buffalo dip

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Vegan Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Challah

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If you have not noticed my affection for challah bread by now, then let me reiterate that I LOVE challah, LOVE IT!!!

I used to bake and sell challah each week actually, until I started this site and life got too busy.

I have t-shirts expressing my challah love, socks too. Challah at ya! Challah y’all! Challah day, celebrate! I ain’t no challah back girl. I could go on and on with my challah puns.

I love it start to finish, dough to bread. I love the act of preparing challah on shabbat, and I love finding new ways to stuff it so it becomes a total meal.

Challah takes some time to make, but it is 1,000% worth it!

This vegan challah was the request of our 13 year old daughter. She loves our Buffalo “chicken” dip with jackfruit and stuffing that magic into warm, soft, fluffy challah seemed like a no brainer to me! Covered in melted vegan cheddar and drizzled with hot sauce glaze, its now on my top 5 favorite stuffed challah list!

So bake up a batch of our Vegan Buffalo “chicken” dipand stuff your own vegan challah. Then challah at me and let me know how much you loved it!

Challah:

Follow the recipe for my basic Challah Y'all, Vegan Challah. You will follow the instructions through the first rise, then follow the below instructions for stuffing and braiding.

  • 1 batch of Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip, baked and cooled

  • 1 cup leftover aquafaba

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

  • 3 teaspoons buffalo sauce (I always use Franks)

  • 1 cup shredded vegan cheddar (I always use homemade or follow your heart cheddar shreds)

Stuffing the Challah:

  1. Once Challah has completed its first rise, remove from oven and separate dough in half. This recipe will yield 2 stuffed challah loaves.

  2. Cut each half into thirds. (each loaf will have three pieces of dough. Work with one loaf at a time, leaving the other three pieces of dough covered in a bowl until you are ready to use them)

  3. Take one piece of dough in your hand and begin to stretch it both length wise, and width wise and the same, time, letting gravity help with the length. You want a rectangle of dough that is about 5 inches wide and about 6-7 inches long. Once your dough is the correct size, Add a few scoops of dip to the center of the dough. Do not get too close to the edges, if the dip wets the dough it will not seal together.

  4. Once stuffed, bring the outside edges together, and pinch to seal. Once dough is sealed, pick it up and start to gently stretch the dough into a fat rope. You will have to kind of squeeze and pull at the same time, just do not squeeze so hard that the filling comes out. You just need the rope long enough to braid, 10-12 inches.

  5. Repeat with the other two strands.

  6. Once all three strands are stuffed, and formed, carefully braid the three pieces together. If the seams begin to open, pinch them back and continue braiding. Tuck both ends of the loaf under when done braiding. Once again I will refer you to Tori Avey's challah braiding guide if you are unfamiliar with braiding challah! She does a fantastic job showing all the different ways to braid your bread, plus she has some really great recipes on her site.

  7. Repeat with the second loaf, and place both stuffed loaves on a baking sheet, and back in the oven to rise again for about 45 mintues. Once they have risen, remove from oven and pre-heat to 350.

  8. Mix 1 cup of left over aquafaba, maple syrup and buffalo sauce. Brush each loaf of challah with the mixture and sprinkle with vegan cheddar shreds. You can also add a little extra hot sauce to the aquafaba mix and drizzle it over the challah before you bake it.

  9. Bake both loaves for about 35 - 45 minutes. You can tap the tops to see if they sound a little hallow. It is hard to tell when stuffed challahs are done when there are wet ingredients inside, so if they do not seem cooked through after 35 minutes, let them keep cooking for 5 - 10 more minutes.

  10. Remove challah from the oven, and allow to cool some before cutting.

*Follow us on Instagram @86.eats and check out step by step challah making in our highlights. This shows making aquafaba, and the stages of the dough!

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Vegan Buffalo "Chicken" Bites

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Before I went vegan, I think I ate my weight in Publix pre-made buffalo dip .

If you don’t know what Publix is, its a grocery store here in Florida and their buffalo dip is delicious.

So once going vegan we set out to create a vegan version of that beloved dip! We used jackfruit in place of the chicken and loaded it with vegan cheese, cream cheese, mayo, and Franks buffalo sauce. You can also use our easy vegan chicken breast recipe if you have a little more time on your hands (but seriously, they are pretty quick to make too!)

It is sooooo good!

