This Vegan Queso is ultra-creamy, smooth, and boldly savory—everything you want from classic queso, without any dairy. Made with soaked cashews, potatoes, and carrots, it blends into a silky, pourable cheese sauce that’s perfect for dipping chips, drizzling over tacos, or spooning onto burrito bowls. It’s crowd-approved (even by non-vegans), easy to make, and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients
- Main Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked
- 1 medium potato peeled and chopped
- 1 medium carrot peeled and chopped
- ½ small yellow onion chopped
- Seasonings & Flavor Base
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 –2 cloves garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt adjust to taste
- Pantry Staples
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ –1 cup water or vegetable broth for blending
- Optional: 1–2 tbsp chopped jalapeños or green chilies
Instructions
- Pre-Cooking Prep
- Soak cashews in hot water for 20–30 minutes (or overnight in cold water).
- Peel and chop potato, carrot, and onion.
- Measure seasonings so everything is ready to blend.
- Cook the Vegetables
- Add potato, carrot, and onion to a saucepan and cover with water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook 12–15 minutes, until vegetables are very tender.
- Drain well.
- Blend the Queso
- Add cooked vegetables to a high-speed blender.
- Drain cashews and add to the blender.
- Add nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, and olive oil.
- Blend until completely smooth, adding water or broth gradually to reach desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Doneness & Texture Check
- Silky, smooth, and pourable
- Thick enough to coat a spoon
- No visible cashew or vegetable bits
- Resting & Final Touches
- Stir in jalapeños or green chilies if using
- Warm gently before serving if needed
- Add a splash of water when reheating to loosen
Notes
- Soaking cashews is key for a non-grainy texture.
- A high-speed blender gives the smoothest result.
- Don’t be shy with salt and lemon—vegan queso needs bold seasoning.