This velvety smooth Vegan Queso will be the biggest hit at your next party or game day gathering. It’s not just healthier, it’s addictively delicious and loved by vegans and non-vegans alike. Outstanding as a warm queso dip with tortilla chips but also fabulous as a nacho sauce, or for using in quesadillas, tacos, burritos and more!
This vegan cheese sauce is going to blow you away. It looks like queso, it tastes like queso, but it’s made with whole foods and plant-based ingredients that will make you feel good.
The vegan queso owes its delicious flavor to nutritional yeast, fresh garlic, onions, smoked paprika, lemon juice, salsa and a few other spices. The glossy, stretchy and smooth texture is achieved through the combination of cashews, potatoes and carrots. The result is home kitchen magic like you’ve never experienced before. Everyone that tries it is shocked to find out it’s vegan.
You can use it as a dip, as a cheese sauce for Mac and cheese, as a nacho sauce, for drizzling over enchiladas, tacos and just about anywhere else you’d like to use melty cheese.
Not only is this creamy, tangy vegan queso a healthier version of the much loved Tex-Mex queso, it is so delicious you will want to eat it with a spoon. Think I’m exaggerating? Go ahead and give it a try, I have no doubt you’ll start making it on repeat.
About This Vegan Queso Recipe
Traditional Tex-Mex queso is irresistibly gooey and delicious, but it’s also famously indulgent, often relying on processed cheese as its main ingredient.
Many vegan queso recipes use cashews alone as the base, and while they can be quite tasty, I prefer the version made with potatoes, carrots, and onions. Inspired by recipes from Serious Eats and America’s Test Kitchen, this combination creates an incredibly smooth, rich texture that comes remarkably close to the real thing.
It does require a few extra ingredients, but the process couldn’t be easier: simply boil the vegetables, blend everything together, and enjoy. Whether you’re serving it as a dip with tortilla chips, drizzling it over nachos, or using it as a cheese sauce for mac and cheese, this vegan queso is one you’ll want to make again and again.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Even non-vegans love it: This queso has won over plenty of devoted cheese lovers.
- Creamy and satisfying: Rich, velvety, and surprisingly close to traditional queso.
- Easy to make: Boil the vegetables, blend everything together, and it’s ready to serve.
- Pantry-friendly: Made with simple ingredients you may already have on hand.
- Versatile: Serve it as a dip, spoon it over nachos, or skip the Tex-Mex spices and use it as a cheese sauce for mac and cheese.
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes: You can use Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes. I find that Russet potatoes release a little more starch and become gummier when cooked which gives the queso a more cheese-like texture. But the difference isn’t huge so use whichever is easiest for you.
- Carrots: You will only need one small carrot but it is essential for adding color and just a tad of sweetness.
- Onion: Again, you only need a small amount but it adds great flavor to this dairy-free cheese sauce.
- Cashews: We are only using 1/4 cup of raw cashews here but I find they really add a nice creaminess and body to the queso without introducing a strong nut flavor.
- Water: In this recipe, water is an ingredient because we use a precise amount to boil the veggies. The veggies will not be drained so any remaining water gets added to the blender.
- Nutritional yeast: Just a bit of nutritional yeast adds a savory, umami taste that mimics the cheesy goodness of traditional queso.
- Oil: I like to use avocado oil but olive oil will work just as well.
- Acid: This vegan queso needs an acid (or two) to lift all the flavors. I like to use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, along with an optional splash of jalapeño pickling liquid.
- Spices and extras: Here is where we add some Tex-Mex flavor to make it just as delicious as a queso you’d be served at your favorite restaurant. I like to use cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder (I use ancho chili powder but regular chili powder is fine or you could also use chipotle powder or chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce).
Additions And Substitutions
Add some heat. A pinch of cayenne pepper, chopped jalapeño peppers, green chilies, or a teaspoon of hot sauce will add a bit of heat to your queso. You can use pickled jalapeños instead of fresh for a more briny flavor.
Add salsa. For a little more Tex-Mex flavor, I sometimes stir in a 1/4 cup of salsa into the blended queso.
Add more veggies. If you want a really loaded queso, you can stir in some corn, black beans, and diced red peppers.
