5-minute Cheesy Vegan Queso- No Cashews, No Tofu!
This creamy 5 minute vegan Queso is made in a blender and is entirely nut free, tofu free, and coconut free! No store bought vegan cheese yet the flavor is rich and just perfectly spiced!
If you’re over soaking cashews for hours or subbing in a block of tofu to get super creamy homemade vegan cheeses, then look no further.
This ultra velvety and creamy vegan Queso is not only quick and easy to make (we’re talking start to finish, under 10 minutes), it’s also made without cashews, tofu, coconut, NOR any store bought vegan cheeses.
But how?
We’re using cannellini beans as the base instead! Like my homemade vegan mozzarella cheese (which is also nut free!), cannellini beans serve as a really creamy base that when combined with some tapioca starch and specific flavorings can yield a deliciously dairy free cheese dip.
We’re building quite the unusually made vegan cheese repertoire (just see my vegan cream cheese and vegan mascarpone 😉 ). And I’m not mad about it!
B seriously, this vegan Queso actually tastes like Queso. My husband took one bite and was speechless…then proceeded to exclaim that he couldn’t believe this Queso was vegan!
It goes wonderfully on top of roasted veggies too, like roasted red cabbage or roasted Brussels sprouts.
It’s perfectly spiced and full of rich “cheesy” flavor without the need for store bought cheese, which is saying something! So make this dip for your next Super Bowl party, football Sunday gathering, or even a holiday appetizer!
Everyone will love it, vegan or not! Let’s make this:
Where does Queso come from?
Queso dip is widely found in Texas, as it became popularized in the early 1900’s as an Americanized form of a cheese fondue that Miguel Martinez served at his restaurant in 1918 as a cheese dip for his customers.
While it’s popular in America, it draws on prominent flavors from Mexican culture, making it a delicious part of Tex-Mex cuisine!
8 Main Ingredients You Need:
- Cannellini beans: Instead of cashews, tofu, or coconut, we’re using cannellini beans to create the base of our vegan Queso! This makes this recipe super quick and easy with zero prep needed beforehand.
- Filtered water: To blend our beans into a thick sauce.
- Garlic: you can also sub in garlic powder if you’d prefer.
- Lemon juice: To give that cheesy tang.
- Nutritional yeast: This helps to provide that super cheesy flavor, and give a bit of nutritional boost with B12 and some protein!
- Olive oil: for creaminess!
- Spices: I used a blend of onion powder (though you can sub in chopped onions), cumin, paprika, chili powder, and sea salt.
- Tapioca starch: This helps to thicken our vegan Queso so that it’s as cheesy and stretchy as traditional Queso!
How to make Vegan Queso in 5 Minutes (Step by Step photos)
How to store leftovers
You can store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to heat, simply pour the desired amount into a saucepan, and heat on medium heat.
Serve again and enjoy!
What to serve with queso dip
Once you’ve topped your vegan Queso with the classics: diced green chiles, tomatoes, and cilantro (or even some pickled jalapeños would be really good!), here’s what to serve it with:
- Tortilla chips (a classic)
- Chopped raw vegetabels, like carrots, celery, broccoli or cauliflower
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- In vegan Mac and cheese
- As a salad dressing
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If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
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Easy Cheesy Vegan Queso without Cashews (No Tofu, No Coconut!)
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This creamy 5 minute vegan Queso is made in a blender and is entirely nut free, tofu free, and coconut free! No store bought vegan cheese yet the flavor is rich and just perfectly spiced!
Ingredients
- 2 8-ounce cannellini beans
- 1 cup (240 mL) filtered water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Toppings:
- Chopped tomatoes or rot-l tomatoes
- Picked jalapeños
- Sliced red or green chiles
- Cilantro
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Puree: Place all ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Heat: In a saucepan or medium pot, pour the blended vegan queso and heat on medium heat. Continue to stir until the Queso begins to bubble. Then reduce the heat to low, and continue stirring until it thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
- Serve: Pour the thickened vegan Queso into a serving dish and top with your desired toppings. Dip chips, raw vegetables, or use as a dipping sauce for roasted vegetables and more!
Notes
See blog post for serving suggestions!
Wow this is ridiculously good!! And it was super easy to make! Don’t mind me, I’ll be eating this by the spoonful all week 🙂
This is awesome 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!! Enjoy!
Are the beans rinsed and drained or could the faba be used to thicken the queso?
I do rinse and drain the beans, yes!
would corn starch work? Finally a recipe no one is allergic to! Will be making!
Yes absolutely! Swap in cornstarch instead of arrowroot, no problem 🙂
my brother made this sauce and poured over chicken. it was delicious. his wife and I are lactose intolerant and we couldn’t tell the difference
Thank you for this! It tastes like cheese! Even my kiddos approved! So easy and delicious!
Thanks for the recipe. It calls for “2 8-ounce cannellini beans”. This is a bit ambiguous. Cannellini beans usually come in 15-oz cans or 1 # dry packages. Could you clarify?
Hi David! Sorry about that! You can use one 15 oz can instead. 🙂