simple here. One or two hass avocados smashed with a fork with a little bit of lime juice sprinkled in. Of course you can take it up a notch and try this more complex guacamole recipe that I posted last year - or you can buy some already made at the store.
Layer Four - Shredded Lettuce. I realize that adding lettuce is not a very common thing to add to dips, and as a matter of fact, i'm prettty sure my childhood refried bean dip DID not have lettuce in it or else it would have *not* been my favorite dip (i hated veggies as a kid). But this is a vegan dip after all and vegans mostly love their veggies so I figured it be nice to have the extra crunch from the lettuce and the beneficial nutrients added to the dip.
Layer Five - Salsa. Mild, medium or hot.. your choice depending on your preferred level of spiciness. I went the easy route and bought a clean store bought brand. The one available at my local Whole Foods is organic and has basic clean ingredients.
Layer Six - Melty and Stretchy homemade cashew cheeze. Of course you can buy store-bought vegan cheese if you prefer.. but if you're going for the non-processed oil free route definitely give this cheeze a try (listed in recipe card). It's sort of melty, sort of stretchy, and really tasty!
Don't forget to buy some tortilla chips for dipping! Or make your own oil free kind like these ones. Anyway, enjoy your dip - either warm and fresh out of the oven.. or cold straight out of the fridge. I like it both ways.
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Want More Vegan + Oil Free Game Day Recipes?
Try these Sweet 'N Sour Buffalo Cauliflower Wings or if you're in the mood for nachos, these are the Best Vegan Loaded Nachos Ever!
with love + gratitude,
Jen ♥
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Vegan Layered Refried Bean Dip (oil free)
A healthier version of traditional layered refried bean dip – vegan, oil free, and gluten free. Perfect for game day!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 4 to 5 as a dip 1x
- Category: dips
Ingredients
for refried beans layer:
- 1 (16oz) can of vegan refried beans
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder and garlic powder
- dash of black pepper and dash of cumin
- salt if needed (my can was salty enough)
for sour cream layer:
- store bought vegan sour cream
- or for a homemade non processed alternative to sour cream:
- 1 cup cashews (130g)
- 1 cup water (200g)
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (13g)
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (20g)
- 1 tablespoons white chia seeds
for guac layer:
- 1 to 2 hass avocados (depending on their size)
- the juice of half a lime (about 2 tablespoons)
*if you want a more complex guac recipe try this one.
for the cheese layer on top:
- Store bought vegan cheese or for a non processed alternative try this one:
- 1 cup cashews (120g) (soaked if not using a high powered blender)
- 1 cup of water (200g)
- 2 garlic cloves (6g)
- 3 tablespoons tapioca powder (24g) (do not sub)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon onion powder (8g)
- 1/4 teaspoon of himalayan salt
You’ll also need:
- Shredded lettuce (I use romaine lettuce)
- A jar of mild (or medium if you like spicy) red salsa – I use Whole Food’s 365 brand.
- Tortilla chips for dipping. (This is my go to homemade tortilla chip recipe).
Instructions
- Using a saucepan, heat the refried beans over low/medium heat. Add onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, cumin, 2 tablespoons of vegan sour cream (optional for creamier consistency) and salt if needed. Mix with a spoon to combine all ingredients and until you reach a creamy consistency and then remove from heat. Set aside.
- Sour Cream: If you’re making your own homemade version – add all ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth and creamy. For best results – refrigerate sour cream for a few hours to allow it to thicken. If using store bought skip this step.
- Guac: In a small mixing bowl, add avocado flesh and lime juice and mix it up with a fork. Set aside.
- Make the cheeze: If you’re making the homemade cheeze (skip if using store bought) – add all ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Using an oven-safe dish (I used a round 9.5” glass dish) begin layering your dip as follows: Add refried beans first covering the entire base of the dish, then add sour cream, guac, shredded lettuce, salsa and finally the cheeze on top. Bake in the oven at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheeze on top has reached your desired melty consistency.
- Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!
Notes
- If you make the homemade cashew ‘cheeze’ alternative – Due to the tapioca, the liquidity cheeze will turn into a thicker consistency in the oven (as pictured) within 20 to 25 minutes, but if it still looks really liquidity leave for a few more minutes until a thicker consistency is reached.
Keywords: vegan dip, bean dip, layered dip, nachos, superbowl, game day,
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