Out Of This World Vegan Queso Dip

Cashew queso is definitely the answer. What was the question? This vegan cashew queso dip is perfectly snackable and wildly versatile… Prepare yourselves, you’re about to host a fiesta that is gonna give you notable vegan street cred.

Viva vegan queso!

Vegan Queso Dip: Your taco night partner-in-crime

In our household, some variation of taco night happens every week. Repeat offenders include taco salad, mushroom walnut tacos, and vegan burrito bowls. When you think of taco night, what ingredients come to mind? A protein, a veg, a sauce, tortillas (ahem, something to please the carb queen in all of us)…. and CHEESE! Can you have a certifiable taco night without cheese?

Enter this vegan queso dip. You’re probably going to memorize this recipe and have it on standby. It is the ULTIMATE versatile cheese sauce! As the recipe is written it is very approachable- it isn’t too spicy, too salty, or too noochy.

I fully and completely encourage you to alter and adjust this recipe to best suit your palate. Want more spice? Kick up the chipotle peppers! Want this to resemble a cheddar sauce? Go heavy on the nooch, nooch baby! Use this as a canvas to flavor all your vegan meals.

Vegan Cashew Queso Secret Ingredient

Cashews are a miracle ingredient in vegan cooking. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce have touched our spice lovin’ foodie hearts. Lemon reliably gifts us with a snappy acidic profile. But miso- Miso has this complex, savory, umami, & fermenty flavor that sends out those feel-good, cheesy satisfaction signals!

It’s widely available and I’m particularly fond of chickpea miso, which you can find in most health food stores nowadays. It will up your vegan cooking game (read: eating game) by 1,000%. Say hello to savory and let’s get cookin’!

Pro tip: About Chipotle Peppers

Ok, we all know and love the powerhouse that is canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. What I really want you to know is this nugget I picked up from Melissa Coleman’s cookbook The Minimalist Kitchen: When you first open a can of chipotle peppers, puree the entire can – seeds, sauce and all. Then the peppers are easy to use, easy to measure, and easy to store!

Common Questions About Vegan Cashew Queso Dip:

1. Can you freeze cashew queso? Yes- I often freeze vegan queso sauce when I make it! In order to achieve a really smooth and creamy consistency while blending, you need to have enough volume to get your blender flowing smoothly. Also, it is such a miracle when I get home, don’t have any food ready- but I’ve got tortillas on the counter and QUESO in the freezer!
2. Can you use this recipe for nachos? Yes girl, YES- this is a GREAT way to use this queso. You can adjust the consistency with more or less water!
3. Can you add salsa to this vegan queso dip? Absolutely! Diced hatch green chiles, black beans, diced tomatoes or bell peppers are also fabulous additions!
4. Can you make this queso nut-free? Yes, you could substitute a seed, like sunflower seed, in this recipe, however, sunflower seeds are more bitter than cashews so you may have to do some taste testing and adjust seasonings as needed! Also: Dear friends and loved ones, you can even substitute cauliflower in this recipe! I would decrease the amount of water you add and check seasoning levels as you blend.
5. How to make this recipe Low Carb? The cashews carry most of the carbs in this recipe… However, nutritional yeast has a surprisingly high amount of carbs, same with some brands of miso. To opt for a lower carb option, decrease/omit the nooch and/or miso you use in this recipe.

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