Vegan Queso

We’re redefining snacks with this dairy-free vegan queso. It’s creamy and delicious, making it the perfect accompaniment for tortilla chips or vegetables—though we won’t judge you for just grabbing a spoon.

Right this way for the best vegan dinner recipes.

Vegan Queso Ingredients

• Raw cashews
• Water or unsweetened almond milk
• Nutritional yeast
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime juice
• Salt
• Chili powder
• Canned diced tomatoes and green chiles
• Tortilla chips and assorted vegetables

Directions

Step 1: Prep the cashews

The night before, soak the cashews by first rinsing them in cold water. Place the cashews in a large bowl with water, making sure they are completely covered by an additional three inches of water on top. Cover and leave overnight.

Editor’s Tip: Soak the cashews for at least eight hours. Don’t have eight hours? You can place them in hot, but not boiling, water for 15 minutes for similar results.

Step 2: Blend ingredients

Get the cashews ready by draining and rinsing them, and then adding to a food processor with 1 cup water, nutritional yeast, cilantro, lime juice, salt and chili powder. Blend in the food processor for three to four minutes, making sure to stop and scrape the sides when necessary.

Editor’s Tip: The nutritional yeast gives vegan queso delicious umami flavor. To enhance it further, add a splash of white wine or distilled white vinegar. You can also sprinkle in some turmeric to bring out its golden hue.

Step 3: Heat and eat

Add the queso to a small saucepan with the tomatoes until well-heated. Enjoy with tortilla chips and vegetables.

Vegan Queso Variations

As far as we’re concerned, the best queso is a creamy queso. Find your favorite texture by adding your favorite nut milk—we prefer almond milk for this recipe—or extra water.

If you prefer your queso a little spicier, you can blend in some hot sauce or jalapeno pepper with the rest of the ingredients. Just add as much as you like to achieve your desired heat.

Vegan Queso Tips

How do you store vegan queso?

Like pizza, leftover queso is just as delicious as a freshly made batch. Cover and store in a bowl for up to five days in the fridge, reheating on the stove or in the microwave. You can add water as needed if it’s too thick.

What do you serve with vegan queso?

You can make this queso into a meal by pairing it with nachos, burrito bowls, potatoes and tacos, or whatever else could use a dollop!