Buffalo chickpea dip is spicy, creamy, and the perfect snack or appetizer. Ready in just 5 minutes, this healthy vegan buffalo dip is a cross between hummus and buffalo dip and is sure to be a hit at your next party or cookout.
Made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients this chickpea buffalo dip has the perfect amount of spice and can be served as a dip or as a sandwich or wrap.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Easy to make – this buffalo chickpea dip is as easy to make as hummus. Everything is combined in the food processor and then poured into a dish for serving. You can eat it immediately or put it in the oven to heat up. This vegan buffalo dip can even be made in advance!
- Simple, healthy ingredients – You likely have all the ingredients you need to make this healthy buffalo dip in your pantry right now. Because the main ingredient is beans, this chickpea buffalo dip is also super budget-friendly!
- Versatile – use this buffalo chickpea dip as a dip for veggies or crackers, as a filling meal inside a sandwich or wrap, or even over salad with your favorite ranch dressing.
INGREDIENTS
- Chickpeas – chickpeas provide the base for the recipe. Half of the chickpeas are blended to make the creamy base for the dip. You could also use any white bean you have on hand including cannellini beans, great northern white beans, lima beans (sometimes called fava beans) or navy beans.
- Olive oil or avocado oil – oil is used to help make the dip super creamy and thick. I find that without the oil, the dip tends to be less emulsified and less creamy.
- Hot sauce – use your favorite hot sauce here. The hot sauce you use will really determine how spicy your buffalo dip is. My go-to is Franks Red Hot Original because its got simple ingredients and is easy to find in most grocery stores. Check out my other recommendations below.
- Spices: Dried chives, dried parsley, garlic powder, salt, dried dill – this combination of spices is my go-to ranch seasoning spice blend and these spices pair so well with the buffalo flavors. You can also use your favorite ranch seasoning mix instead if you have that on hand (you will need about 1.5 tablespoons).
- Water – water is added to help create the perfect consistency. You may need between 2-4 tablespoons of water depending on how well you blend the chickpeas and your desired consistency.
HOW TO MAKE BUFFALO CHICKPEA DIP
Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
Pour half the chickpeas (one can, rinsed and drained) into a food processor along with the oil, hot sauce, and spices. Blend until smooth. Add water (2-4 tablespoons) and blend until you have a perfect consistency.
Add the second can of chickpeas to the buffalo hummus and stir well.
Pour the buffalo chickpea dip into a casserole dish. Serve immediately or bake in a 350F oven for 20-25 minutes until heated through.
TOP TIPS
- Serve hot, warm, or cold. This buffalo chickpeas dip doesn’t require any cooking, but if you want your dip to be warmed through, you can bake it before serving. It’s even great right out of the fridge.
- If you like a lot of texture in your dip, keep the second can of chickpeas whole.
- If you want the beans to be slightly less obvious, pulse them 3-4 times in the food processor (remove the dip first) to get a chunkier consistency that you won’t be able to recognize as beans.
- If you want the dip to be completely smooth, you may need to add 1-2 additional tablespoons of oil and 2-3 additional tablespoons of water to get the perfect texture.
- You can easily double or triple this recipe. It stores well in the fridge (up to 5 days) and is perfect for meal prep lunches.
OTHER ADDITIONS
- Veggies: Chopped celery, shredded carrots
- Spice: Crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- Creaminess: Soaked cashews, hemp hearts, or 1/2 cup of unsweetened greek style yogurt (vegan or regular)
- Fresh herbs: Green onion, fresh parsley, fresh dill
HOW TO SERVE CHICKPEA BUFFALO DIP
- As a dip with crackers, chips, pretzels, or raw veggies
- On a sandwich or wrap with lettuce and tomato
- On salad greens with your favorite ranch dressing
- Make vegan quesadillas
COMMON QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE BEST HOT SAUCE TO USE?
The hot sauce that you use in this recipe will determine the heat/spice.
I prefer Franks Red Hot Original hot sauce because it’s got very simple ingredients (aged cayenne red pepper, vinegar, water, salt, and garlic powder). Another great option is Crystal Hot sauce (just 3 ingredients – cayenne pepper, vinegar, and salt).
Budget-friendly options: Aldi has a super budget-friendly dupe on Frank’s Red Hot with almost the exact same ingredients (although they do add xanthan gum).
To make the buffalo dip less spicy, Texas Pete is less spicy than Frank’s.
CAN YOU MAKE THIS DIP WITHOUT A FOOD PROCESSOR?
Yes, simply mash the first can of chickpeas with the back of a fork or a potato masher. Add in spices, hot sauce, and avocado oil and mash more, getting the mixture as smooth as you can. Stir in water as needed. Add the additional can of chickpeas, stir, and serve immediately or put in the oven.
CAN YOU MAKE THIS VEGAN BUFFALO DIP IN ADVANCE?
Yes! This buffalo chickpea dip recipe would be great made up to 3 days in advance. Wait to pop it in the oven until right before serving.
STORING LEFTOVERS
- Fridge: Store leftover buffalo cauliflower dip in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. I recommend using Soupercubes to freeze the leftover dip in ½ cup or 1 cup portions. Defrost in the fridge or heat up in the oven from frozen, covered at 350F for 30-40 minutes.
REHEATING LEFTOVERS
You can enjoy this buffalo chickpea dip right out of the fridge, at room temperature, or warmed up.
To reheat, place in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Chickpeas – you can use any white beans in place of the chickpeas.
- Hot sauce – use whatever hot sauce you have on hand. You can also use store-bought buffalo sauce if you don’t have hot sauce on hand.
- Spices – if you don’t have one of the spices on hand, you can omit them or you can use 1.5 tablespoons of your favorite ranch seasoning spice mix instead of the individual spices.
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