Vegan Queso (Dairy Free Queso Recipe) - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Vegan Queso (Dairy Free Queso Recipe) - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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Vegan Queso is my newest obsession! This dairy free queso recipe is made with cashews, nutritional yeast, spicy tomatoes, and more. It tastes just like the real deal– you have to try it to believe it! On day’s when dairy just isn’t agreeing with me, but I still want that “cheese” dip, this is the recipe I turn to.

Vegan Queso (Dairy Free Queso Recipe) - The Cookie Rookie® (2)

Table of Contents

What’s in This Vegan Queso Recipe?

I know it seems a bit strange for us to post a dairy free queso recipe. I’m all about the cheese, and you guys are well aware. But I wanted to prove that dairy free recipes don’t have to be hard or lacking flavor. This vegan queso is proof that we can have your cake and eat it too.

  • Raw Cashews: These nuts have a mild flavor and blend up dense and creamy. Get unsalted, raw cashews if possible (if not, use less salt in the recipe). They need to be soaked for a minimum of 5 hours in order to create the stretchy queso consistency.
  • Nutritional Yeast: This is the magic ingredient that adds the nutty, cheesy flavor to our queso. We love Bob’s Red Mill for all things vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, but any brand will work.
  • Almond Milk: We’re partial to unsweetened almond milk for its nutty flavor, but cashew, soy, or oat milk will also work well. Avoid coconut milk, as it tends to add coconut flavor which really doesn’t work in this recipe.
  • Coarse Sea Salt: The larger flakes of salt really enhance the cheesy flavor of this dip. If using kosher or table salt, cut the salt amount in half.
  • Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice adds a pop of freshness and balancing acidity to this creamy dip. We recommend fresh whenever possible, but bottled will also work since we’re using so little of it.
  • Chili Powder: Adds smokiness and heat to this dip. Add more or less to taste.
  • Cilantro: Adds freshness and a peppery flavor to the dip. If you’re a cilantro-tastes-like-soap person, omit or swap in fresh parsley.
  • Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles: Turns this dip into more of a vegan Rotel dip. You can definitely omit if you prefer, but we like the freshness, spiciness, and dimension it adds. Make sure to drain out the liquid so the dip doesn’t turn runny.

Variations on Dairy Free Queso

While we feel that cashews produce the creamiest vegan queso, other nuts and seeds can work in this recipe. Macadamia nuts are the best substitute, closely followed by blanched almonds and then sunflower seeds.

All will need to soak like the cashews to soften them up before blending. Just keep in mind that each of these substitutes has a unique and less mild flavor than cashews that will impact the final flavor of the dish.

Vegan Queso (Dairy Free Queso Recipe) - The Cookie Rookie® (3)

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How to Store and Reheat

If you have any leftover queso, pour it into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, add a splash of almond milk and heat in the microwave in 15-30 second increments, stirring between each increment to make sure it’s fully heated through.

We do not recommend freezing dairy free queso because it will be too grainy when thawed and reheated.

How to Keep Warm

It’s normal for queso to harden as it cools, so stir regularly and keep it warm while serving. We like to serve it out of a Crockpot at parties for this reason.

After making vegan queso on the stovetop, pour it into a slow cooker, and set it to “warm”. This will keep it hot, smooth, and creamy throughout the whole party.

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Serving Suggestions

This vegan queso pairs wonderfully with classictortilla chips. For something different, try our homemade wonton chips or blistered sweet peppers.

But don’t stop there! Dip in some vegetarian taquitos, avocado egg rolls, or air fryer potato wedges for a satisfying snack.

Notes from the Test Kitchen

In a pinch, soaking the cashews in boiling water for just 15 minutes will help them soften enough to blend, though we found the queso had the best and creamiest texture when the nuts were soaked overnight. Don’t forget to drain off the soaking liquid before adding the nuts to the blender.

Recipe

Vegan Queso – Dairy Free Queso Recipe

4.85 from 13 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total: 20 minutes minutes

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Serves6

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This Vegan Queso will blow your mind! Who knew a dairy-free queso dip could be SO creamy and taste so cheesy?

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw, unsalted cashews soaked in water for 5-24 hrs and drained
  • cup Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast
  • ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro plus more for garnish
  • 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles drained (1 can)

Instructions

  • Important Note: Make sure to soak the cashews for at least 5 hours or up to overnight before starting this recipe. Soaking the cashews helps give this queso its signature cheesy texture.

  • Place all the ingredients except the tomatoes in a food processor or high-powered blender. Blend on high until fully smooth. You may need to stop the food processor and stir a few times to get the right consistency.

    2 cups raw, unsalted cashews, ⅓ cup Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast, ½ cup unsweetened almond milk, 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

  • Transfer the mixture to a small skillet or saucepan and stir in the can tomatoes.

    10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles

  • Heat over medium/low heat, stirring occasionally, until the "queso" is warm to your liking. Be careful to not burn the edges. You can also eat this cold, but we love how it tastes heated up.

  • Garnish with more cilantro and serve with your favorite chips.

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 259kcal (13%) Carbohydrates: 16g (5%) Protein: 10g (20%) Fat: 19g (29%) Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 10g Sodium: 815mg (35%) Potassium: 431mg (12%) Fiber: 3g (13%) Sugar: 4g (4%) Vitamin A: 151IU (3%) Vitamin C: 6mg (7%) Calcium: 57mg (6%) Iron: 4mg (22%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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Can I use a vegan cheese substitute?

