Description
Soft Pretzel Bites with Vegan Cheese Sauce are a delicious snack featuring warm, chewy pretzel bites paired with a creamy, flavorful plant-based cheese dip. These homemade pretzels are boiled briefly in baking soda water for that classic pretzel texture, then baked to golden perfection. The vegan cheese sauce, made from blended potatoes, carrots, nutritional yeast, and spices, provides a rich and savory accompaniment, perfect for dipping and sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pretzel Bites:
- 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110°F)
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup baking soda (for boiling)
- coarse salt for topping
For the Vegan Cheese Sauce:
- 1 cup peeled and diced potatoes
- ½ cup diced carrots
- ¼ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric (for color)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and brown sugar. Let the mixture sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active and ready to use.
- Prepare Dough: Stir in the salt, olive oil, and gradually add the all-purpose flour. Mix until a dough forms. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 5–7 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size, which ensures a light and airy texture.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Boiling Water: Preheat your 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, which will bubble as it reacts with the water.
- Shape Pretzel Bites: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Divide it into six pieces, roll each piece into ropes, and cut into 1-inch bites for perfect-sized pretzel pieces.
- Boil Pretzel Bites: Boil pretzel bites in batches for 30 seconds in the baking soda water. This step gives the pretzels their distinctive chewy crust. After boiling, transfer them to the baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake Pretzels: Bake the pretzel bites in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes or until they turn golden brown, ensuring a crunchy exterior and soft interior.
- Make Vegan Cheese Sauce: While the pretzels bake, boil the diced potatoes and carrots in a small pot until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add the plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, olive oil or vegan butter, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, turmeric, and smoked paprika if using. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding extra plant milk if necessary to achieve desired consistency.
- Serve: Serve the warm pretzel bites alongside the vegan cheese sauce for dipping. Enjoy this comforting snack fresh from the oven for best taste and texture.
Notes
- The cheese sauce can be made ahead and reheated gently before serving.
- For a spicy kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a splash of hot sauce to the cheese sauce.
- Ensure water is warm but not hot to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- Boiling pretzel bites in baking soda water is key to developing the classic pretzel crust.
- Use coarse salt for topping to enhance flavor and texture contrast.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
