Summer time is the perfect time for fun and healthy dips such as this Chickapea Vegan Mac French Onion delight. Switch up your regular routine with this unexpected but delicious vegan, gluten free combination. Serve your dip alongside a crispy favourite like chips or with a platter of vegetables.

French Onion Vegan Mac Dip

• Prep Time:  15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Course: Dip
• Cuisine: American
• Servings:  6

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Chickapea Vegan Mac
• 2 Tbsp starch water, reserved when draining water from boiling pasta
• ¾ cup oat milk, unsweetened
• 2 Tbsp vegan butter
• 1/3 cup plain vegan cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• ¼ tsp table salt, rounded
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder, scant
• 4 yellow onions, chopped
• 2 Tbsp avocado oil
• 1 Tbsp vegan butter
• Pinch of table salt
• ½ tsp white sugar
• 1 block of soft tofu, drained (350g)
• 1 lemon, juice of
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise

Instructions:

1. In a pan over low heat, warm avocado oil and vegan butter until hot
2. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt then stir well 
3. Add ½ tsp white sugar and stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking, caramelize the onions by cooking them on low for at least 35 minutes or until a deep brown colour
4. In a blender mix the tofu, lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp sugar and mayonnaise until smooth
5. Add the caramelized onion to the blender and pulse until well combined
6. Meanwhile, prepare the Chickapea Vegan Mac (heat 8 cups of water in a large pot over high heat until boiling. Add pasta, decrease heat to maintain a gentle boil.  Stir and cook pasta for 5 minutes)
7. Remove 2 Tbsp of starch water from the pot
8. Drain and rinse the pasta with warm water and add it back to the pot 
9. Place the pot back on the burner over low heat
10. Mix the contents of the vegan mac seasoning package, starch water, vegan butter, and plant-based oat milk, into the pasta until combined. 
11. Add the vegan cream cheese, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder and onion powder to the pot, mixing the pasta until all the ingredients have melted and becomes evenly incorporated into the sauce
12. In a large mixing bowl stir together the caramelized onion tofu mixture and the Chickapea Vegan Mac
13. Set it in the refrigerator until ready to use
14. Serve with chips of choice or veggie sticks
15. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

• Vegan mayonnaise is an optional ingredient but does add to the creaminess and decadence of the dip
• Yellow onions can be substituted for white or used alongside shallots for different flavours
• Tofutti plain cream cheese was used in the recipe
• Earth’s Own unsweetened oat milk was used as it lends thickness and flavour to the sauce 
• Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread was used in this recipe. It melts well adding flavour and thickness to the sauce
• This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled for larger groups