Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (2024)

Last modified: . Originally posted: By Sophia DeSantis

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This vegan queso recipe is hands down the best dairy free version of queso ever. It's so easy to make and loved everyone!

This queso recipe reminds me of the one I get at Mexican restaurants, except it's made without the dairy so doesn't leave me feeling bloated and yuck! It uses 9 simple easy to find ingredients and a much healthier version.

Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (1)
Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (2)

This recipe was originally published on May 2, 2016.

If you love Mexican cheese dip you will absolutely love this vegan queso! It's a white queso easily made in a blender. If you prefer an orange Mexican cheese then try out my vegan nacho cheese sauce!

Ingredients

I brought this vegan queso blanco to a party, slipped it on the table and watched as it was devoured. No one knew it was vegan. Everyone stuffed their face and it was glorious.

With the right blend of foods, you can create the most amazingly smooth queso dip, without any cheese! My dirty little secret is the pickled jalapeño juice, it gives it that truewhite queso dip flavor:creamy, cheesy, with the jalapeño tang! Here's what you need:

  • Cooked potato
  • Roasted garlic
  • Raw cashews
  • Veggie broth
  • Unsweetened cashew milk
  • Mild chiles
  • Mild pickled jalapeños
  • Pickled jalapeño juice
  • Seasonings
Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (3)

How to Make Vegan Queso

This queso blanco dip is incredibly easy to make. Throw it all in a blender and BOOM. Bathe worthy dip at your tongue tip.

  1. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pulse in the extra pickled jalapeño slices for some texture .
  2. Pour into a pot and heat until thick.
  3. Serve with everything!
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Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (5)
Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (6)

What to Serve With Queso Blanco

As much as I'd love to eat this Mexican white cheese dip like a soup, I usually try to use some self control and pair it with other tasty foods either as a dip or topping. Here's some of my favorites:

  • Homemade Oil Free Tortilla Chips
  • Crisp veggies like celery, carrots, peppers, or jicama
  • Vegan Nachos
  • Vegan Taquitos
  • Mexican Rice
  • Pinto Beans
  • Breakfast Burritos
  • Loaded Vegan Burritos
  • Refried Bean Burrito
  • Crispy Potato Tacos
  • Soft pretzels or pretzel chips
  • Oven Baked French Fries
  • Crusty bread
  • Baked Potato
  • Vegan Scrambled Eggs
  • Mix with pasta

Preparation Tips

When making this vegan queso dip recipe over and over and over again (because you will!) make sure to keep these suggestions in mind:

  • Add in some extra flavor by mixing in some vegan chorizo, Mexican salsa, or tomatillo salsa verde.
  • If you are not using a high speed blender, you can soak the cashews overnight, boil them for 30 minutes or grind the dry cashews into a fine powder using a coffee grinder in order to help get them smooth.
  • You can boil, microwave or bake the potato but keep in mind if you boil it there will be more moisture in the potato so you will need to let the dip cook longer to thicken.
  • I used red potatoes but any starchy potato will work, just don’t use sweet ones.
  • I used a veggie broth without tomato in the base. You can sub water for the broth but the flavor will change a bit and you may need more salt.
  • This dip is best enjoyed hot, serve it in a slow cooker on low. (High will likely burn it.)

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

  • To prepare this dip ahead of time, roast the garlic, cook the potato, and soak the cashews (if needed) up to 3 days in advance.
  • This vegan queso blanco dip will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.
  • You can also freeze for up to 3 months!
  • To reheat, take out of the freezer the night before and slowly defrost to room temp. Then heat in the microwave or stove top on low heat whisking well until the smooth creamy texture returns.
    • Sometimes freezing can change the texture, simply give it another blend in the blender and you're good to go!

Common Questions

What is vegan queso made of?

This vegan queso recipe is made from all whole food, amazing ingredients! The creaminess is a combo of potato, cashews and cashew milk, with flavor coming in from all of the other ingredients including jalapeños and jalapeño juice.

Is vegan queso healthy?

Because this dip is made from simple whole food ingredients, it is much healthier than traditional queso dip.

How do you store vegan queso?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, whisking often to get to that creamy texture.

What cheese is queso made from?

Most queso dip is made with white American cheese, but sometimes cheddar, mozzarella, or cream cheese is used as well. This queso blanco recipe avoids all of that for a healthier version!

More Vegan Mexican Recipes

If you're like our family and need Mexican food on a regular basis, you need a variety of recipes to choose from!

All of these plant based dishes are made from only whole food ingredients making them a healthy choice for your family (to learn more about how to figure out what is in those store bought varieties check out this guide on reading food labels):

  • Healthy Crunchy Taco Cups
  • Vegan Mexican Chili Cheese Dip
  • Mexican Tequila Lime Chickpea Soup
  • Vegan Enchilada Casserole
  • Cinco De Mayo Roundup

Also check out these other vegan cheese recipes:

  • 4 Ingredient Cotija Cheese
  • The Best Nacho Cheese Sauce
Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (7)

Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (8)

Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe

Sophia DeSantis

This vegan queso recipe is hands down the best dairy free version of queso ever. It's so easy to make and loved everyone!

