This Easy Vegan Cashew Queso is the perfect plant-based cheese dip. It’s great for the big game or any gathering. Healthy, dairy-free, and delicious!
It's Fall here in the South and that can only mean two things: College Football and Food! And there’s no better Game Day food than cheese dip. But, if football ain’t your thing you can still have the dip. I mean, who really needs a reason for cheese dip?
I've tried several different vegan nacho recipes over the last several years and they were usually hit or miss. Some good, some not so good. But, once I discovered how to make cheese dip with cashews…GAME CHANGER!
How Do You Make Easy Vegan Cashew Queso
This Cashew Queso recipe is super simple. You only need a few ingredients and most are just spices.
The one ingredient you may not be very familiar with is Nutritional Yeast, or “Nooch”. It’s where the cheese flavor comes from and it’s also super nutritious. It’s loaded with B-vitamins and is a must-have for any plant-based kitchen.
Soak your cashews in warm water for 20-30 minutes or you can boil them for about 10 minutes. This helps the cashews to soften and makes them super creamy once you blend them.
Once the cashews are done soaking just toss them into a high-speed blender with all the remaining ingredients. Now, just blend on high until the dip is smooth and creamy.
When you’re finished blending pour the dip into a small saucepan and heat over low to medium heat. Continually stir the dip until it reaches your desired consistency.
Pour the vegan cheese dip into a bowl, add the salsa, and mix it up.
That’s it! This is Easy Vegan Cashew Queso recipe is ready to go!
How Do I Serve Easy Vegan Cashew Queso
You can serve this delicious dip with Healthy Homemade Tortillas. It’s great over my Oil-Free Oven Roasted Potatoes. And, you can drizzle it over this amazing Mexican 7 Layer Dip!
If you’re looking for a nut-free option you should try my Vegan Cheese Sauce. It’s rich, creamy, and delicious.
I'm pretty sure this Easy Vegan Cashew Queso will rock your world. It’s…
- Rich
- Creamy
- Smooth
- Cheesy
- Easy to make
- Healthy
- & Delicious
If you make this recipe let me know. Please leave a comment below with a star rating. Be sure and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!
Easy Vegan Cashew Queso
- Total Time20 minutes
- Yield10 servings 1x
- DietVegan
This Easy Vegan Cashew Queso is the perfect plant-based cheese dip. It’s great for the big game or any gathering. Healthy, dairy-free, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 30 mins.)
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup salsa
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp of salt
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
Instructions
- If you don’t have a Vitamix or high-speed blender, soak your cashews for 20-30 mins. and they will soften. It will make them creamier as they are blended.
- Put all ingredients, EXCEPT SALSA, into a blender and process until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into a bowl, add salsa, and enjoy!
- If you want, you can warm this in a small saucepan on low to low-medium heat. Stir regularly so it doesn’t burn. It will thicken even more as it heats up.
Notes
Nutritional Yeast can be purchased in almost any health food store and it’s usually found in the bulk section. But, many grocery stores are carrying it now as well. To give this queso a little “kick”, add a few jalapenos to your mixture at the end. You can also add a teaspoon of smoked paprika for added flavor. Using baked chips like TOSTITOS Oven Baked SCOOPS or making your own chips make this an even healthier snack. You can find my recipe for How To Make Your Own Chips here.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 92
- Sugar: 1.1 g
- Sodium: 156.7 mg
- Fat: 6.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.5 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 3.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dips & Spreads
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Vegan
This post was shared at the Weekend Potluck!
By far the best queso I have ever had! So easy and so good! Only queso I will make from now on! I could eat the whole bowl!
I just made this Easy Vegan Cashew Queso! It has awesome flavor and I haven’t added the salsa yet. I was looking for something to go on a baked potato, but I couldn’t wait to let you know how happy I am with this Queso! Thanks
Just amazing. Even my super picky queso omni snob loved it!
So tasty! My salsa didn’t add enough spiciness for my tastes, so I also added a 4oz can of diced jalapeños after blending, but the flavor was fantastic and I love how quick it was.
Found your blog from the Rip Esselstyn podcast- looking forward to trying more recipes.
Jess, thank you so much! And, I’ll let you in on a little secret, this recipe is about to get a face lift:) Thanks for reaching out.
I just made this to eat with my Pretzels just now and oh my goodness it’s delicious and addictive. I let my non vegan Hubby taste it and he said ” the cheese us really good what kind is it?” Nutritional Yeast a vegan cheese 😁. This is so yummy, go make yourself a?Batch I made mine in the Vitamix and it was warm❤
This is the best vegan queso I’ve ever made!!!
