Whole foods, easy to make, loads of flavor vegan queso blanco dip. Get your chips ready because this Mexican white cheese will blow your mind!
I am officially obsessed with making cheesy creamy vegan sauces and dips. And that makes you the lucky recipient of my efforts. Have we all seen THIS ridiculous creation? It’s amazing. But this vegan queso blanco is still one of my favorites!
I set out to create a dip that was super simple, not a lot of prep and quick to make. And I definitely wanted it made with whole foods. There are quite a few Mexican white cheese dips out there that include things like vegan cheeses such a Daiya, vegan sour cream, oil, butter, etc. but this one has none of those!
But how do you make such a creamy vegan queso blanco?!
The creaminess is a combo of potato, cashews and cashew milk, with flavor coming in from all of the other ingredients. All whole food, all amazing.
My dirty little secret is the pickled jalapeño juice, it gives it that true white queso dip flavor: creamy, cheesy, with the jalapeño tang! This vegan queso blanco dip is perfect for Cinco do Mayo, the upcoming days of summer, or really any time!
Ole Ole Ole Ole, Fellin’ Hot Hot Hot!
I’m going to warn you, if you make this, prepare to eat it and try not to burn your tongue. I may or may not have a few less taste buds due to cheese burn. Just sayin’.
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. It’s best served warm, like borderline hot. I put it in a mini crockpot and it was perfect. Be careful not to put it on high because it will burn.
Vegan or not, food must be amazing
This is how I approach my food. I want it made with whole foods. I want it plant based. But I also want it GOOD. This vegan queso blanco dip recipe has it all! And it is easy to make. Throw it all in a blender and BOOM. Bathe worthy dip at your tongue tip.
There is no time to waste! Grab a potato, your cashews, chiles, jalapeños and get blending! I won’t judge you if this is dinner. Or lunch. Or heck, even breakfast! Get your stretchy pants, find a good movie and curl up on the couch.
This recipe was originally published on May 2, 2016.
- 1 cup cooked potato , about 1 medium sized potato (see note)
- 4 cloves garlic , roasted (add up to 4 more for extra garlic flavor)
- 3/4 cup raw cashews , see note
- 1 1/2 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)
- 1/2 cup jarred mild pickled jalapenos , divided
- 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno juice (juice from slices above)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (see note)
- Place all ingredients except for 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. You can use a regular blender too but it may not get as smooth.
- Add last 1/4 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!
- Makes 3 cups. Serving is 1/2 cup per person
- If you are not using a high speed blender, you can 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 the moisture so you will need to let it cook longer.
- 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.
Alisa Fleming says
That looks like the absolute perfect ingredient blend for cheesy goodness and surely dazzles at parties!
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks Alisa!!
Julie says
This queso looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it! I just went to the Osea site….wow! I had never heard of them and am so happy I do now. So many things I would love to try…I love masks…the red algae mask, the cleansing mud….I’m kind of jumping up and down right now! 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway and the recipe!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you so much Julie!! So glad you checked out OSEA!! They are so awesome!! I’m so in love with the products!!
Mandy says
Sophia!!!! We made this yesterday and I CAN’T STOP EATING IT!!! Good lord. Let’s see, how have I used it….dipped roasted potato wedges in it, broccoli, bell peppers and then today it saved an otherwise bland broccoli soup! I only used 1/2 cup of broth (the rest water) because our broth contained tomato and then I also cut the salt by a teaspoon…and since I knew Willow wouldn’t be eating it, I didn’t hold back on the heat! AMAZING recipe, my friend! We still have some leftover and I plan to toss some noodles in it tomorrow! And then I’m sure I’ll cry when it’s gone! Haha!! <3
veggiesdontbite says
AHHHHH!!! SO SO SO happy you love it!!! Isn’t it addicting?! I am using it in enchiladas this week because Brandi got me craving it, LOL. I love the idea of noodles in it. Another reader made it in a baked noodle dish and it looked awesome. I was going to try a baked Mexican noodle casserole with it, if it turns out good I’ll blog it!! Thank you again for trying it and letting me know!! Much love to you and happy mothers day!
Kimberly says
Wow this looks so good. I’m a few days late for Cinco de Mayo but will definitely be making this soon – I’m a sucker for anything with a cashew base.
As for Osea, I started using their products a few months ago and wow, what a difference already! I actually got my mother some of their products for Mother’s Day. They are so many more products of theirs that I would love to try.
veggiesdontbite says
Hey, you’re never late for Mexican in my book!! Lol!! Isn’t it amazing how fast OSEA changes your skin?! I’m loving it!!
