The Ultimate Vegan Queso Dip
Published: January 29, 2021
Modified: December 17, 2024
This creamy, cheesy vegan queso dip is the ultimate vegan appetizer for Super Bowl parties, holiday gatherings, or an anytime snack! Although it tastes absolutely sinful, it's packed with whole food ingredients like cashews, butternut squash, and carrots, so you can indulge guilt-free. And it comes together in just 15 minutes in your blender, so you can enjoy it any time you're craving some cheesy comfort.
This vegan queso is a life-transforming dip that you're going to want to make again and again. Cheese is one of the things I missed the most when I went vegan, and especially cheesy dips. Fortunately, I now have this vegan queso (and this amazing vegan spinach and artichoke dip) and I don't miss a thing!
This recipe is super easy to make in a blender, and you won't have to worry about what's in it. It's made with raw cashews, carrots, butternut squash, nutritional yeast, and a savory blend of spices. Although it's packed with flavor, it doesn't have any of the unhealthy or overly processed stuff.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
If you're wondering where to buy nutritional yeast or whether you can substitute the cashews, this is the section for you! If there's a question you don't see the answer to here, feel free to leave a comment and I'll respond as soon as I can.
butternut squash: This adds color and flavor to the queso. Fresh or frozen both work (if it's pre-chopped, that's even more convenient). You can also use squash with a similar flavor profile, like pumpkin or kabocha squash.
carrots: For flavor and color. Be sure to slice these thin so they'll cook quickly.
raw cashews: These create the velvety, creamy texture for the queso dip. Make sure you choose raw, not roasted, cashews. You may also be able to use almonds, macadamias, or sunflower seeds, however I haven't tried these.
nutritional yeast: These flakes add a lot of cheesy flavor, so they're a key component of this dip. You can usually find nutritional yeast in the seasoning section of an organic grocery store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. You can also pick some up online from Amazon or other sites.
tomato paste: This packs a ton of tomato flavor into the dip without adding too much moisture that could compromise the creamy texture.
seasonings: This combination of onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, and black pepper adds lots of flavor and adds to the savory, cheesy taste.
salt: Cheese dip is salty, so don't skip the salt, but add it to taste after you've added the other ingredients. I used sea salt, but pink salt or table salt are fine as well.
Tips for the Best Cashew Queso Dip
Use the right blender: While a Vitamix will definitely whip this vegan queso up into a creamy sauce, you don't need a pricey blender to achieve good results. I use an inexpensive Oster blender any time I need to blend up cashews or other nuts, and it never lets me down!
Stir when heating: Make sure you heat this dip on low heat and stir constantly! Cashews can burn and stick to the pan easily.
Add water if it's too thick: While you're heating the dip, water can evaporate and leave you with a texture that's too thick. If needed, you can stir in a little extra water to get the right texture.
For spicy dip: This dip isn't spicy, but you can make it spicy if you want to. Adding some minced fresh peppers, hot sauce, chili powder, or cayenne pepper can turn up the heat on your vegan queso. (If you're using a powdered spice, start with a dash and add more if needed.)
For chunky dip: This queso dip is delicious with chunky add-ins, like chopped jalapeños, tomatoes, and corn kernels. Just add these ingredients during the last step while you're heating the dip.
How to Serve Vegan Queso Dip
On game day, this cashew queso dip is perfect with some chunky toppings like tomatoes, corn, and jalapeños, served with tortilla chips, potato wedges, or veggie sticks. But there's a lot more you can do with this recipe, too!
For chili cheese fries, cook up some french fries, then top them with vegan chili and this cheese sauce. You can also pour this cheesy sauce on a baked potato or steamed broccoli for a healthy and delicious side dish. Or use this sauce with tacos, burritos, or even with pasta for a creamy vegan mac and cheese.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, put your vegan queso in a saucepan and heat on low on the stove, stirring constantly. Add a splash of water if your dip gets too thick.
More Vegan Party Foods
These vegan appetizers, snacks, and party foods are all fit for a crowd, and sure to please vegans and non-vegans alike!
The Ultimate Vegan Queso Dip
Yieldabout 2 cups
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butternut squash, diced (fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 cup carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4" pieces
- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. mustard powder (dry mustard)
- 1 tsp. salt, to taste
- tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
Start by boiling your butternut squash and carrots until fork-tender (about 5 minutes). Turn off the heat and drain the water.
![Boiled carrots and squash in a small saucepan, with a fork piercing one of the carrots.]()
While the vegetables are cooking, blend cashews and water in a blender for 2-4 minutes, until smooth.
![Blended cashew cream in a blender jar.]()
Add the cooked vegetables and all the remaining ingredients, except salt, and blend until smooth. Add salt to taste and blend.
![Blended vegan queso in a blender jar.]()
If you’d like to warm your dip, add it to a medium saucepan and heat on low, stirring constantly. If the dip gets too thick, you can add extra water to thin it. Transfer to a bowl and top with your choice of chopped tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, and corn kernels.
Notes & Hints
To soak your cashews, add water and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and soak for 10 minutes. You can also soak in room temperature water for 2 hours.
Any time you're heating this dip, make sure you stir constantly, because cashews burn easily.
Nutrition Data
Serving Size: 1/10 of recipe; Calories: 81; Fat: 5 g.; Saturated Fat: 1 g.; Cholesterol: 0 mg.; Sodium: 200 mg.; Carbohydrates: 6 g.; Fiber: 1 g.; Sugar: 1 g.; Protein: 3 g.; Vitamin A: 36 mcg. RAE; Vitamin B12: 3 mcg.; Vitamin C: 2 mg.; Vitamin D: 0 mcg.; Calcium: 6 mg.; Iron: 1 mg.; Potassium: 181 mg.; Zinc: 1 mg.Note: This data should be used only as an estimate. Please see the nutrition section of my terms and conditions for more information on how this data is calculated.
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