Vegan Cashew Queso
Add Preferred SourceNothing makes taco night better than a bowl of Vegan Cashew Queso on the table. The sauce is smooth with smoky depth from paprika and brightness from sundried tomatoes. It’s savory and has that tangy cheese flavor that makes you keep dipping. Serve it warm with chips and watch it disappear.
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I make this for game day parties, taco nights, Cinco de Mayo, and potlucks because it comes together quickly. It’s budget-friendly, and you can make it ahead and reheat when guests arrive. It’s perfect for dipping chips or drizzling over tacos and burrito bowls. It stays fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Vegan Cashew Queso with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
I love how simple this cashew queso recipe is once everything is prepped.
Soak the Cashews
Pour boiling water over the raw cashews and let them soak for 1 hour. This softens them, so they blend smoothly and creamily. You can use roasted cashews if that’s what you have, but raw cashews give you a milder, creamier cheese sauce.
If you’re using a high-speed blender, you can sometimes get away with just 30 minutes of soaking, but a full hour yields a silky, creamy texture.
Blend the Cashew Base
Drain the soaked cashews and add them to your food processor along with 1 cup of the almond milk, nutritional yeast, salt, smoked paprika, and sun-dried tomatoes. I like using this food processor; it works great for this step because the powerful motor breaks down the cashews into a velvety cream.
Make sure you’re using nutritional yeast, not inactive yeast – they’re completely different ingredients. For extra cheesy flavor, add 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and 1/4 tsp of onion powder at this stage. If you want to try taco seasoning instead, use 1-2 tbsp in place of the individual spices for a Southwest-style flavor.
You can also blend in half a cup of cooked white beans with the cashews for extra creaminess and protein. Blend everything until it’s completely smooth with no graininess.
Make the Cornstarch Slurry
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick saucepan over medium-low heat, then stir in the cornstarch until it forms a paste. If you don’t have cornstarch, tapioca starch works just as well for thickening.
Cook the Queso
Pour the blended cashew mixture into the saucepan with the cornstarch paste. Stir continuously for a few minutes as it heats and thickens into a soft, melted consistency that rivals traditional queso. It gets that same stretchy, creamy texture as real cheese; way better than those soft white cheeses that just don’t melt right.
A wooden spoon is perfect here because it scrapes the bottom of the pan without scratching the nonstick surface. Keep stirring until it reaches your desired consistency.
Adjust the Consistency
If the queso gets too thick or starts to look slightly overcooked, add the remaining 1/2 cup of almond milk a little at a time, stirring until it loosens up again. You want it to be pourable but still thick enough to cling to chips.
Do a quick taste test here to adjust flavor – add salt, more hot sauce, or stir in extra nutritional yeast until it’s exactly how you want it. A teaspoon of lemon juice right before serving wakes up your taste buds and balances the richness.
If you love Siete cashew queso from the store, add a pinch of chili powder and extra garlic powder to get the same super-yummy flavor.
Serve
Transfer the warm queso to a serving bowl, top with sliced jalapeños (or pickled jalapeños for extra tang), and serve hot with tortilla chips. I like to keep mine warm in my Instant Pot at parties so it stays at the perfect dipping temperature all night long. I often make a double batch because it goes so fast at parties.
For a chunkier queso, stir in diced green chiles or fire-roasted red peppers right before serving. Enjoy!
If you’re taking it to a potluck or party, transport it in a sealed container and reheat it when you arrive, or use a vacuum-insulated food jar like this one to keep it warm for a few hours on the go. Just preheat the jar with hot water, pour in the hot queso, and it’ll stay warm and ready to serve when you get there.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 + 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- Jalapeno for garnish
Instructions
- Soak cashews for 1 hour in boiling water.
- Place soaked cashews, 1 cup almond milk, nutritional yeast, salt, smoked paprika and sundried tomatoes in a high-speed food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Place olive oil and cornstarch in a non-stick saucepan and stir to combine. Then add the cashew mixture to the saucepan.
- Cook the vegan cashew queso for a few minutes until it’s well combined. Be sure to stir continuously so that it doesn’t burn. The result should be like soft cashew cheese.
- If it gets too hard it just means it’s been overcooked a little. If this happens, you can add a little more almond milk and it should come right again.
- Serve warm with a few slices of jalapeño on top and corn chips on the side.
Notes
- Soak overnight for easier mornings: You can soak the cashews in cold water in the fridge overnight instead of using boiling water, which makes it easier to blend everything up quickly the next day.
- Add heat gradually: If you want it spicier, blend in some jalapeño slices instead of just using them as a garnish, or add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the cashew mixture.
- Use sun-dried tomatoes in oil: The oil-packed kind adds more richness and flavor than the dried ones, and you don’t need to rehydrate them first.
- Keep stirring to avoid lumps: The cornstarch can clump if you stop stirring while it’s heating, so keep your spoon moving the entire time it’s on the stovetop.
- Thin it out for drizzling: If you want a thinner consistency for drizzling over nachos or bowls, add the extra almond milk while it’s still warm and whisk until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Flash freeze for cleaner storage: Freeze the cooled queso in ice cube trays for 2 hours, then pop the cubes into a freezer bag so you can thaw just the amount you need for smaller servings.
Nutrition
How to Store Leftovers
Let the queso cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’ll thicken as it cools, but you can reheat it on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of almond milk and stirring until it’s smooth and creamy again.
For longer storage, freeze it in a freezer-safe glass container for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently on the stovetop, adding extra almond milk to bring back the silky texture.
What to Serve With Vegan Cashew Queso
I always serve it with tortilla chips for dipping, but it’s also incredible drizzled over loaded nachos, burrito bowls, or roasted vegetables. Add hot sauce on top for extra heat, or serve with pickled jalapeños on the side.
You can pour it over tacos, use it as a cheese sauce for pasta, or spoon it onto baked potatoes. It’s also great with fresh vegetables like bell pepper strips, carrots, and celery for a lighter option. It’s an awesome recipe that works for so many occasions.
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