Oil. Instead of oil, use 2-3 tablespoons of vegan or regular butter.
Can I Omit The Cashews?
This recipe uses a small amount of cashews but I feel they are pretty essential to add more body and texture to the queso. That said, I have made it without cashews and it’s still really good. Here’s what you do:
- Double the quantity for the potato, carrot, and nutritional yeast.
- Add 2 tablespoons more water for boiling the veggies.
- Optional, but adding 1 more tablespoon of oil will give more richness.
- Everything else can stay the same, or adjust spices/seasoning to taste.
Alternatively, you can try replacing the cashews with 1/3 cup white beans. I have not tried this but have read some people have used this with success.
How To Make Vegan Queso
Here is a quick overview for the recipe. Full instructions and measurements can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Boil the onions, potatoes and carrots until they’re very tender when poked with a fork.
Step 2: Transfer the cooked veggies to a high-speed blender along with any remaining water in the pot. Add all the remaining ingredients.
Step 3: Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. Taste and add a little more salt, spices, or salt, if needed.
Step 4: Serve immediately with desired toppings and sides.
Helpful Recipe Tips
Serve warm. This vegan queso is great at room temperature but even more delicious when it’s warm. You can make it ahead and reheat it over gentle heat just before serving.
Don’t alter the base ingredients. The success of this recipe relies on using pretty precise measurements of the base ingredients which are the potatoes, onion, carrots and cashews. Try not to deviate far from the recipe so your queso turns out as promised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Raw cashews will blend easier and smoother than roasted cashews. They will also have a milder taste. If you need to use roasted cashews, boil them with the veggies.
If you have a powerful blender, you do not need to soak the cashews. Remember we are only using a small amount here so they should blend up nicely. Plus, the hot water from the boiled veggies will help soften them quickly in the blender. If your blender is on the weak side, or you are using a food processor, soak the cashews for 2-4 hours. Alternatively, you can boil the cashews with the veggies.
I have not had great success freezing this plant-based queso. Once thawed, it always separates and the texture is not the same.
Yes, you can make and refrigerate the queso ahead of time. It’s better served warm so you can reheat it gently on the stove, adding just a smidge of water, if needed.
Serving Suggestions
The best part about this creamy vegan queso is that you can use it in so many ways!
Of course everyone’s favorite way (including me!) to enjoy this vegan queso is as a dip with tortilla chips. It’s also delicious in quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, burrito bowls, or drizzled over nachos.
We also love it drizzled over baked potatoes, or stirred into chili.
As I mentioned previously, you can also leave out the Tex-Mex flavors, and use the queso to make a vegan Mac and cheese. It’s divine!
Storage and Reheating
- To store: Leftover queso can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Reheat: For best results, reheat the queso on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Make sure to stir often and add a little water or unsweetened plant-based milk, to loosen as needed.
More Cheesy Dips To Try
I hope you love this Vegan Queso. If you make it, please be sure to leave a comment and star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ down below so I know how you liked it. Thank you!
Vegan Queso
Ingredients
- 7 ounces Russet or Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small carrot peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1/3 cup)
- ⅓ cup diced onion
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup raw cashews (no need to soak – see notes)
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 3 Tablespoons avocado oil (or use olive oil or other neutral oil)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (or use apple cider vinegar)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (can also use ancho chili powder or chipotle powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Optional accompaniments: tortilla chips, chips, baked potato wedges, etc
Instructions
- Place potatoes, carrots, onion and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, until vegetables are very tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the hot vegetable mixture, and any remaining cooking water, into a high speed blender. Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic clove, oil, salt, pepper, mustard, lemon juice, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Blend until mixture is very smooth and creamy.
- Taste for salt and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately with desired accompaniments.
Notes
- To store: Leftover queso can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Reheat: For best results, reheat the queso on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Make sure to stir often and add a little water or unsweetened plant-based milk, to loosen as needed.
Lisa
Hi Sandra! I cant wait to try this! You mentioned nutritional yeast in the notes but I don’t see it in the recipe. How much would you suggest?
Sandra Valvassori
Oh jeepers, sorry about that, Lisa! It’s two tablespoons of nutritional yeast – recipe is now fixed! Thank you for letting me know and hope you love it!