As always, I’m very impressed with your recipes. The flavors are always on point.
Thank you!!!
Hi, Shane!
I am going to try this tomorrow. I don’t have a high speed blender, and someone told me I can just substitute 1/2 cup of oil-free cashew butter for the cashews. If I do this, do I need to leave out the water?
YOu would still need the water. You can make this with a regular blender as long as you either soak the cashews in hot water for 20-30 minutes or boil for 5 minutes.
I can’t have nooch, it gives me some sensitivities problems. I read that miso could be a supplement and it tastes ok but a little off.
Do you know of any other ingredient that we could substitute for nooch and still be as delicious?
Hi, Dwayne! Yes, miso works great. This recipe by Happy Herbivore is excellent…just leave out the nooch. Hope this helps.
https://happyherbivore.com/recipe/low-fat-vegan-nachos/
I made this tonight to go over a baked potato smothered in roasted broccoli, mushrooms, onions and I added some brown tepary beans for protein. The sauce needed a little more kick to it so I added some diced Hatch chilies and a little chipotle powder. That did it! It was so good and so filling. I could only eat half of the potato. Plus, I have more sauce for another time. Winner in my book.
Awesome!!!
This recipe is amazing! I make this at least once a week and it has been a huge hit with vegan and non-vegan friends!
Thank you, Brian!
I have made this twice. The first time I didn’t have smoked paprika so used regular paprika and it was okay. Now I have the smoked paprika and made it again yesterday. Wow! It made all the difference. I also added about 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder. Excellent! Thanks for another great recipe.
Shane, this is wonderful! I made the tortilla chips also. When I clicked on your link to the Homemade Tortillas, it came to the chips baked in the oven. I’m asking if you make your own flour tortillas and where can I find that recipe? Thank you.
Hi, Cheryl. I don’t make my own tortillas…yet:) I use corn tortillas almost all the time.
Finally made a WFPB queso that my teens approved! They say it tastes like cheese! Thanks so much Shane, your recipes are very dependably tasty!
I love it when the teens approved:) Thanks so much!!!
Shane, you make me (almost) want to recycle all my vegan cookbooks and just cook from Shane and Simple…your recipes are top-of-the-charts!!
Thank you so much!!!
How long will this keep, guess it should be fine for a few days with no dairy
You can keep it in the fridge for up to a week. However, it never lasts that long at my house:)
Can the nutritional yeast be omitted?
Yes. But, it will be more of a “sour cream” instead of cheese. The nooch is what gives it that nutty cheesy flavor. But, hey, sour cream dip is not bad either:)
Very good! I added a fourth of a canned roasted red pepper and it gave it a really “cheesy” look. YUM!
Shane, I can’t wait to make this recipe. Is it freeable? Thank you. I have LOVED every one of your recipes and I try yours before others. I have learned your recipes are easy, healthy, and they satisfy my palette. Thank you!
Hi, Eileen! Yes, it can even be frozen if needed, in a freezer-friendly container. Reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave for a minute or two. Add a little water if needed to thin it because it will thicken in the fridge.
Making this for the 2nd time in a week. It’s crazy good! I made a mistake when making it today though. I make a homemade BBQ sauce & it’s currently stored in a glass salsa jar. Well I accidentally grabbed that instead of salsa. I must say, a pretty delicious mistake. I like them both ways, your way w/ salsa, and my mistake way w/ BBQ sauce. I share your recipes w/ everyone! Every one I have made has been nothing short of delicious & a keeper!
Mistakes are wonderful:) Thanks for reaching out.
I haven’t made it het. Just wonder ignorance i can blend t in a high speed blender until cooked. Really want to avoid the additional on additional and meds mess of cooking as a saucepan.
Absolutely! That’s usually what I do in my Vitamix. But, keep an eye on it as it will get thicker as it heats. I added the extra simply because most do not have a Vitamix.
Wow. Just wow!
Thank you:)
I have made SO many vegan cheese sauce recipes over the 4 years I’ve been plant based and I loved the simplicity of this one and the flavor. I think the smoked paprika gives it the perfect punch. I also added some fresh onion and garlic before I mixed it. We have made it twice now because it can come together so fast. Will definitely continue to make this one!
Wonderful. Gotta have my cheese dip:)
So if I have a high speed blender I don’t need to soak the cashews? Or is it better if they are still soaked for a bit?
Hi, Susan. I still soak them just because I believe it makes them creamier. But, if you have a high-speed blender it will still do just fine. I will say that Ninja blenders are the worst. UGH!
