Chipotle Almond Dip

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Chipotle almond dip is a creamy, southwestern inspired dip that pairs perfectly with crackers and veggies. But it's so good that you'll want to put it on tacos, wraps, sandwiches and salads too. It's perfect for anything that needs a little smoky, southwestern zing. It's also naturally vegan.

Chipotle Almond dip with crackers and carrots

I fell in love with chipotle almond dip a few years ago when I first tried Chipotle Bitchin' Sauce at Costco. Yes, it was one of those times where you try a sample and are instantly hooked. And it gets extra bonus points for being vegan. The problem is that Costco doesn't always stock it, and it's hard to find at regular grocery stores. So I've been making my own for almost just as long. I recently discovered Trader Joe's has a version, but it's just not as good. And, while I do love Trader Joe's, there isn't one near my house, so I don't get there very often either.

Chipotle almond dip is super versatile. It's great served immediately with crackers and veggies. Carrot chips (carrots cut in rounds instead of sticks) make yummy, healthy and naturally gluten free dippers! But this dip is also currently my favorite condiment. I use it in wraps, sandwiches and every type of tacos including my Air Fryer Fish Tacos. I also thin it with a little water and use it in place of salad dressing or as a substitute for aioli or crema.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Next level tips
FAQ
Pairing
Chipotle Almond Dip

Ingredients

Neutral oil (grapeseed, sunflower or your whatever neutral oil you have on hand)
Water
Almonds
Lime juice
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Nutritional Yeast
Garlic
Tamari (or soy) sauce
Onion powder
Paprika
Salt
Chipotle chili powder

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

This dip is simply delicious. But the next best thing about this recipe is that you can just dump all of the ingredients in a high powered blender and start blending! There's enough liquid that you don't even have to worry about the order that the ingredients are added which is always a bonus! If you don't have a high powered blender, you can use a regular food processor. You'll just want to soak the almonds in water for a minimum of two hours to soften them up before adding them to the food processor.

Substitutions

Oil - use your favorite neutral oil. I've used grapeseed, sunflower, and canola oil. All work great! I even tried olive oil in a pinch. Don't do that! Olive oil is not a neutral oil, and it does affect the final flavor of the dip.
Lime juice - you can substitute lemon juice. Both Bitchin' Sauce and Trader Joe's versions use lemon juice, but I think limes pair better with chipotles.
Nutritional Yeast - there aren't great substitutes for nutritional yeast. It's used in vegan recipes to provide a 'cheesy' flavor. I definitely recommend it if you've never tried it before. Otherwise, you can substitute a tablespoon of miso paste or an extra teaspoon of soy sauce for a little extra zing.
Almonds- you can substitute another nut like cashews. However, cashews soak up liquid differently than almonds and taste differently than almonds. So if you do use another nut, reduce the water by ¼ cup initially to test the consistency and expect that it will also taste differently.
Tamari sauce - for a gluten free substitution, you can use coconut aminos. You can also use regular soy sauce if you're not gluten free.

Variations

More spicy - add more chipotles, more adobo sauce or chipotle chili powder. Just do it slowly and taste it as you go.
For a very mild version, you can skip the chipotles, adobo sauce and chipotle chili powder entirely.
For a green chili version, substitute a 4 ounce can of green chilis for the chipotle chilis, the adobo sauce and the chipotle chili powder. Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika to add a smoky flavor.

Equipment

If you have a high powdered blender, use it! If you don't, then soak the almonds in water for two hours to soften them. Then use a food processor and follow the same instructions.

Storage

Store chipotle almond dip in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. The almonds will continue to soak up water, so you may need to add additional water the longer it is stored in the refrigerator.

Next level tips

If you've never tried tamari sauce, I highly recommend it! It's sold right next to the regular soy sauce. It has a deeper and richer flavor than regular soy sauce, and it's naturally glute free.
You can easily thin out this dip by adding a little water at a time to turn it into a fabulous substitution for crema or aioli.
If you're having a party, make it as an appetizer dip. Then save any leftovers (if you have any!) for taco night.

FAQ

What if I don't have a high powered blender?

Simply soak your almonds in water for a minimum of two hours to soften them. To soak nuts, simply add them to a bowl, completely cover the nuts with room temperature water and add an extra inch of water.

What is tamari sauce?

Tamari sauce is very similar to soy sauce. It's also made from fermented soy beans, but it is processed differently without the use of wheat. It's basically gluten free soy sauce, but it's also known to be darker, richer and with a more balanced flavor.

What is nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that's used as a seasoning in vegan dishes. Since it's deactivated, it won't make dough rise, but it does add a nice 'cheesy' flavor to plant-based dishes.

Why did my dip get thicker overnight?

Almonds will continue to soak up water. You can stir in a small amount of water to adjust the consistency at any time. Bitchin Sauce is very thin and the Trader Joe's version is very thick. I'm a medium kind of girl, but it's super easy to adjust the consistency to your liking. Adding more water doesn't change the flavor.

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:

Air Fryer Fish Tacos