Make Vegan Queso Dip

Whether you pour it over a plate of nachos, dip your favorite crackers in it, or use it as spread for quesadillas and other Mexican dishes, queso dip is always a crowd pleaser. With all its cheese, though, it doesn't exactly fit into a vegan lifestyle. But that doesn't mean you have to go dip-less at your next party. By using vegan-friendly ingredients, such as cashews, nutritional yeast, veggies, and non-dairy milk, you can whip up a delicious creamy, cheesy dip that doesn't contain any animal products. Whether you want a classic queso dip, a white queso dip, or a nut-free version, you can easily prepare vegan queso with just a blender so you can have it whenever the craving hits.

Ingredients

Easy Vegan Queso Dip

• 4 cups (946 ml) water
• 1 ¼ cups (190 g) cashews, raw
• ⅓ cup (42 g) nutritional yeast
• 1 cup (237 ml) water
• ½ cup (118 ml) non-dairy milk
• 2 tablespoons (32 g) chopped green chilies
• ½ teaspoon (½ g) chipotle powder
• ½ teaspoon (1 g) cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon (3 g) turmeric
• ⅓ teaspoon (2 g) salt
• Cilantro, for garnish

Vegan Queso Blanco Dip

• 1 cup (325 g) boiled potatoes
• 4 garlic cloves, roasted
• ¾ cup (115 g) raw cashews
• 1 ½ cups (355 ml) vegetable broth
• 1 cup (237 ml) unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 1 can (4 ounces/127 g) chopped mild chiles
• ½ cup (52 g) jarred mild pickled jalapenos, divided
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pickled jalapeno juices
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) cumin
• 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 ½ to 11 g) Himalayan pink salt

Nutless Vegan Queso Dip

• 7 to 9 eggplant rounds, sliced to ¼ inch (6-mm) thick
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• 1 ½ to 2 cups (355 to 473 ml) unsweetened almond milk
• 2 to 3 tablespoons (16 to 24 g) nutritional yeast
• ¼ teaspoon (1 g) finely minced fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) cumin
• 1 teaspoon (3 g) chili powder
• 2 teaspoons (3 g) cornstarch
• ¼ cup (65 g) chunky medium salsa

Steps

Whipping Up Easy Vegan Queso Dip

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 4 cups (946 ml) of water to a large pot, and place it on the stove. Turn the heat to high, and allow the water to come to a boil, which should take 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Boil the cashews and strain. After the water has come to a boil, add 1 ¼ cups (190 g) of raw cashews to the pot. Allow the nuts to boil for 2 to 3 minutes before turning the heat off. Next, drain the cashews completely in a colander.
   • If you don’t want to boil the cashews, you can soak them in hot water for 8 hours to overnight to help soften them up.
3. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. After you’ve strained the cashews, add them, along with ⅓ cup (42 g) of nutritional yeast, 1 cup (237 ml) of water, ½ cup (118 ml) of non-dairy milk, 2 tablespoons (32 g) of chopped green chilies, ½ teaspoon (½ g) of chipotle powder, ½ teaspoon (1 g) of cumin powder, 1 teaspoon (3 g) of turmeric, and ⅓ teaspoon (2 g) of salt, to a high speed blender. Blend the mixture from low to high until it is completely smooth. Keep blending at a high speed to warm it up slightly.
   • If the dip is too thick after you blend it, you can add a little more water to thin it out.
   • You can substitute more water for the non-dairy milk if you prefer.
   • You can substitute a seeded jalapeno for the green chiles if you prefer.
   • You can substitute a Cajun seasoning blend for the chipotle powder.
   • If you don’t have a high speed blender, you can use a standard blender or food processor. After you blend the dip together, you can microwave it for 30 to 60 seconds to warm it up.
4. Transfer the dip to a dish and garnish it with cilantro. Once the dip is completely blended, use a spatula to transfer it to serving bowl. Garnish it with some chopped cilantro, and serve it with your favorite vegan crackers or chips.
   • If you like, you can also squeeze a lime wedge over the dip to add a little citrus kick.
   • Cover any leftover dip and store in the refrigerator. It should keep for 3 to 5 days, but it’s best if you heat it up before serving.

Mixing Up Vegan Queso Blanco Dip

1. Blend all of the ingredients except half of the pickled jalapenos. Add 1 cup (325 g) of boiled potatoes, 4 roasted garlic cloves, ¾ cup (115 g) of raw cashews, 1 ½ cups (355 ml) of vegetable broth, 1 cup (237 ml) of unsweetened non-dairy milk, a 4 ounce (127 g) can of chopped mild chiles, ¼ cup (26 g) of jarred mild pickled jalapenos, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of pickled jalapeno juice from the jar, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of cumin, and 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 ½ to 11 g) of Himalayan pink salt to a high speed blender. Blend the mixture until it’s completely smooth.
   • You can mix the dip in a standard blender or food processor but it may not be as smooth.
   • If you use a low-sodium vegetable broth, you’ll likely need to add more salt.
   • You can substitute water for the vegetable broth, but you may need to add more salt to the dip.
2. Add the remaining jalapenos and pulse the dip until they’re chopped. After the mixture is blended smooth, add the remaining ¼ cup (26 g) of jarred mild pickled jalapenos to the blender. Pulse the mixture until the jalapenos are chopped and incorporated.
3. Pour the mixture into a pot and heat it until it reduces. When the dip is fully combined, transfer it to a small pot. Place it on the stove, and heat it on medium-low for about 10 minutes, or until it reduces to a thick, creamy consistency.
   • Be sure to stir the dip as it’s heating to keep it from sticking or burning onto the pot.
4. Transfer the dip to a bowl and serve hot. When the dip has reduced, turn off the heat. Pour it into a serving bowl and serve it with vegetables, vegan crackers, or vegan chips while it’s still hot.
   • Store any leftover dip in the refrigerator in a covered container. It should keep for 3 to 5 days, but be sure to reheat it before serving.
   • If you like, you can freeze a batch of the dip in an airtight freezer container. Allow it to defrost at room temperature overnight and then reheat it on the stove or in the microwave before serving.