To be honest, we haven’t tried! This recipe really relies on non-traditional ingredients, so we’d recommend subbing a vegan cheese into our regular queso recipe for better results.

Why is my vegan queso grainy?

If your dairy free queso ends up grainy, the problem is usually overcooking. Take care not to overheat the queso once it’s on the stove.

How do you thicken vegan queso?

This dip should be plenty thick on its own, but if you’d like it a little thicker, mix together a tablespoon or two of almond milk with a tablespoon of cornstarch, and stir it into the warm dip on the stove until thick.

Can I make vegan queso in the crockpot?

Sure! Simply pour the blended queso dip into a crockpot set over “low” and stir until everything is warmed through and melty.

More Queso Recipes To Try

  • Crockpot Queso
  • Velveeta Queso
  • Healthy Queso
  • Instant Pot Queso

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FAQs

Is there lactose free queso? ›

When we decided to create a dairy-free queso, we knew we had to get it right! With high-quality ingredients, our almond-veggie dip provides an incredible, cheesy flavor profile that would make any cheese head proud. Experience "cheesy" goodness in this creamy almond-veggie dip, whipped and delicious, with less fat.

Why put evaporated milk in queso? ›

Evaporated milk works best in queso because it doesn't have that excess of water and it can help your dip reach a delicate balance between super thick and too thin. (As in you're not constantly having to alternate between adding more milk and then more cheese.)

Is vegan cheese dairy-free? ›

Vegan cheese is a non-dairy alternative to cheese, usually made from plant-based proteins and fats. Most vegan cheeses you'll find on the market or on vegan recipe blogs are typically made from some combination of: Soy. Tree nuts and seeds (cashew in particular is a big time ingredient in vegan cheese)

What cheeses are worst for lactose intolerance? ›

Tread lightly, my friend. Avoid processed cheeses, such as American and deli Swiss, which are blended with lactose-heavy whey to make them melt better. Also, be careful with fresh cheeses, like mozzarella and ricotta.

What is the safest cheese for lactose intolerance? ›

Some of the best cheeses for lactose intolerance are muenster, brie, camembert, and gouda. Cheddar cheese, parmesan, and provolone are also relatively low in lactose. However, Velveeta, feta, ricotta, and American cheese are among the worst for lactose intolerance.

What can I use instead of evaporated milk for cheese dip? ›

Evaporated Milk: This creates a creamy and smooth texture that is ideal for any good queso blanco. Milk, heavy cream, or half and half can be used instead, but evaporated milk has given me the best results.

How do you thin queso without milk? ›

If you're going thick and cheesy, use about 2 cups of cheese with ¼ cup milk alternative or water. For a thinner creamy sauce, use the same amount of cheese but add an extra ¼ cup of liquid (½ cup total).

What do Mexicans call queso? ›

Queso is a Spanish word that translates to “cheese” in English. However, when people refer to “queso” in the context of food, they are usually talking about a type of melted cheese dip that is commonly enjoyed as a snack or appetizer, particularly in Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisines.

Is Velveeta real cheese? ›

Though Velveeta is no longer an FDA-defined genuine cheese, it does have some similarities, namely pasteurized milk and cheese culture.

What's the difference between cheese dip and queso? ›

Scanning the internet and the supermarket shelf, we realized that the cheese sauces are divided into two basic categories: Queso Dips, which include some amount of heat, spices, and other flavorings, and Cheese Dips, which are cheese and little else.

What cheese is vegan but real? ›

Real Vegan Cheese (RVC) is a grassroots, non-profit research project working to produce real cheese using cellular agriculture. We add the genes for cheese proteins to yeast and other microflora, and turn them into little protein factories, then make real cheese by adding plant-based fats and sugars.

Why are wines not vegan? ›

Popular animal-derived fining agents used in the production of wine include blood and bone marrow, casein (milk protein), chitin (fiber from crustacean shells), egg albumen (derived from egg whites), fish oil, gelatin (protein from boiling animal parts), and isinglass (gelatin from fish bladder membranes).

Why is cheese considered not vegan? ›

Vegans do not eat cheese or any other dairy products because they are derived from animals. Dairy products involve the exploitation of animals for their milk, and so cheese made from animal milk is not considered part of a vegan diet.

What Mexican cheese is lactose free? ›

Chihuahua® cheese is 99.95% lactose free and Oaxaca Cheese is 98% lactose-free. Lactose is naturally converted into lactic acid during the cheese-making process.

Which Mexican cheese is dairy free? ›

Violife has your back, confronting such injustices one bag of 100% non-dairy Mexican Style Shreds at a time. We rescue those sad chips and lackluster vegan chilis with a generous dose of cheesiness that's free from lactose, gluten, nuts, and preservatives.

Is there lactose in Queso Blanco? ›

with natural cheese such as Cheddar, Colby, Queso Blanco, Monterey Jack, mozzarella and Swiss. These cheeses contain <0.1 grams of lactose per serving. yogurt and Greek-style yogurt that contain live and active cultures help to digest lactose.

Is there any cheese you can eat if you are lactose intolerant? ›

Hard cheeses such as cheddar, colby, Swiss, mozzarella and Monterey Jack “are virtually lactose-free,” Cifelli explains. Additionally aged cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano are virtually lactose free.

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