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Vegan Queso

This creamy vegan queso dip, made with roasted cauliflower, cashews and nutritional yeast, is the BEST and contains ZERO cheese.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 6 cups (12 to 16 servings)
Calories: 208 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American , Mexican

Ingredients

  • 5 cups cauliflower florets from about 1 medium head cauliflower
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled but left whole
  • 1 medium yellow onion cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium seasoning (plus 1 1/2 teaspoons) divided (check labels to ensure it's 100% dairy free)
  • 1 cup raw cashews soaked in cool water for at least 4 hours or overnight or in boiling hot water for 1 hour and drained (for quicker alternatives or if you have a high-powered blender, see Notes)
  • 1 ¼ cups unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice, plus additional as needed
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt omit if using regular taco seasoning or add to taste
  • 1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies (10 ounce can) , drained, or 1 1/4 cups well-drained chunky salsa
  • Optional toppings: sliced jalapeño fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, finely chopped red onion

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and coat two rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Place the cauliflower, garlic, and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons taco seasoning. Toss to coat, and then divide evenly between the two baking sheets. Spread each into a single layer so that the veggies do not overlap. Roast until golden and tender, about 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through and switching the pans’ positions on the upper and lower rack.
  3. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender, and add in the soaked cashews, almond milk, nutritional yeast, salt, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning. Blend until very smooth, adding water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to reach your desired consistency. (I added about 1/2 cup water for a very thick queso.)
  4. If your blender has a heating feature, continue blending until the mixture is hot. If not, pour the queso into a saucepan and heat over medium on the stove until very warm.
  5. Stir in the drained tomatoes or salsa. Taste and add kosher salt or a little bit of additional taco seasoning as desired.
  6. To serve as a dip, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with desired toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Serving Ideas: For nachos, drizzle the queso generously over a bed of tortilla chips and garnish as desired (place in the oven for a few minutes to make extra warm if you like). This vegan queso is also delicious over fries, baked potatoes, and roasted vegetables.
  • If you have a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix or Blendtec, you can likely skip soaking the cashews completely (my KitchenAid high-powered blender has no trouble breaking them down). If you don’t have a high-powered blender but are still in a hurry, I have also read that you can grind the cashews in the blender until they resemble a fine powder (stop before they turn into cashew butter). Heat 1 1/2 cups of the broth (or water) on the stove, and then pour the hot broth into the blender and blend until smooth (beware of hot steam escaping from the top of the blender and sputtering). Proceed by adding the other ingredients.
  • Serving Ideas: For nachos, drizzle the queso generously over a bed of tortilla chips and garnish as desired (place in the oven for a few minutes to make extra warm if you like). This vegan queso is also delicious over fries, baked potatoes, and roasted vegetables.
  • Store cooled leftover queso in an airtight container or a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Gently reheat on the stove or in the microwave, stirring frequently, until warmed through.

Nutrition Information

Serving 0.25cup Calories 208kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 17g (6%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 8g Potassium 591mg (17%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 159IU (3%) Vitamin C 49mg (54%) Calcium 118mg (12%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6cups (12 to 16 servings)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 208

% Daily Value*

Serving 0.25cup
Calories 208kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 17g 6%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Potassium 591mg 13%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 159IU 3%
Vitamin C 49mg 54%
Calcium 118mg 12%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.