Vegetarian Buffalo Dip with Jackfruit

This vegetarian buffalo dip is made with jackfruit for the best taste and texture! There's no chicken in this hot vegetarian dip, making it perfect for a meatless game day or party appetizer!

A big bowl of buffalo dip topped with blue cheese and green onion.

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Ingredients
How to make vegetarian buffalo dip
Top tips
FAQ
More vegetarian dip recipes
Recipe

Vegetarian buffalo dip is the coziest hot vegetarian dip you could imagine.

There's tons of cheese, hot sauce, a bit of ranch dressing, and jackfruit to mimic the taste and texture of chicken. This is so easy to throw together and was a huge crowd pleaser when I made it for the Super Bowl.

We've used jackfruit instead of chicken before with my jackfruit tortilla soup and biscuit topped vegetarian pot pie. The texture similarities are unbelievable. I've served all three of these recipes to plenty of meat eaters who would have had no idea they weren't eating chicken if I hadn't told them.

Ingredients

Cream cheese
Hot sauce
Ranch dressing
Jackfruit
Cheddar cheese
Green onion
Blue cheese

How to make vegetarian buffalo dip

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, hot sauce, and ranch dressing with a spoon or hand mixer until smooth.
Add the jackfruit, cheddar cheese, green onion, and blue cheese if using and stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a greased 1 ½ quart baking dish and smooth out. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350ºF until hot and bubbly.
Remove from the oven and serve warm sprinkled with additional blue cheese and chopped green onion if desired, alongside celery and tortilla chips for dipping.

A small bowl of buffalo dip on a plate next to celery sticks and tortilla chips.

Top tips

Buffalo chicken dip without chicken

Texture is the number one reason I love using jackfruit in this dip instead of cauliflower or beans. The strands of the fruit really do look and feel like chicken.

Soften the cream cheese

Make sure your cream cheese is nice and soft so you can combine it with the ranch dressing and hot sauce (I like Frank's Red Hot). I like to use a hand mixer, but a big spoon or spatula and some hard work will also do the job.

Shredded vs block cheese

Shredding your own cheese will always give you the best melting consistency. However, pre-shredded cheese will also work, and you may not even notice the difference. It is up to you which you choose to use.

How to prepare jackfruit

If using jackfruit canned in brine, rinse and drain the jackfruit in a colander before proceeding with the recipe. This will remove most of the brine. I do not recommend using jackfruit canned in syrup for this recipe. After rinsing, use your fingers to break the fruit apart and separate it into meat-like strands.

If using fresh jackfruit, check out this post on how to prepare jackfruit. It is a little more complicated than opening a can, but I always support the use of fresh fruits and vegetables.

A big bowl of buffalo dip with a hand dipping a tortilla chip in it.

The best things to eat with buffalo dip

I enjoy this vegetarian dip with celery sticks and tortilla chips, but it would also be great on a slice of crusty bread, sweet mini peppers, carrot sticks, in a wrap, or on top of a baked potato.

How to store buffalo dip

Keep any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow it to cool completely before refrigerating. I do not recommend freezing this dip as I don't think the texture would hold up.

Tips for customizing vegetarian buffalo chicken dip

Use more or less hot sauce to taste
Experiment with different types of hot sauce
Blue cheese is optional - mix it in, toss it on top after baking, the choice is yours!
Sprinkle the top with additional shredded cheese, then broil in the last few minutes of baking for a crisp cheesy crust
Use as a spread for a veggie sandwich
Swap the jackfruit for cooked cauliflower or canned white beans, rinsed and drained

A small bowl of buffalo dip on a plate next to celery sticks and tortilla chips. In the corner there is a big bowl of the dip.

FAQ

What is jackfruit?

Jackfruit is a large tree fruit. The fruit itself is actually made up of thousands of flowers, which peel apart and offer a similar texture to meat.

Jackfruit is slightly sweet, but when mixed with other flavors this can be hidden fairly easily. I recommend purchasing jackfruit canned in brine (not syrup), which can be found in the natural and organic section of most grocery stores.

Is blue cheese vegetarian?

Not all blue cheese is vegetarian. It depends on the variety and the brand. I recommend looking for a cheese made with vegetable rennet instead of animal rennet.

Can you make no chicken buffalo dip in a crockpot?

Yes! Mix everything up as instructed in the crockpot and heat on low for 1-2 hours. If letting the dip sit out for a few hours, turn the heat to warm after cooking.