4.89 from 17 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Shop Ingredients

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6

Calories 114 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked potato , about 1 medium sized potato (see note)
  • 4 cloves garlic , roasted (add up to 4 more for extra garlic flavor)
  • ¾ cup raw cashews , see note
  • 1 ½ cups veggie broth (use low sodium to keep the salt low)
  • 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk (almond would work too)
  • 4 ounces chopped mild chiles (one small can)
  • ½ cup jarred mild pickled jalapenos , divided
  • 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno juice (juice from slices above)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (see note)

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients except for ¼ cup pickled jalapenos into a blender and blend until smooth.

  • Add last ¼ cup jalapenos and pulse until chopped. You can also just add them at the beginning but I liked the flavor of some chopped jalapenos in the dip.

  • Pour the liquid into a pot and heat over medium low heat on stove until it reduces and gets nice and thick and gooey. Depending on your stove, you may need to up the heat to get it to thicken nicely, even bring it to a boil then reduce the heat.

  • Stir frequently to prevent sticking. It took about 10 minutes for me to get the right consistency but you can make it however you prefer it. Serve hot!

  • Serve with everything!

Notes

  • Makes 3 cups. Serving is ½ cup per person
  • If you are not using a high speed blender, you can soak the cashews overnight, boil them for 30 minutes or grind the dry cashews into a fine powder using a coffee grinder (do not boil them for this method).
  • You can boil, microwave or bake the potato but keep in mind if you boil it there will be more moisture in the potato so you will need to let the dip cook longer to thicken.
  • I used red potatoes but any starchy potato will work, just don’t use sweet. It also won't work to substitute with something that is not an actual potato (such as another root vegetable).
  • I used a veggie broth without tomato in the base. You can sub water for the broth but the flavor will change a bit and you may need more salt.
  • The amount of salt needed may vary depending on the sodium in your broth.
  • If you freeze this, and you can, take out of the freezer the night before and slowly defrost to room temp. Then heat in the microwave or stove top on low heat whisking well until the smooth creamy texture returns.

Tips to prep ahead: Soak cashews if needed. Roast garlic. Boil potato.

Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 114kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 4gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 489mgPotassium: 199mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 24IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

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Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (9)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Janke

    Hi, I just discovered your site and I was pleasantly surprised. Didn't make anything just yet so I cannot rate your recipes –yet I can tell you that I think it looks promising!
    The only thing I scratched my head about was the 'I slipped it on the table' part in the story about the vegan queso blanco. Since we have got some severe food allergies in our household, 'slipping in' or 'slipping between' is always scary. But it might be more of a me-problem than something that you should care about. Might be good to keep in mind though.
    I guess today I'll make the Mexican coleslaw, the pic and the recipe made my mouth water already, and I haven't even begun yet. Can't wait!

    Reply

    • Sophia DeSantis

      Hi Janke! Glad to have you here! Hope you find things you love!

      Reply

  2. Jeanna

    My husbands on a business trip so I'm not motivated to cook much so I decided to make this tonight for myself and my goodness this is delicious! It has a great flavor and it's not spicy!
    I love cheese and use to have it with every meal and as a snack. I'm so happy that I can enjoy queso again and quench my dairy fix. #nomnom

    Reply

    • Sophia DeSantis

      I am so happy you liked it Jeanna! I totally get what you mean about cooking when it's just you, but I can totally take this down myself too!

      Reply

  3. Vicky

    I’ve only known things to reduce by bringing it to boil first and then turning it lower. Is this what you do?
    Thanks! Sounds yummy!

    Reply

    • veggiesdontbite

      Hi Vicky! In the directions I say that it depends on your stove. I did not need to boil it to reduce, I kept it on medium low heat and it slowly thickened. But you can also bring to a boil to thicken it. I'd caution you with this and make sure you are stirring it constantly so it doesn't stick. Hope you like it!

      Reply

  4. Hina

    Hi! I tried this queso recipe without adding potato. It was so good ,totally enjoyed in a burrito bowl & snacking with tortilla chips. Thank you ! 🙋💙

    Reply

    • veggiesdontbite

      I am so happy your liked it as you made it!!

      Reply

  5. Sarah

    This is absolutely unbelievable! So creamy and perfect, you'd never know it's vegan!

    Reply

    • veggiesdontbite

      Thanks Sarah!

