Made with 6 ingredients and minimal hands-on time, this Cheesy Vegan Black Bean Dip makes for an amazing week night dinner side-dish or party appetizer!
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My friend recently posted a simple black bean dip recipe on Facebook and I knew I needed to veganize it and devour it ASAP!
Since making this cheesy vegan bean dip for the first time, I've been making it weekly to serve as a snack with my oil-free tortilla chips and use as our main protein source for Mexican buddha bowls.
This dip only requires 6 ingredients and about 10 minutes of hands-on time. Plus it's high in plant-based protein and fiber.
Yes please!
Health Benefits of Black Beans
Black beans, which are a part of the legume family, are a very nutritious, plant-based food. They are known for being high in protein and fiber.
Just one ½ cup serving of black beans gives you over 7 grams of protein and over 7 grams of fiber. The high protein and fiber content of black beans will help keep you fuller for longer and can help prevent constipation.
Black beans are also a great source of selenium, iron, calcium, zinc and folate, which may help to create strong bones, prevent cancer and prevent inflammation.
Should You Soak Dried Beans?
While it's possible to cook dried beans without soaking them, soaking your beans may help to remove some of the complex sugars that can cause gas and make beans harder to digest.
While it isn't proven that soaking beans helps reduce gas, it is true that soaking your beans before cooking them will shorten the cooking time.
So while it's not necessary to soak your beans before cooking them, you may find it provides some benefits!
How to Soak Your Beans
There are two main ways you can soak your dried beans: overnight or through a "quick soak" method. Below I'll share how to do both!
Overnight Method
Rinse, drain and pick over your dried beans to remove any debris. Place the beans into a large pot and cover them with 2 inches of water. The beans will expand as they soak. Cover the pot and allow the beans to sit out overnight, or for 6-10 hours. After soaking, drain and rinse the beans before cooking.
Quick Soak Method
To "quick soak" your beans, place your dried beans in a large pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, remove the beans from the heat and cover the pot. Allow the beans to soak for 1-4 hours before draining and cooking them.
How to Cook Black Beans from Scratch
While canned beans are a fairly inexpensive plant-based protein source, cooking beans from scratch will save you even more money. Below I'll share some of the ways you can cook black beans from scratch after soaking them.
For simplicities sake, each method is for 1 pound of dried black beans (or about 2 cups) that has already been soaked. Feel free to double the ratios.
Stovetop Method
Placed the soaked black beans into a large pot with 8 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat before covering the pot and reducing the heat to low. Cook the beans over low heat for 60-90 minutes or until tender.
Pressure Cooker Method
Place the soaked black beans into your pressure cooker with 3 ½ cups water, 1 teaspoon of salt and spices if desired. Seal the cooker and, for softer beans, cook the beans on high for 10 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally for about 15 minutes.
Slow Cooker Method
Place the soaked black beans into your slow cooker with 3 ½ cups of water and any spices or add-ins that you desire. Cook the beans on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
Equipment
To make this black bean dip you'll need the following items:
- Oven
- Food Processor*
- Colander
- 8x8 baking dish
- Spoon/spatula
- Box grater (if you have to grate your cheese)
- Cup and spoon measurers
If you don't have a food processor, don't worry! A fork or potato masher and some elbow grease should do the trick.
Ingredients
The thing I love most about this black bean dip, other than the taste, is how few ingredients it requires!
To make this dip you'll need the following ingredients:
- Black beans
- Salsa (I use mild so my toddler can enjoy it too!)
- Vegan cream cheese
- Sea salt
- Garlic powder
- Shredded vegan cheese
That's it!
I'm also pretty sure this dip would still taste amazing without the vegan cream cheese and/or shredded cheese if you're having a hard time finding those ingredients or want to keep this dip more whole-foods-based.
My Favorite Vegan Cheeses
To be honest, due to living in Asia, I haven't been able to try out many different brands of vegan cheese.
However I do know that I love the brand Violife. I love their cheese blocks (especially the smoked and mozzarella blocks!) as well as their original and flavored cream cheeses. To make this dip I shredded some of the smoked flavor block to sprinkle on top and used the original cream cheese to blend into the black bean dip.
Because the cream cheese is mixed into the dip, I'm sure any brand you have access to would be fine. As for the shredded cheese on top, just use whatever shredded vegan cheese is your favorite and melts well when heated.
How to Make Black Bean Dip
To make this simple, 6-ingredient cheesy vegan black bean dip, follow the photo instructions below!
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F / 190°C and set aside an 8x8 baking dish.
Step 2: Place the black beans, salsa, cream cheese, salt and garlic powder into a food processor and process until combined, yet still textured.
Step 3: Pour the black bean mixture into your 8x8 baking dish and spread it out into an even layer.
Step 4: Sprinkle the top with shredded vegan cheese.
Step 5: Bake the dip for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.
Step 6: Serve the dip warm with your favorite chips!
If desired, you can top the dip with fresh tomato, cilantro and diced avocado.
Storage
If you have any leftovers of this bean dip, simply scoop the dip into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How To Reheat
I've found the best way to reheat this bean dip is to use a microwave. A microwave seems to re-melt the vegan cheese better than an oven, but that also could depend on the vegan cheese you're using.
To reheat the dip, place it into a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for about 30 seconds or until the beans are hot and the cheese has melted. The length of time you microwave this dip will obviously depend on the strength of your microwave and how much bean dip is in the bowl.
So just be sure to check on the dip occasionally so that it doesn't burn/over cook.
More Bean Recipes
If you're looking for more simple ways to add more beans into your diet, check out the following easy, vegan recipes!
- Tasty Vegan Enchiladas
- Curried Carrot White Bean Hummus
- 4 Ingredient Italian White Bean Pasta Salad
- Vegan White Bean Chili
- Simple Black Bean and Corn Salad
- The Best Hummus Recipe
- The Best Buffalo Chickpea Salad
📖 Recipe
Cheesy Vegan Black Bean Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½-1 cup vegan shredded cheese*
- Optional Toppings: Chopped tomatoes, diced avocado, cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 °F and set aside an 8x8 baking dish.
- Place all of the ingredients, except for the shredded vegan cheese, into a food processor and process until combined, yet still slightly textured.
- Pour the mixture into your 8x8 baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle over the shredded vegan cheese.
- Bake the black bean dip for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- If desired, top the dip with fresh, chopped tomatoes, avocado and cilantro.
Laura says
This was delish! Hit a homerun with my vegan daughter as an afternoon snack - she spread it on a tortilla shell, topped it with chopped avocado and tomatoes. Tastes better than it lookes! And so easy!
Faith VanderMolen says
That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for sharing Laura!