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    Home ▸ Vegan Appetizers

    Best Ever Vegan Queso Recipe

    Last modified: January 19, 2023. Originally posted: January 19, 2023 By Sophia DeSantis

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Overlay text on a collage of three photos, one of ingredients to make a queso dip, then the dip in a pot and then the final recipe in a black pan.
    A hand dipping a tortilla chip into a cast iron pan of a white queso dip topped with jalapenos and cilantro.

    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.

    Top view of chip being dipped into white queso dip
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    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 true white 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
    Pile of cashews and potatoes, and garlic, chiles, jalapeño slices and jalapeño juice in glass bowls

    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!
    Top view of a blender on a striped towel with a white creamy sauce inside.
    Top view of white Mexican cheese sauce cooking in pot
    Top view of vegan white queso in skillet topped with sliced jalapeños and cilantro

    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
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    A black cast iron pan filled with white queso dip that is topped with sliced jalapenos and chopped cilantro.

    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
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 6
    Calories 114 kcal

    Equipment

    • Blender

    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)

    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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    1. Jeanna

      November 08, 2022 at 6:50 pm

      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

        November 08, 2022 at 7:11 pm

        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
    2. Vicky

      December 10, 2021 at 10:02 pm

      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

        December 11, 2021 at 10:17 am

        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
    3. Hina

      April 28, 2021 at 6:01 am

      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

        April 28, 2021 at 9:10 pm

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

        Reply
    4. Sarah

      April 13, 2021 at 11:19 am

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

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        April 13, 2021 at 2:58 pm

        Thanks Sarah!

        Reply
    5. Hailey

      October 12, 2020 at 12:22 pm

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

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        October 12, 2020 at 9:09 pm

        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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