I made this to go over the Vegan Stuffed Bell Pepper recipe. Honestly, I’ve been hesitant in trying recipes where nutritional yeast is used as the cheese replacer. I dipped my finger in the mix yesterday, however, and I’m excited to have it for dinner tonight! I’ll have to try soaking them next go around to see the difference.
Thank you, Susan!
I have made this several times and my husband and I both love it! So versatile and frankly I think it’s way better then regular greasy cheese! I wanted to also thank-you for your many tasty, easy recipes. When I have friends wanting to try plant based eating I will always recommend your recipes, they are awesome! 😋👍🏻
Wow, thank you so much, Jan!!! I really appreciate it. Blessings.
I know I keep leaving comments on how delicious every recipe of yours is that I make, and here I am doing it again!! This Queso Dip is a creamy bowl of deliciousness!! It is super simple to make and over the top yummy!! Try it, you will not be sorry!
Hi, Colleen! Please feel free to leave all the comments you desire. LOL! Thank you so much!!!
Wondering if you can use a white bean instead of cashews? If so, how much would you think?
Becki, never tried it with white beans. But, if you are looking for a low-fast version try this vegan cheese sauce. It’s made with potatoes and carrots. https://shaneandsimple.com/vegan-cheese-sauce/
Made this as a topper tonight! YUM! The best vegan cheese sauce I have made thus far. I’ve tried different recipes and none worked. The taste for your’s was perfect! Kid approved. Adding to my rotation of recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome, Jamie! We’ve made it twice in the last two days:)
What type of salsa do you use in this recipe? I’m always on the lookout for a good tasting salsa, but haven’t found one I truly enjoy, yet. Thanks, and looking forward to making this!
Lili, to be honest, it’s usually whatever I grab when I run into the grocery store. But, lately, we’ve been using the ones we find at Aldi.
I’m allergic to cashews. Have you ever tried this with another kind of nut? Thank you!
Hmmm, Mary. I’ve never tried another nut. Cashews work because they’re pretty neutral and really creamy when blended. Here’s a really good recipe from Cookie & Kate that doesn’t use nuts at all. Give it a try. She does use oil to sauté her onions but you can eliminate that very easily.
The link you insert for a cashew-free sauce is to a recipe that uses 1 cup of cashews.
I just checked it and it was for the nut-free sauce. Could you send me a link?
Can’t WAIT to try this Shane! Omg…your site, dude…I’m in LOVE with it!! No cashews in the house…but i’m on it!! Keep on, pleeease!!!
Thanks, Donna! I hope you enjoy it. And, thanks so much for your kind words. Peace.
Another winner! My husband and I eat Mexican food a lot. ( beans, lentils, peppers, in a variety of dishes) I haven’t missed cheese at all these past 5 months, but he still does (probably because he sneaks it in sometimes). I whipped this up yesterday and drizzled it over some simple bean nachos and wow! It just adds such a great flavor and texture! It’s really good! I think will stop him from adding cheese from time to time. I don’t know how you come up with this stuff but I’m so glad you do. This is officially my first stop when looking for recipes now. Thank you!
Jenny, that is great! And, it sounds awesome. Thanks so much for sharing. Happy New Year!???
I’m totally going to make this for Christmas Eve tomorrow!
GO FOR IT!!! Hope you enjoy it and Merry Christmas ??
This is delicious! Thank you so much. We poured it over some potatoes and veggies for a quick dinner.
Thanks so much, Adrienne! So glad you enjoyed it. Love it on potatoes!
I’ve tried a few recipes for cheese sauce , but…..this one! Sooooo good and so simple! Thanks so much!
Thank you, Rhoda. So glad you enjoyed it and thanks for reaching out!
Yummy. My husband would love this recipe. I can’t wait make it for him.
Awesome. Let me know how it goes.
I mean…come on!!! If this doesn’t make you smile you have no soul. My parents (hardcore plant haters) loved this recipe which in my book, is a HUGE win! The smoked paprika is the secret key in this cheese dip. Shane, I love how reliable your recipes are. Each one consistently delivers an excellent result. This is my new favorite recipe site!
WOW! Thanks so much, Jenny! I really appreciate the feedback and support. I’ll do my best to keep’em coming and consistent. Blessings!
I just found your site and I think I’m in love ! Thank you for the wonderful recpies !
Haha! Well, thank you! I hope you enjoy the recipes. Peace and plants.
Last night I made your potato chips in the microwave & your Cashew Queso for a snack. I always seem to hold my breath when I serve my husband any new vegan foods. He really liked both. Yeah! I love the chips & the cashew queso is delicious. I love just about any recipe you come out with. AND the pics are great. 👍 Thank you.. Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much, Maureen! Blessings to you.