      Reply

  6. Hailey

    LOVED IT!!!! is it actually an estimated 118 calories per serving? that's amazing

    Reply

    • veggiesdontbite

      SO happy you liked it Hailey! I just updated the calculation with the newest info on my plugin and it's actually 114 per serving, LOL. It has a veggie base!

      Reply

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Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (2024)

FAQs

How do you make queso dip not chunky? ›

For dips, you'll want to use a tablespoon of cornstarch per pound of cheese, then add at least five ounces of evaporated milk. After that, you can use more evaporated milk to thin out your dip as much as you need.

What vegan cheese tastes like Velveeta? ›

Wayfare Dairy Free Cheese: Ready to Spread, Melt or Dip

The Original tastes nearly spot on for Velveeta, but the ingredients are much more appealing. As promised, Wayfare Dairy Free Cheese is tasty as a cold, thick, creamy dip. It also melts with ease in the microwave for pouring on nachos or when broiled in the oven.

What is a vegan alternative to cheese? ›

And there are also a number of ingredients that can be made to taste like cheese, too.
  • 5 dairy-free cheesy swaps. Reach for these five vegan ingredients the next time you want to cheese up your favorite foods. ...
  • 1 Nutritional yeast. ...
  • 2 Hummus. ...
  • 3 Tofu. ...
  • 4 Cashews. ...
  • 5 Potatoes.
Feb 29, 2024

Why is vegan cheese so creamy? ›

Yukon gold potatoes and cashews – They're the key ingredients for giving vegan cheese recipes oozy, creamy texture.

What keeps queso from hardening? ›

If you just melt cheese it begins to harden as soon as it starts to cool. If you want it to stay liquid you need to emulsify it with something. How do you get cheese to melt so it's soft and creamy? Sodium citrate (not citric acid), aka “sour salt” is the secret.

Why use 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.)

Will vegan cheese ever taste like real cheese? ›

Keep in mind that all brands are different, so if you try one brand you don't like, don't give up on the rest. Vegan cheesemakers are coming up with new processes all the time that are making these cheeses taste even more like the traditional stuff.

What are three dominant ingredients in vegan cheese? ›

This means that it does not contain any dairy, eggs, or any other animal-based ingredients. The main ingredients used to make vegan cheese are plant-based proteins such as soy, almonds, cashews, or coconut.

What are the vegan cheese bases? ›

Nut and seed-based cheese is typically fermented with extra probiotic cultures, and has nutritional yeast or flavorings added. Some common nuts and seeds used for vegan cheese are almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, and pumpkin seeds.

Can a vegan drink almond milk? ›

As almond milk is made from seeds (yep, technically they are seeds, not nuts), they are in theory completely vegan, and as they are not generally not sweetened or altered with animal byproducts like honey, it is understood as vegan.

What is Daiya cheese made of? ›

Daiya's original products are cheese analogues made from coconut oil and tapioca flour that are known for their cheese-like consistency and melting properties. They contain no animal products or soy, lactose, wheat, barley, gluten, or nuts.

What makes vegan cheese taste like cheese? ›

Nuts, such as cashews or almonds, are often used as they contain a lot of natural fat that gives a creamy texture once blended. Many brands also use a vegan lactic acid to add the tang and umami that gives that quintessential cheese flavour.

Can vegans eat hummus? ›

Hummus is a vegan staple that allows you to have some versatility in your diet. It's an immensely popular food amongst vegans so you may have found a new favourite yourself. It's available in a wide range of flavours and is very versatile in the kitchen so you can experiment with it if you wish to.

Why is vegan cheese so expensive? ›

The production of vegan cheese can be costlier than that of traditional dairy cheese due to the higher price of plant-based ingredients and the additional processing steps involved.

Why does vegan cheese go bad? ›

Some vegan cheeses come packaged in paper which is not air tight or sealed in any way. When we have these cheeses, they do not last anywhere near as long in a fridge or outside of the fridge because the ambient air around them can come in to contact with the actual cheese.

Why does queso get chunky? ›

Adding cheese while the pan is on the heat tightens the proteins, which will make lumps in your sauce.

How do you fix curdled queso? ›

Adding Liquid: If your cheese sauce has started to curdle, the first thing to do is immediately take it off the heat. Adding a splash of the sauce's base liquid, such as cold milk for a milk-based sauce, can help minimize the damage. You can also try adding a splash of wine, beer, or cream.

What causes queso to curdle? ›

It's that overcooking that can cause the sauce to curdle. When your white sauce is ready, remove it from the heat. If it's really hot, let it cool a few minutes. The sauce only needs to be hot enough to melt the grated cheese, which you should stir in gradually until just melted and incorporated into the sauce.

How do you make cheese dip not harden? ›

So maybe the internet is flooded with non-congealing warm cheese dips now! “The secret ingredient in this is evaporated milk. That's how this stays creamy – warm or cold.” This dip is made with evaporated milk which makes all the difference.

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