Best Vegan Queso (Ever)
Posted: 05/20/19
Updated: 05/15/22
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This is the best vegan queso recipe EVER. Ready to eat in less than 10 minutes, it tastes so much like the real thing you won’t believe it! Rich cashew cream, a little potato, and a touch of nutritional yeast blend together with traditional Mexican flavors for a dairy-free vegan queso you’ll fall in love with. It’s paleo, Whole30, and low-carb friendly, too!
What’s So Great About This Recipe
- It’s a foolproof copycat. Seriously, it tastes so much like real queso you might worry you’re actually eating dairy.
- It’s really easy to make. A quick blend in a Vitamix gives you a smooth, hot dip that’s ready to eat in less than 10 minutes!
- It’s low-calorie and low-carb, which means you can eat as much as your heart really desires.
- It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so you can make it ahead of an event or on meal prep Sundays. Store it in an airtight container, and add a little unsweetened almond milk when you reheat it if it’s too thick.
Key Ingredients
Cashew Cream – The cashews and coconut milk blend into a rich, thick, indulgent cashew cream that really makes this recipe what it is. The flavor is subtle enough, though, that you don’t feel like you’re eating coconut cashew queso.
Nutritional Yeast – This deactivated yeast is what creates the cheesy flavor of this queso, so don’t skip it, unless you just have to.
How to Make This Recipe
The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!
Whipping up this queso is so easy, you’ll feel like you’re missing a step.
Combine everything except for the chopped pickled jalapeños and the can of tomatoes and chiles (aka Rotel) in a high-speed blender, and blend until it’s very, very smooth. I blend mine in a Vitamix long enough that it heats up, but if yours doesn’t, you’ll need to transfer the queso to a saucepan and heat it up on the stove.
Stir in jalapeños and Rotel, then garnish with cilantro and serve with your favorite tortilla chips!
Chef’s Tips
- Tapioca starch is an optional ingredient in this recipe, so don’t worry if you don’t have it. It does make a difference, though. It gives this queso a gooier texture than other vegan queso recipes, making it more like real queso.
- If you don’t have a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix) that’s okay! You’ll just need to soak your cashews overnight in hot water to help them blend more easily. Simply pour hot water over the cashews and let them sit – don’t worry about changing out the water after it cools off. After blending, you’ll need to transfer the queso to a saucepan and heat it through over medium-low heat.
- If you don’t want to use coconut milk, you can leave it out! Increase the cashews to a total of 1.5 cups and use 1.75 cups of water or stock to make up for it.
- For vegan queso blanco, leave out the turmeric and the can of tomatoes and chiles. Still use the small can of green chiles, though!
More Vegan Recipes You’ll Love
- The Best Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- Vegan Chili
- Vegan Nutella
- Quick Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
- Vegan Crème Brûlée
- Vegan Enchiladas
Best Vegan Queso (Ever)
The best vegan queso recipe ever, it tastes so much like the real thing! Made with potatoes, cashews, and nutritional yeast, this magical combination does not taste dairy-free, paleo, or vegan – but it is!
servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiled potato about 2 medium yellow or red potatoes, see note for Paleo
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ cup raw cashews soaked overnight if not using a high-speed blender
- 1 cup vegetable broth see Note if not vegan
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup coconut milk unsweetened, full fat, from a can
- 1 4-ounce can chopped mild chiles
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 4-ounce can chopped pickled jalapeños divided and drained (reserve juice)
- 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeño juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon tapioca starch optional
- 1 dash turmeric optional, for color
- 1-2 teaspoons salt
- 1 can tomatoes and green chiles like Rotel, drained, optional
- fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish, optional
Equipment
- high-speed blender
Instructions
- Combine everything in a high-speed blender, excluding ¼ cup chopped pickled jalapeños and can of tomatoes and chiles. Start with 1 teaspoon salt. Blend until very smooth.
- If blender does not heat mixture, transfer to a saucepan and heat on the stove over medium-low heat. Heat until desired consistency, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Add extra salt if desired. Pour queso into serving bowl and stir in pickled jalapeños and drained can of tomatoes and chiles. Garnish and serve.
Notes
- If you’re not strictly vegan, you can use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth if you want.
- Make it Paleo: If you’re on a strict Paleo diet, or if you must avoid nightshade, swap the potatoes for 1 cup mashed, steamed cauliflower.
- Refrigerate: Store leftover queso in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Add unsweetened almond milk if the consistency of the queso is too thick. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until just heated through.
Video
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 111kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 311mg, Potassium: 271mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 88IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 2mg, Net Carbs: 8g
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Delicious for shor! But without the coconut milk and only using half the broth it was the perfect consistency. I used cauliflower instead of potato and didn’t find Tapioca starch necessary.. maybe that’s why I only needed 1/4 of the liquid.. so glad I added liquid slowly otherwise I would have been bummed at having a super liquidy cheese sauce and may have ended up feeling like I wasted all the ingredients. I also roasted tomatoes in the oven and used frozen mild green chillies instead of using anything out of a can and to avoid vinager I boiled sliced fresh jalapenos in xylitol from birch and water instead of using store bought pickled or canned. Thank you for this excellent base recipe
So glad you enjoyed it, Kj! Thanks for sharing! 😊
How does this recipe fare in the freezer?
It may change the taste and texture of the queso. We recommend refrigerating it for up to 5 days, but it can be frozen. Make sure you store it in an airtight container whether you freeze it or refrigerate it.
I made this for a work gathering and it was a hit. They were putting it on top of the other dishes. One non vegan coworker said 10 out of 10. i did use the Rotel with Habeneros, and kept it warm in a small crcokpot. Thank you
Thank you so much for sharing, DKB! I’m so glad it was such a success with everyone!
It was pretty good. But I had to make a 2nd batch with more than a cup of potatoes to get a thicker consistency. So I’d definitely lean toward 2 medium boiled potatoes rather than the measurement of one cup. Now I’m swimming in queso!! Lol.
Oops, I’m sorry about that, Patricia! We used 2 medium yellow potatoes to get our 1 cup. If you’ve still got queso that’s too thin, you can heat it up on the stovetop and let it reduce until it’s the thickness you prefer. The tapioca starch also acts as a thickener, so you can add a little more of that – just be careful not to overdo it!
OMG! Made this recipe last night for my son’s birthday party and it was a hit! So so sooooooo delicious! I will definitely be making this again. Thank you!!
Thank you so much, Aniva, and a very happy belated birthday to your son!
Hey there! Can the queso be stored in the freezer?!
It can, but it may change the taste and texture of the queso so keep that in mind. Make sure you store it in an airtight container whether you freeze it or just refrigerate it.
Its a delicious cheese sauce which could be used a variety of ways. Im very happy with this recipe.
This is great to hear! It really is a versatile recipe. Glad you’ve enjoyed it!
This queso is fantastic! The best vegan queso I’ve had to date (and I’ve had a lot). I threw the cashews in with my potatoes as I boiled them.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This is the third vegan queso recipe I’ve experimented with and I will say it’s hands down the best. Adjust nutritional yeast and salt to your taste. Sooo good!
So glad to hear it!