How to Make Homemade Vegan Queso
Whether you’re crafting up a batch of chilaquiles for breakfast or looking for a dairy-free drizzle for your tortilla chips on taco Tuesday, homemade vegan queso can be a tasty alternative to traditional queso. Discover how to make vegan queso at home for a dish with all of the flavor and none of the dairy.
What Is Vegan Queso Dip?
Vegan queso dip is a dairy-free alternative to traditional queso. With the right ingredients, all types of queso can be customized for a vegan-friendly dip, including queso blanco. Follow the recipe below to experiment and create your own version of vegan queso.
Vegan Cashew Queso Recipe
Dairy-free ingredients can be substituted in recipes to achieve the silky textures and flavor experiences found in traditional queso. Discover how to incorporate sautéed onions, russet potatoes, cashews and various spices for a creative, versatile dish to drizzle over nachos, grilled veggies, pretzel bites and more.
Are you looking to experiment with a meal that’s entirely vegan friendly? Find out how to substitute milk and meat for your next creation.
Yields
About four cups. Adjust recipe for desired serving size.
Ingredients
Yellow onions
Russet potatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes
Cashews or nuts
Garlic cloves
Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Distilled white vinegar
Hot Sauce
Water
Nutritional yeast
- Assorted spices, such as cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and salt
For a spicy twist to your vegan queso, experiment with jalapeno peppers and chili powder for your optimal level of spice.
Tools
Blender or hand blender
A large saucepan
A grater
Explore blenders and hand blenders from KitchenAid brand to find the right model to match your cooking style.
Prep Time
- 15 minutes
Cook Time
- 15 minutes
Total Time
- 30 minutes
Step 1: Prep
Chop yellow onions into small pieces.
Using a grater, finely grate your russet potatoes until you reach your desired amount.
Soak your cashews or nuts to a soft texture.
KitchenAid® food choppers and food processors can help you make easy work while prepping for your homemade queso by chopping onions and grating potatoes quickly.
Step 2: Sauté onions
- Heat your extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil in a large saucepan and sauté onions with a pinch of salt.
Continue sautéing until the onions are tender.
Step 3: Add potatoes
- Add the grated potatoes and desired spices to the saucepan, like cumin, garlic powder or paprika.
Stir frequently to allow the ingredients to blend together for an optimal flavor combination. Tap into your creativity and incorporate different spices to add a unique twist to truly make this vegan queso recipe your own.
Step 4: Add water and cashews or nuts
- Bring the saucepan to a simmer.
Continue simmering and stirring until the potatoes are fully cooked.
TIP: SUBSTITUTE CASHEWS OR NUTS
Do you have a guest with a nut allergy, or are you looking for creative alternatives to cashews and nuts? Try using sunflower seeds instead for a tasty addition that’s high in fiber and protein.
Step 5: Blend the mixture
- After simmering, pour the mixture into a blender. Use a KitchenAid® hand blender for an optimal blend in the pan and to avoid needing to transfer hot ingredients from the stovetop to the blender jar.
Keep your saucepan handy for the next steps.
Step 6: Add nutritional yeast
Add nutritional yeast, sun-dried tomatoes, distilled white vinegar and hot sauce to the blender.
Blend until your mixture is silky smooth and free of any chunks. If your vegan queso seems too thick, try adding water and blend again for a thinner consistency.
Step 7: Simmer
- Pour the blended mixture back in the saucepan and add tomatoes, salsa, jalapenos and any other ingredients for more flavor infusions.
Taste test and cook until the queso is warm.
Step 8: Serve and enjoy
Present your creation in a serving bowl and decorate with your favorite garnish.
Enhance your game day tailgating festivities with this tasty dish that’s ideal for dipping blue corn tortilla chips or drizzling over a plate of nachos.
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Can I Make Vegan Queso Without Cashews or Nuts?
Yes, homemade vegan queso can be made without cashews and nuts. Sunflower seeds can be the ideal substitute for a tasty ingredient that’s rich in protein and fiber.
What Is Vegan Cheese Made Of?
Vegan cheese can be made with a variety of ingredients, including soy, cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts and oils, such as vegetable or coconut. Vegan cheese is dairy free and can be substituted for traditional cheese in your recipes.
What Is Dairy-Free Cheese Made Of?
Like vegan cheese, dairy-free cheese is made without milk, but instead with a mixture of ingredients like soy, various nuts and vegetable or coconut oil.
Is PROCESSED Cheese Vegan?
Contrary to popular belief, processed cheese is derived from dairy and is not vegan friendly. When in doubt, always check a product’s ingredients for milk, dairy and other preservatives to determine if it is vegan or not.
How Long Does Vegan Queso Last?
Homemade vegan queso can last up to five days when covered in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to reheat, use your stove top or microwave to warm and serve.
What Can I Eat With Vegan Queso?
Like traditional queso, vegan queso is versatile and pairs well with a variety of meals, like chilaquiles or huevos rancheros. For serving, expand upon the classic tortilla chip and try dipping crackers, pretzel bites or grilled veggies, such as carrots or cauliflower.
Explore KitchenAid® countertop appliances
Whether you’re crafting up your own version of homemade vegan queso, baking a chocolate cake from scratch or roasting vegetables, the selection of hand mixers, stand mixers and countertop ovens from KitchenAid brand can help you make the most of your recipes. Create something new today.
