The ultimate vegan cashew queso dip from scratch, made with whole foods in your blender processed until creamy and luxuriously silky. No cook, super delicious, quick and easy to make, healthy, dairy-free, gluten-free and Whole30 friendly!
What is vegan queso made of ?
This to die for queso dip is made with a base of raw cashews blended together with a thick homemade tomato sauce, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder and a touch of smoked paprika blended together until creamy smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and start dipping your favorite things. You can make it a little spicy by adding a pinch of chili powder or red chili flakes if your heart so desires.
The best part about this is that you don’t even have to soak the cashews if you have a powerful blender.
To make a nut-free queso you can replace the cashews with one cup of cooked chickpeas or a couple of boiled golden potatoes.
this vegan queso checks all the boxes:
simple & healthy
beyond delicious
cheesy dip style
a little smoky
made without milk.
how to make amazing vegan cashew queso:
- Start with a really good tomato sauce like my thick San Marzano Marinara. If you have a store bought favorite sauce it will work just fine.
- Blend together with some raw cashes, water and spices in your Vitamix. No need to soak you guys, that’s the magic of a powerful blender paying off.
- Drizzle over everything!
storage
Being that this is a dairy-free recipe the queso can be easily frozen in lidded freezer proof containers up to 5 months. Remember to thaw it out in the refrigerator before using or warming through. Use a whisk to mix until smooth.
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P.S. Hey, if you try this recipe make sure to report back. Snap a photo and tag me with #VeggieSociety on Instagram, it always makes my day ~ Florentina Xo’s
Vegan Cashew Queso
The ultimate vegan cashew queso dip from scratch, made with whole foods in your blender processed until creamy and luxuriously silky. No cook, super delicious, quick and easy to make, healthy, dairy-free, gluten-free and Whole30 friendly!
Servings 8 people
Calories 101kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3/4 -1 cup hot water
- 1/3 cup marinara sauce
- 2 tbsp nooch
- 1.5 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika + more to taste
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 tsp sea salt + black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp chili powder for spice optional
Instructions
- Add the water, marinara, onion powder, garlic, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, salt and cashews into your Vitamix blender in that order. Process on the smoothie setting for one full cycle until smooth and lusciously creamy. If you prefer your queso dip a little on the spicy side make sure to add a little pinch of chili powder into the mix.
- Serve it in a bowl or drizzle it over nachos, tacos, veggie burgers, dip your chips or spring rolls and refrigerate up to one week if you have any leftovers.
Notes
- if you prefer your queso on the thicker side start with only 3/4 cups of hot water. Add more if you want to thin it out once everything is combined. Alternatively you can blend in 1 tablespoon of tapioca from the very start for a way thicker texture.
- To make a nut-free queso you can replace the cashews in the recipe with one cup of cooked chickpeas or a couple of boiled golden potatoes
- If you don’t have a powerful blender make sure to soak the cashews in hot water for 45 minutes before blending.
Nutrition
Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 106IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
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This queso is out of this world, go make it. The only thing is that you need a strong blender for sure to get it really silky. So good!
Can you tell me what nooch is?
Nooch = Nutritional Yeast
Really loved this recipe!!! My daughter has acid reflux issues and the marinara sauce bothered her. Is there an alternative that could work?
Hi Cheryl, I would replace the marinara with a couple of roasted red peppers if those agree with her. Let me know if you give that a try ~ Florentina Xo’s
Delicious! Tried it with lime tortilla chips and can’t wait to use it on tacos tomorrow!