Cassie says
I love that this line of skincare products is vegan! I’ve really been looking for sustainable and cleaner beauty products that I know contain all natural ingredients. This is such a great opportunity to try some new products out and take better care of my skin!
veggiesdontbite says
Cassie you would love them!! Vegan and natural and they work!! Triple threat!! Lol.
Healing Tomato says
An absolutely delicious and wonderful recipe. I love that this recipe is Vegan. It is hard to go completely cheeseless diet, but, this will help tremendously.
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you!! This would help a ton!!!
Michelle Blackwood says
Wow, such a great dip with lots of flavors Love the idea of including pickled jalapeno juice!
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks Michelle! It’s so yum!!
Vegan Heaven says
This looks so creamy and cheesy, Sophia!! Yummy! 🙂 Love how easy the recipe is!
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks Sina!! It’s SO SO easy!!
Laura says
I love making queso! I typically do it with white beans, but this potato idea is interesting . . . might have to try that next time!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you Laura! I’ve done the white beans from sauces but never cheese. I love love the texture and creaminess the potato gives. Definitely give it a try!!
heidi says
I’ll just add my thanks to the many comments here–we just LOVED this queso, and even better: our omni friends did too! Their little kids gobbled it up. We had enchiladas and the guys were adding it to it for extra kick. Thank you for such a great recipe!
veggiesdontbite says
Oh wow!!! Thank you so much for your kind words. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite recipes and I am loving that so many others love it too! Thank you for being here Heidi!!
Tanya says
Thought I’d share: I didn’t have pickled jalapeños so I used 2 cans of green chilies. It came out much milder (I can’t wait to try it the original way tho). Next day I was looking for something to do with asparagus. I took the leftover queso and blended it with raw asparagus. I then warmed the soup through and voila! Creamy, cheesy asparagus soup!! Love it!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you SO much for sharing Tanya!! And omg, I am drooling over the soup idea! That sounds so good! I must try it soon! What a creative way to use the queso.
Angela says
OMG! Sooo glad I finally tried this! Been vegan for a year now, my husband wasn’t too worried about cheese but that has been my biggest cheat over the past year. Haven’t liked any of the cheese replacements in store, focused more on other homemade meals we can both enjoy. I will go with more garlic as I didn’t taste it at all. I will also go with the full salt next time also. Cumin was the standout flavor to me. Makes a huge batch (since it’s all MINE) so I will definitely freeze some for later!!! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!! THANK YOU!!
veggiesdontbite says
Angela you totally made my night! Thank you so much for sharing. Definitely up the garlic, I often add a ton because I’m a garlic fanatic, especially roasted, but I know now everyone is. We bring this to parties all the time and no one believes me that there’s no dairy! LOL! So happy you loved it, please get in touch if you have any questions or need any recs! Happy eating!
JB says
This is amazing! I can’t believe how much it tastes like cheese! Thanks for the life changer!
veggiesdontbite says
Ah!!! This made my day! Thank you so much for making and for letting me know!! So happy you guys like it.
Agness of Run Agness Run says
I love the Mexican food. And queso is on of my favourites because of the cheese flavour, love this recipe, Sophia!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you so much!!! I love Mexican too!
Sarah Perrin says
Hey! I can’t wait to try this recipe. It’s really awesome that your friends and the people at the party didn’t realize it was vegan BUT I also cringed a little bit because what if somebody had a nut allergy? It’s just my friendly suggestion – but I think it’s important to label allergens! That and there might have been some dairy free people that missed out. Gosh I miss cheese.
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks for your concern but the parties I host are all for my friends and I know if there are any allergies. Also, all the people I know with allergies know never to eat anything at a party that is unknown. We always ask even for us because you never know where meat can be hiding! I feel that we each need to take control of our own health and needs and we should never assume or rely on others for serious allergies and food needs. Hope you give it a try! It’s delicious!
Bethe says
Nut allergy and was wondering if something can be used in place of cashews?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Bethe! Sorry to hear about your allergy! In all honesty I think the cheese sauce is best with cashews as they give the creamiest result. However you can try leaving them out to see how it is. You could also try using some sunflower seeds but the flavor may come through a little strong. I also use white beans sometimes to add creaminess so you could try a little of that too. Let me know if you find success with any of these!!
Sara says
Best. Dip. EVER!!!!!!!!!!! You’re a genius! I have been looking for a good vegan white queso dip forever! THANK YOU!!!! 😍😍😍😍😍
veggiesdontbite says
Oh my gosh you totally made my day!! I’m so happy to hear that you love it! We are obsessed and eat it all the time. Thank you so much for letting me know!!
