Ready in 5 minutes, with no soaking, this umami-packed vegan cashew queso is so creamy and satisfying, you’ll want to drizzle it over everything! Seriously: dairy free nacho cheese never tasted so good.
As a vegan who used to be a cheese-obsessed vegetarian, figuring out truly delicious ways to get that creamy, cheesy vibe into my plant-based recipes has been more central to my happiness than I’d care to admit.
And the dietitian in me knows that there are lots of reasons you might seek out a dairy free queso recipe…because maybe you’re allergic to dairy, lactose intolerant or just trying to eat more plants and feel a bit healthier.
No matter why you’re here, I think you deserve a really banging vegan queso, don’t you?
Queso (or chile con queso) is very much a Tex Mex creation…likely inspired by Mexican queso fundido but its own thing entirely. Think nacho cheese sauce on chips at the ballpark. Or game day!
For me, this super quick cashew queso is my go-to whenever I need a boost of YUM. Just pop it all into the blender and 5 minutes later, EAT. Having tried a bunch of other vegan queso recipes online, I just couldn’t find one I really loved. I did NOT want one made with carrots and potatoes. I didn’t want to have to cook anything at all.
So I tinkered around until I found the exact blend of spices that made this queso dip so dang rich and craveable, I didn’t look back. I was less concerned with recreating the stretching texture of dairy cheese and more about creaminess and building flavour.
Nutritional yeast is one of my go-to moves for that rich umami flavour, as is a hearty dose of garlic powder – which boosts flavour even more than fresh garlic. A hefty amount of chili powder seasoning gives it a well-rounded flavour. Even my deeply omnivorous husband loves this plant-based queso and requests it for his nachos!
Love creamy cashews as much as I do? The quesadillas with a cashew sauce in my latest cookbook, Plant Magic are 10/10
How to make this speedy dairy free blender queso
First things first: let’s talk ingredients. Raw cashews are important as they have a much more neutral flavour than roasted cashews (but roasted do work in a pinch). Then you’ll need nutritional yeast, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin and paprika. You can do smoked paprika if you want a smokier vibe or sweet, like I use.
Oh, and let’s set the record straight: if you have a high speed blender, you do NOT need to soak your cashews. You. Just. Don’t. The only exception to that rule? When you’re trying to blend a tiny amount of liquid…because the blades can’t blend it well.
Don’t have a high speed blender? Here’s a much faster way to soak the cashews. Just pop them in a small pot with water. Bring to a boil and let them boil for 5 minutes and drain. Yep, that’s it.
Okee dokee, now that we’ve got that out of the way…are you prepared for how easy this is?
Step One: Add the water, cashews, nutritional yeast, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin and paprika to a blender and blend for a full minute, starting low and increasing to high, until the queso is silky smooth. If you want to add heat, you can stir in some hot sauce, diced green chiles or diced pickled (or fresh!) jalapenos.
Step Two: dive in and enjoy with tortilla chips or heck, just a spoon. Need some, ahem, more socially acceptable serving inspo? Here are some delish ways to serve this queso: drizzled over my Game Day Nachos, or as a dip for standard nachos. Make chili cheese fries with leftovers of my red lentil chili. Drizzle over my crumbled tofu tacos. Use as a dip for my sheet pan black bean tacos.
Want to get a bit cuter? If serving as a dip, you can garnish with fresh or pickled jalapenos, stir in some diced green chilis or top with some minced cilantro.
More cheesy vegan recipes:
- Classic Vegan Mac and Cheese with Silken Tofu Sauce
- Easy Vegan Hot Corn Dip with Cashew Cream
- 5 Minute Vegan Parmesan made with Almonds
- Hearty Vegan Lasagna
Cashew Queso with Nutritional Yeast (vegan)
Equipment
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High Speed Blender see note about using a regular blender!
Ingredients
Cashew Queso
- 1 ¼ cup raw cashews
- 1 ¼ cup water reduce to 1 cup for a thicker dip
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons chili powder the seasoning blend, not ground chilis
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika sweet or smoky
Optional, for a bit of heat. Choose one…or more, go for it!
- 1 can diced green chilis
- hot sauce Frank’s or Valentina’s are both good here
- diced jalapeño fresh or pickled
Instructions
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Pop the cashews, water, nutritional yeast, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin and paprika into a high speed blender. Blend, starting low and increasing to high, for a full minute, until super smooth.
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Give it a taste: want heat? Add as much as you want. Needs brightness (chili powders can taste different) add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
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This queso keeps really well in a jar in the fridge for 3-4 days…although I doubt it will last that long!
Notes
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