Preparing Nutless Vegan Queso Dip

1. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and let it sit for 10 minutes. For the dip, you’ll need 7 to 9 eggplant rounds that have been sliced to ¼ inch (6-mm) thick. Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant with salt, and place them in a colander to sit for 10 to 15 minutes to draw out the moisture and bitterness.
   • Half of a medium eggplant should be enough to give you the necessary amount of rounds.
2. Rinse the eggplant and pat them dry. After the eggplant have sat for about 10 minutes, rinse them in the sink under cool water. Use clean towels to carefully pat the rounds completely dry.
   • Be sure to dry both sides of the eggplant rounds.
3. Preheat the broiler. To ensure that the broiler is hot enough to roast the eggplant, turn it on high and allow it to preheat. Make sure that the rack is positioned at the top of oven close to the broiler.
4. Drizzle the eggplant with oil and salt. Arrange the eggplant rounds on a baking sheet lightly greased with nonstick cooking spray. Lightly coat both sides of the rounds with some olive oil and sprinkle a small amount of salt over them.
   • You can substitute avocado oil for the olive oil if you prefer.
5. Broil the eggplant on both sides and wrap them in foil. After the eggplant are coated with the olive oil and salt, place them in the oven. Allow the eggplant to broil for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until they are tender and golden brown. Remove them from the oven and wrap them in foil to steam them for 2 to 3 minutes.
   • Keep a close eye on the eggplant as it broils. You don’t want the rounds to burn at all.
6. Peel the skin away from the eggplant and place it in a blender. After the eggplant rounds have steamed in the foil for a few minutes, carefully peel away the skin and discard. Place the eggplant in a blender.
   • You should easily be able to remove the skin from the eggplant with just your fingers.
7. Blend the eggplant with the milk, yeast, garlic, spices, and cornstarch. Once the eggplant is in the blender, add 1 ½ cups (355 ml) of unsweetened almond milk, 2 to 3 tablespoons (16 to 24 g) of nutritional yeast, ¼ teaspoon (1 g) of finely minced fresh garlic, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of cumin, 1 teaspoon (3 g) of chili powder, and 2 teaspoons (3 g) of cornstarch to it. Blend the mixture on high until it is smooth and creamy.
   • You can also blend the dip together in a food processor.
   • If the dip mixture is too thick, you can add in a little more almond milk to thin it out.
   • Taste the dip mixture after you’re finished blending it. You may want to add more salt or nutritional yeast to deepen the cheesy flavor.
8. Pour the mixture into a pan and heat it until it thickens slightly. After you’ve blended the dip together, transfer it to a small saucepan. Heat it over medium to medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
   • The longer you heat the dip mixture, the thicker it will become.
   • If the mixture isn’t as thick as you’d like even after heating it for 5 minutes or more, mix 1 teaspoon (3 g) of cornstarch with a teaspoon (5 ml) of almond milk and 2 to 3 tablespoons (18 to 26 g) of the dip mixture. Whisk well and then add it back to the pot with the dip. It should thicken up.
9. Remove the mixture from the heat and mix in the salsa. After the dip has thickened, remove the pan from the heat. Add ¼ cup (65 g) of chunky medium salsa and mix well to ensure that it’s fully incorporated.
   • You can substitute ¼ of a 10-ounce (283 g) can of diced tomatoes and green chilies for the salsa if you prefer.
   • If the salsa is watery, drain the excess moisture before mixing it into the dip or you may thin it out.
10. Transfer the dip to bowl and serve while still warm. After you’ve finished mixing in the salsa, pour the dip into a serving bowl. Serve it with veggies, chips, or crackers.
    • You can garnish the dip with some smoked paprika and hot sauce for flavor and color.
    • Cover any leftover dip and refrigerate it. It should keep for 3 to 5 days, but it’s best when fresh.
    • Reheat refrigerated dip in the microwave or in a saucepan before eating.

Things You’ll Need

Easy Vegan Queso Dip

• Large pot
• Colander
• High speed blender

Vegan Queso Blanco Dip

• High speed blender
• Small pot
• Wooden spoon

Nutless Vegan Queso Dip

• Baking sheet
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Foil
• Blender
• Small saucepan
• Wooden spoon

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make a Cream Cheese Crab Dip
• Make Onion Dip
• Make Rainbow Hummus
• Make Skinny Guacamole
• Make Nacho Dip
• Make Guacamole
• Make Marshmallow Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
• Make French Onion Dip
• Keep Guacamole Fresh
• Make Authentic Mexican Guacamole

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