Samantha Wellnitz says
Is this good on burritos or cold?
veggiesdontbite says
It’s amazing on burritos!! And it is meant to be served hot but I sometimes dip into it cold.
willow says
PLEASE ANSWER QUICK!!! I am hosting a very special ceremony for a very special expectant mother-to-be and she said she has been craving queso and wants to try vegan queso! i found this and im wondering if you think it would hold up with a great consistency if i did all the prep work ahead of time (thru the blender) then brought the sauce with me to her house 2 hours away and heated it up there?
THANKS!
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Willow! So sorry but I was away all day yesterday on a media tour for the Disney California Adventure food and wine festival and was not on my computer. I hope you ended up making it because it stays well for a while! Hope your celebration went well!
Stina says
Do you peel to potato or leave skin on?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Stina! If you want it to be a smooth white color then peel the potato. But I have left the skins on before and it makes no difference other than you see the little flecks of skin in the dip.
Tanya says
Hi. I didn’t see what kind of potato to use or even if it makes a difference. Yukon or russet ?
Thanks
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Tanya! It says in the notes below the recipe. Any starchy will work, I use red usually. Just don’t use sweet!
Tanya says
Thank you for the reply. I swear I have read the recipe 6x and I don’t see anything about what type of potato to use. 🤷🏼♀️ But no worries. Got it 👍
Can’t wait to try it!!
veggiesdontbite says
OMG, I thought you were replying from my newly updated Ultimate Creamy Vegan Cheese Sauce because that’s the recipe I released today. DUH! All I saw was cheese on your comment. I just added it to the notes in this recipe too!! Sorry to make you think you were going crazy 😂
Tanya says
Is okay. I always think it’s me 😂😂 just started following you on IG!!
Lacey says
Oh… My… Goodness! THIS is AMAZING! We’re vegan & I’ve done many other “cheese” substitute recipes before for my husband who was a previous queso addict… This is OUTSTANDING! The only thing I did differently was add a tsp of liquid smoke! All the rest of the items I just had sitting in the pantry so I liked not having to make a run to the store for it either! I can’t wait to find out what else I’m going to add this too in the future! Thanks again! Happy cinco de mayo!
veggiesdontbite says
Oh wow, thank you so much Lacey!! I am thrilled you love this as much as we do! I am totally going to try the liquid smoke. That sounds delicious!!
Lacey says
*to… I’m so excited about this recipe I’m making grammatical errors! Lol
veggiesdontbite says
Ha!!
Donna says
Smooth and creamy. Also delish on broccoli or other raw veggies. You will not be disappointed!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you so much Donna!! I’m so happy you liked it!
Amy says
Hi! I was wondering if there was any subs I could make to make a non-spicy version of this sauce while keeping the flavor profile similar? I’m a total wimp when it comes to spicy (like too much black pepper makes my eyes water and has me panting like a dog level wimpiness).
Thanks!
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Amy! There are mild nacho slices available. They don’t have much spice to them at all. I would start there. If you can’t handle even that then perhaps you could try adding more vinegar? You could try using another pepper that you can handle but the unique flavor really does come from the mild nacho slice juice. Vinegar is an ingredient in it so I would think that may work, but it definitely still won’t be the same. Let me know what you try!
Amy says
Thanks! I’m making it tonight so I’ll let you know! 🙂
Amy says
I’d already gone shopping before I thought to check for a reply, so I ended up subbing white vinegar for the jalapeno juice. The flavor wasn’t right for queso blanco, but it was still a great sauce nonetheless. Since it was off from the intended flavor I added smoked paprika, used smoked salt instead of sea salt, and added a bit of lime juice and cayenne to get a sort of mild chipotle adobo-ish flavor. Next time I’ll make it as written and just adjust the amounts to get a milder heat level.
Two thumbs up! (One for the great base sauce and two for what I’m assuming is going to be a mind-blowing queso blanco next week.)
veggiesdontbite says
Ha! Thank you so much. Yes, really you need that tang from the nacho slices because you can’t really replicate that. But if you look at your local grocery store, you should be able to find them in mild and they really are mild. At least the ones I get are because my husband is a spice wimp. Same with the diced chilis. Just get mild and you should be good!
Estee says
I’ve been saying I’m making this for over what seems like a year. Why did I wait??? This is Soo good. Thank you thank you. Hubby and son love jalapenos and heat so this is right up their alley!! We all loved it and I can’t wait to use it with all kinds of things. I added it on your black bean burgers with added jalapenos. Perfection.
veggiesdontbite says
Haha!! SO happy you love it as much as we do. I make this often for parties and it is a hit. Thank you so much for making it!!