7-Ingredient Vegan Cashew Queso – Connoisseurus Veg

Easy, cheesy, completely dairy-free vegan cashew queso! This delicious cheese sauce is flavorful and easy to make with just 7 ingredients.

I am certainly no stranger to vegetarianism. I’ve made many versions of this before, and share some of my favorites, including my Nacho Sweet Potato Cheese and its BFF my Nacho Cauliflower Cheese recipe.

I love both of these recipes, but I have to say this: you can’t beat good old raw cashews for making the richest, creamiest, dreamiest vegan dairy-alternative. They’re definitely the way to go when I’m in the mood for decadence, and they’ve worked wonderfully in all kinds of super indulgent recipes, from my vegan fettuccine alfredo to my vegan scalloped potatoes.

I thought it was time to share a super simple vegan cashew koso recipe. I love this recipe because it’s delicious, rich and creamy, but also: I have almost all the ingredients on hand. They are all pantry staples!

So grab a chip and let’s talk about how to make this easy dairy-free cheese sauce!

Jump:

Ingredients you will need

• cashew nuts. For this recipe you need to use raw cashews. Super important! If you use roasted cashews, your queso will taste more like cashew butter than cheese.
• Nutritional Scream. Don’t mistake this for baker’s yeast – it’s something entirely different. Nutritional yeast is a type of inactive yeast that you should find in the natural foods section of your supermarket. This will add a lot of cheesy flavor to your vegan queso.
• Jhal Sauce. If you don’t want too much heat in your queso, use a milder brand. Cholula is my recommendation. If you want a super mild cheese you can substitute a splash of vinegar, I don’t recommend it. Believe it or not, hot sauce will make your queso taste extra cheesy.
• garlic powder.
• Onion powder.
• salt.
• the water.

Tip: Feel free to get creative and spice up your cashew queso with additional spices such as ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, or cayenne pepper.

How is it made?

Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. If you want to skip the recipe, scroll all the way down!

This thing whips up in minutes, but you need to do one prep step: Ideally, Soak your cashews in water for 4 to 8 hours. This will soften them so they blend easily.

Tip: If you forget to soak your cashews, boil them in water for 15 minutes instead. Just be aware that they won’t blend as smoothly if they’re soaked.

Tip: Give your cashew queso a taste-test and add any spices you feel you need. This may mean more salt, hot sauce, nutritional yeast, garlic or onion powder.

Serve your vegan queso with some tortilla chips for dipping.

Suggestion: While not entirely necessary, vegan queso is best served warm. You can heat it in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between jabs, or in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently and adding water if it gets too thick.

Remaining and storage

Leftover cashew queso will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.

advice

• Pile on the toppings! I topped my queso with salsa, hot sauce and fresh cilantro. Sliced ​​jalapeño peppers, sliced ​​olives, diced red onion, and chopped scallions are other great options.
• Use a high-powered blending device for the smoothest possible queso. I use a Vitamix high-speed blender. If you don’t have a high-powered device, be patient. It may take five minutes or more to achieve maximum smoothness.
• Keep frozen soaked cashews on hand. Do you always forget to soak your cashews? I do! Or, rather, I used to. Now I have a hack. Soak your cashews in water for 4 to 8 hours, then let them settle in the soaking water. Soak cashews next time you need them.
• This cashew queso is more than just a dip! Drizzle it over nachos or fries, stuff it into a burrito, or use it on top of your vegan chili or vegan tacos. Be creative.
• Can’t have gluten? No problem! All ingredients in this recipe are gluten-free.

More vegan cheese recipes

Like this recipe? if so, Stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook , Pinterest or Instagram , or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this!