Description
Soft Pretzel Bites with Vegan Cheese Sauce are a delicious, plant-based appetizer featuring warm, chewy pretzel bites paired with a creamy, flavorful vegan cheese dip made from potatoes, carrots, and cashews. Perfect for entertaining or a tasty snack, this recipe combines classic baking and boiling techniques with a smooth blended vegan sauce that’s dairy-free and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pretzel Bites:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (110°F)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup baking soda (for boiling)
- Coarse salt (for topping)
For the Vegan Cheese Sauce:
- 1 cup peeled and diced potatoes
- 1/4 cup diced carrots
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk (oat or almond milk recommended)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, combine warm water, active dry yeast, and brown sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Make Dough: Add flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Knead the ingredients together for about 5 to 7 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough forms.
- Let Dough Rise: Cover the dough with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- Prepare Oven and Boiling Water: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and carefully add the baking soda; this will be used for boiling the pretzel bites.
- Shape Pretzel Bites: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope and cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces.
- Boil Pretzel Bites: Working in batches, boil the pretzel bites in the baking soda water for 30 seconds. This step gives the pretzels their characteristic chewy crust.
- Bake Pretzel Bites: Remove the boiled bites with a slotted spoon and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with coarse salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Prepare Vegan Cheese Sauce: While the pretzels bake, boil potatoes, carrots, and cashews together in water for about 10 minutes or until all are soft.
- Blend Cheese Sauce: Drain the boiled vegetables and cashews, then add them to a blender with plant milk, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, turmeric, and smoked paprika. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more plant milk if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Serve: Serve the warm pretzel bites with the vegan cheese sauce on the side for dipping and enjoy this delightful vegan appetizer.
Notes
- Use oat or almond milk for a neutral-flavored cheese sauce.
- Pretzel bites can be frozen after baking and reheated in the oven for convenience.
- For a spicier cheese sauce, add hot sauce or chipotle powder while blending.
