Vegan Cashew Queso Recipe
This vegan cashew queso is rich, creamy, and so easy to make! Using only a few ingredients, you can have a healthy, delicious cheese sauce to use with your favorite Mexican food or to eat with chips.
If you a looking nutrient-rich, flavor-packed substitute for milk-based queso, you need to try this recipe!
This recipe is great with:
Tacos
Burritos
Nachos
Tortilla chips
Burrito bowls
Enchiladas
Veggies
Tofu scramble
One of the best parts is that this vegan cashew queso is quick and easy to make! It takes about 5 minutes to make and has less than ten ingredients.
This recipe is:
Vegan
Plant-based
Gluten-free
Oil-free
There are store-bought versions of this queso dip recipe. But I prefer this recipe, hands down!
The homemade version is also cheaper and tastes better. When you opt to make this homemade vegan queso, you can also customize the spiciness, saltiness, and thickness.
This recipe is a creamy, cheesy-tasting dip without cheese! And it’s SO delicious!
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More About the Ingredients
I always add nutritional information to recipe posts so you know how different foods can have a positive effect on your body.
I love knowing more about what nutritious ingredients do for me because it gives me the incentive to keep eating healthy, even when I may not feel like it!
Cashews are a staple plant-based ingredient. They are used to make a variety of plant-based sauces. They can even be used to make plant-based mayo, sour cream, and cream cheese!
When blended, they give recipes a thick, creamy consistency.
Cashews are also great because they:
Contain fiber, which keeps you fuller for longer. Fiber can reduce the calories you eat daily, which can help with weight loss.
Are rich in vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, which can help with your mood. It can also promote healthy blood sugar levels.
Magnesium can also lower inflammation. Inflammation can often be a factor in difficulty losing weight.
They are high in antioxidants, which can also fight inflammation. Antioxidants can also help with premature aging.
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This recipe's nutritional yeast (also nicknamed “nooch”) is different than brewer’s or baker’s yeast. It is an inactivated version of the yeast used to make bread.
Nutritional yeast has the following health benefits:
High in minerals and vitamins. It’s high in vitamin B-12.
Vitamin B-12 is normally found in animal products. If you are plant-based, vegan, or vegetarian, it may be necessary to use a B-12 supplement.
Being deficient in B-12 can cause major health issues. Eating nutritional yeast is a great way to get some extra vitamin B-12.
It’s a good source of protein. It’s essential to get enough protein to build muscle and burn fat, among other things.
Nutritional yeast is high in antioxidants.
And don’t worry. This recipe does not taste like nutritional yeast!
You can add more nutritional yeast to your plant-based cashew queso if you want a cheesier taste.
The garlic cloves (or garlic powder) add an excellent flavor to the vegan cashew queso. I love garlic!
Garlic powder contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
BLENDER
If you are using a blender for this recipe, I recommend using a high-speed blender. It’s much better at getting the queso to be smooth.
A high-speed blender, such as a Vitamix Blender is a good investment for this recipe. It’s also great for making smoothies! A high-speed blender will come in handy for many other recipes as well.
I had a regular blender for years before investing in a high-speed one, and I’ll never go back! You can really tell the difference in the texture of this recipe.
A food processor works well with this recipe too. A Ninja food processor is a great option.
VEgan Cashew Queso Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup of raw cashews
2 tbsp of nutritional yeast (not Brewer’s or Baker’s yeast)
½ tsp of salt (or more to taste)
1 tsp of chili powder
½ tsp of ground cumin
1 tbsp of hot salsa or hot sauce (more or less depending on the desired level of spiciness)
1 clove of chopped garlic (or ½ tsp of garlic powder)
1 cup of hot water
Directions:
Blend the ingredients until they are creamy and smooth. Add more hot water if you need to get the queso more creamy and smooth.
The goal is to have a creamy queso but not too thin. If you add too much water and it gets too thin, add more cashews to thicken it up.
Taste and add more salt, chili powder, salsa, or hot sauce, to taste. You can make it your own! If you want a cheesier taste, add more nutritional yeast.
You can serve this vegan cashew queso with tacos, burritos, nachos, tortilla chips, burrito bowls, enchiladas, tofu scramble, veggies, and more!
