Dairy-Free Queso Dip (Vegan Queso)

Dairy-Free Queso Dip is thick and creamy with a hint of spicy chilis and lots of smokey flavour. You can devour it as a straight up chip dip or pour it over your favourite nachos. And thanks to the cashews and nutritional yeast, you’d never say this ‘cheesy’ dip is vegan!

If you read my last post for air fryer tortilla chips, I promised there was a queso dip coming that would go perfectly with them. Well, this is it. Let me introduce you to the dip that has overtaken our house. Yes, even the cheese loving hubby is eating this vegan queso!

I’ve been making various versions of this queso recipe for months now, and every time I make it, I add another ingredient or do something a little different. But I’m finally ready to share it with you guys and it just happens to be in time for Cinco de Mayo!

What is vegan queso?

The primary ingredients in vegan queso tend to be cashews (for creaminess), nutritional yeast (for cheesiness) and spices (for some nacho flavour). Some recipes also add tomatoes, chilies, garlic, onions, cilantro and lemon or lime juice.

So I’m not reinventing the wheel here as there are plenty of dairy-free queso recipes out there. But since I’ve been cutting back on dairy, and I’m obsessed with cashews lately, I just had to create a recipe with my own little twist.

While the cashews and nutritional yeast are arguably the most important elements in many vegan queso recipes, my favourite ingredient to add is smoked paprika. It’s not a common addition to queso (or at least it isn’t in the quantities I’m using), but I love the smokey aroma, and the undeniable smokey taste that it adds to queso. The result is a less spicy queso, but this actually works perfectly with spicy chips, nachos or tacos.

What is smoked paprika?

To dive a little deeper, smoked paprika is made from pimento peppers (a type of chili pepper also called cherry peppers) that have been dried, smoked, and ground into fine powder. It is quite similar in colour to regular paprika, so visually you might not be able tell them apart. But don’t be fooled, they have distinctly different tastes. And using them interchangeably (as I used to do!) will not result in the intended flavour of your recipe.

Of all the spices in my pantry, smoked paprika is the one I use the most and stock up on almost every time I hit up the grocery store. It adds such a deep flavour to dips, soups and chilis, and is a great addition to dry rubs for meat or seafood.

How do you make dairy-free queso?

Start by soaking the cashews in hot water for half an hour. This softens up the cashews so your blender doesn’t have to work so hard to create that smooth and creamy texture.

Once soaked, drain the cashews and add them to your blender. A high-powered blender works best, but if you don’t have one, blend the ingredients in two batches, or use your food processor. The texture won’t get quite as creamy in the food processor (it might be a little nutty), but this won’t impact the queso too much.

Blend the cashews on high with some nut milk, nutritional yeast, garlic, smoked paprika and salt. Keep blending until the mixture is creamy. Add the fresh tomatoes and pulse until they are blended but some little pieces remain. Stir in the chilies and red pepper flakes. For a less chunky queso, you can blend in the chilis, but I like a thicker queso, so I stir them in.

The great thing about this queso is that you can serve it hot or cold. If serving cold, you can enjoy it right out of the blender, or store in the fridge until ready to use. To serve it warm, just heat it up on the stove top and pour into a serving bowl! Sometimes I heat it up and serve it right out of my skillet. (Just be careful as the skillet will be hot).

Some other tips for making cashew queso:

This queso is not overly spicy, so if you like things spicier, just add some more red pepper flakes, or sub in chili powder for some of the smoked paprika. You can even add some finely chopped jalapeños for extra kick!

If you want to make this queso entirely without processed ingredients, you can try making your own green chilis. Brooklyn Farm Girl has a recipe that I’m hoping to try soon.

What to serve with queso:

Use it as a vegan nacho cheese, and pour it over your favourite nachos or tacos. It works beautifully with these loaded vegetarian nachos!

Dip those chips in there! Air fryer or oven baked, these habanero lime tortilla chips would create the perfect flavour combo!

Add a generous scoop to your vegan chili and stir it around for added flavour and thickness.

Use it as a dip for potato wedges or french fries. I love pairing cashew dips with these air fryer roasted potatoes.

If you like vegan cashew recipes, here are a few others you might enjoy:

• Creamy Cashew Onion Herb Dip

• Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Dip

• Creamy Avocado Mac and Cheese

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Dairy-Free Queso Dip (Vegan Queso)

★★★★★

5 from 9 reviews

Dairy-Free Queso Dip is thick and creamy with a hint of spicy chilis and lots of smokey flavour. You can devour it as a straight up chip dip or pour it over your favourite nachos. And thanks to the cashews and nutritional yeast, you’d never say this ‘cheesy’ dip is vegan!

• Author: Leanne
• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 cups 1x
• Category: Snacks
• Method: Blend
• Cuisine: Vegan

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened nut milk
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 3 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more for garnish)
• 1 can (4 ounces) green chilies

Instructions

1. Add the cashews and hot water to a glass dish and let soak for half an hour.
2. Drain cashews and add to blender, along with nut milk, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, salt and garlic. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add tomatoes and pulse a few times until they break into small pieces.
3. Stir in the green chilis and red pepper flakes.
4. Enjoy it cold by serving right away or chilling in the fridge for later. Or heat it up on the stove top or in the microwave to enjoy warm.
5. Garnish with more red pepper flakes and serve with chips or pour over nachos.

Notes

1. If you like a spicier queso, just add some more red pepper flakes, or substitute chili powder for some of the smoked paprika. You can also add some finely chopped jalapenos for an extra kick.
2. Make sure you use smoked paprika, not regular paprika.
3. A high-powered blender works best, but if you don’t have one, just blend the ingredients in two batches, or use a food processor.

Keywords: vegan queso, cashew queso