So when I saw on the internet somewhere a video of ice cube tray hacks and I happened to have some dip in my fridge, I knew what I was gong to do with it! Within minutes I had rolled out some pie crust and got to work.

These little bites are perfect for snacking or parties. They are so delicious and the perfect use of some leftover vegan buffalo dip.

I mean they are super cute, right?!?! And how easy, you literally roll out dough, drape it over the tray, fill, and bake!! These are my favorite types of recipes! Creative, easy, and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

You will need one ice cube tray for this recipe

  • 1 can jackfruit in brine or 3-4 Easy Vegan Chicken Chicken Breast

  • 1 8oz container vegan cream cheese, or homemade

  • 3/4 cups of buffalo sauce (I use Franks)

  • 1/2 cup vegan mayo

  • Pinch of salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • 2 tablespoons corn or tapioca starch

  • 1 plus 1/2 cups vegan cheddar shreds (like Follow Your Heart), or homemade

  • 1 pie crust, you can use a homemade or store bought if vegan

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

  1. If using jackfruit, drain and chop the pieces, or shred them using you fingers into a medium sized bowl. The fruit pulls apart easily, and I find using my fingers easier than chopping. I using the vegan chicken, follow directions and dice into very small pieces after the seitan has rested.

  2. Add the remaining ingredients, except 1/2 cup of cheese to the bowl, and mix well.

  3. Transfer mixture to a small baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.

  4. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until cheese on top is melty.

  5. Roll out pre-made pie crust until it is big enough to drape over an ice cube tray, and there is enough excess hanging over the edge to fold back over the top. (check out the photo above for an example)

  6. Drape dough over the ice cube tray, leaving a good amount hanging over one side, and lightly press dough down to create dips where the ice would go.

  7. Scoop a few teaspoons of buffalo dip into each divot, then fold the excess dough back over to cover the tray. Press lightly on the dough until you can see the lines from the tray, and the edges seem sealed.

  8. Carefully flip the tray upside down onto a lightly floured surface. If the dough rips or cracks, just use your fingers to pinch it back together the best you can.

  9. Using a pizza cutter, or sharp knife, cut out the bites, using the lines between the bites as your guide.

  10. Place bites on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

  11. Serve with vegan blue cheese dressing.

Vegan Buffalo "Chicken" Dip

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Every time I make this buffalo “chicken” dip for a party, there is not a single bite left.

Non vegans can not believe this dip is actually vegan and aways marvel at how well the jackfruit mimics the texture of chicken. Jackfruit is the great meat mimicker, especially when trying to replace shredded meat in recipe. It has little taste on it’s own when its picked green and packed in brine. Once its drained and shredded it looks and feels like meat. It easy takes on the flavors you are cooking with, making it great for this recipe!

You can use any vegan cheddar you like. You can use store bough or even try your hand at one of our many cheddar style cheeses on the site.

We also use Franks buffalo sauce in this recipe because it is in fact vegan. The butter “flavor” in the sauce contains no dairy!! Hooray for small miracles, because I am an official Frank’s sauce groupie if that is even a thing!?! If not I am happy to head up an official fan club! You can use any vegan buffalo sauce you like, though!

This classic dip is spicy, cheesy, gooey, and always a crowd pleaser. I also like to whip up a batch of this tasty dip for sandwiches or for my Vegan Buffalo “chicken” bites, Buffalo Mac and Cheese, or Buffalo Stuffed Challah!!

So go make yourself a batch and try to make a few other thing with it too!! Those are my favorite kinds of recipes. The ones that just giving you some love in all kinds of new ways.

NGREDIENTS:

  • 1 can jackfruit in brine or 4 easy vegan chicken breast finely diced

  • 1 8oz container vegan cream cheese

  • 3/4 cups of buffalo sauce (I use Franks)

  • 1/2 cup vegan mayo

  • Pinch of salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • 2 tablespoons corn or tapioca starch

  • 1 plus 1/2 cups vegan cheddar shreds (like Follow Your Heart)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

  1. If using jackfruit, drain and chop the pieces, or shred them using you fingers into a medium sized bowl. The fruit pulls apart easily, and I find using my fingers easier than chopping. If using chicken prepare following instructions and dice after the seitan has rested.

  2. Add the remaining ingredients, except 1/2 cup of cheese, to the bowl and mix well.

  3. Transfer mixture to a small baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.

  4. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until cheese on top is melty.

  5. Serve with bread, crackers, carrots, or celery sticks.