Creamy Vegan Queso

The best vegan queso recipe—it's incredibly creamy, yet made without processed ingredients! Everyone loves this healthy dairy-free nacho cheese sauce.

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This vegan queso recipe is ultra creamy and totally irresistible. Even die-hard cheese fans will love it! cookieandkate.com

Queso! I adore it, but I always overdo it, and waddle out of Mexican restaurants with a belly full of cheese. Unfortunately, my queso-digesting powers seem to be diminishing rather than improving with age. So, I decided to come up with a dairy-free version to rival my favorite restaurant’s.

This stuff is remarkably queso-like. You can serve it in a bowl or drizzle it over nachos, burritos, or maybe even French fries. I won’t judge. I aimed to create the tastiest vegan queso, not the absolute quickest queso, which usually just consists of cashews blended with spices. For mine, you’ll build flavor on the stovetop, then transfer everything to a blender. It’s totally worth the effort.

ingredients

Let’s talk about the ingredients inside my queso. It starts with sautéed onion, like all delivious savory recipes. Then, russet potato comes into play, which has a magical tendency to become silky smooth, creamy and a little stretchy once blended. I grated the potato, which is faster than chopping it, and it cooks very quickly that way.

Fresh garlic and dried spices offer some complexity and familiar queso flavor. I included onion powder and garlic powder, which might seem redundant, but the combo makes this sauce taste irresistible—that’s a little trick I learned from Serious Eats, along with the potato factor.

how to make vegan queso

Then, add raw cashews for more body and creaminess, and some water, which finishes cooking the potatoes and softens the cashews so they blend more easily. Once cooked, transfer everything to a blender (my Vitamix handles this queso like a champ).

Nutritional yeast offers some umami and “cheesy” flavor/color, and sun-dried tomatoes provide another little umami boost. Vinegar, hot sauce and salt round it out. Once blended to creamy oblivion, stir in some fire-roasted tomatoes, which are infinitely better than Ro-Tel.

Voilà (or the Spanish equivalent)! You have the best vegan queso, which is so good that my cheese-eating girls’ night crew couldn’t stop going back for more. My best friend from childhood is coming to town soon and I’ll make her some, too. We’ve eaten a lot of queso in our years together, but she has realized that dairy doesn’t agree with her skin, so this queso will be the perfect alternative.

Watch How to Make Creamy Vegan Queso

vegan queso with tomatoes

This delicious dairy-free queso recipe is made with cashews and potatoes instead of cheese, but you'd never guess it! cookieandkate.com

The best vegan queso recipe—incredibly creamy, yet made without any processed ingredients! cookieandkate.com

Amazing healthy queso recipe - this queso dip is as satisfying as the regular cheesy kind! cookieandkate.com

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Creamy Vegan Queso

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 3 1/2 cups
  • Diet: Vegan

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 102 reviews

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The best vegan queso recipe—it’s incredibly creamy, yet made without any dairy or processed ingredients! This healthy dairy-free nacho cheese will satisfy the diehard cheese fans in your life, too. Recipe yields about 3 ½ cups queso.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 cup peeled and grated russet potato (4 ounces, about 1 small or ½ medium potato), preferably organic
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 1 cup (5 ounces) raw cashews*
  • 1 ½ cups water, more as necessary
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon rinsed oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce (I used Chipotle)
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • ⅔ cup well-drained fire-roasted tomatoes (I recommend Muir Glen brand) or chunky salsa
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños, optional
  • Optional toppings: additional fire-roasted tomatoes or salsa or chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro, thinly sliced fresh jalapeños or pickled jalapeños, and/or finely chopped red onion

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the grated potato, garlic, paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Stir to combine, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes to enhance their flavors.
  3. Add the cashews and water, and stir to combine. Let the mixture come to a simmer. Continue simmering, stirring frequently and reducing heat as necessary to avoid a rapid boil, until the potatoes are completely tender and cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes.
  4. Carefully pour the mixture into a blender, but keep the pot handy for later. Add the nutritional yeast, sun-dried tomatoes, hot sauce and vinegar. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. If the mixture won’t blend easily or if you would prefer a thinner consistency, add water in ¼ cup increments, blending after each one.
  5. Taste, and blend in additional salt until the queso is utterly irresistible (I typically add about ½ teaspoon more). Pour the mixture back into the pot and add the tomatoes or salsa and jalapeños, if using. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is very warm.
  6. To serve it as a dip, transfer to a serving bowl and top with any garnishes you’d like. Or to make nachos, drizzle it generously over a bed of tortilla chips and garnish as desired. Serve immediately. Leftovers taste even better the next day! Store cooled leftover queso in a bowl, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Gently reheat on the stove or in the microwave, stirring frequently, until warmed throughout.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats and my vegan chipotle carrot queso.

*Raw cashew notes: Most recipes like this suggest soaking the cashews for 4 hours in advance to make them easier to blend and to digest. I honestly never soak mine since I have a powerful Vitamix that blends them right up. The cashews in this recipe are cooked in hot liquid, so they’re softer and even easier to blend. However, if you don’t have a great blender or if you’re concerned about the digestibility factor, go ahead and soak them in advance.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

Kate and Cookie

HELLO, MY NAME IS

Kathryne Taylor

I'm a vegetable enthusiast, dog lover, mother and bestselling cookbook author. I've been sharing recipes here since 2010, and I'm always cooking something new in my Kansas City kitchen. Cook with me!

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Comments

  1. John

    How does the fat content of this queso compare to the cheesey kind?

    (Asking for a friend.)

    :P

    1. Kate

      Haha! I haven’t run an analysis, but I am presuming that this recipe is lower in fat and calories overall. Cashews are lower in saturated fat than cheese, so it should definitely be lower in saturated fat. And I used water instead of half-and-half and oil instead of butter.

      1. jacquie

        I was wondering the same as well as how the protein contents compare. I am not sure that this actually would be considered all that “healthy”.

        1. Marie

          It’s always healthier when you eat plants as opposed to animal products.

      2. Maria Murphy

        Hi, I am really looking forward to trying this recipe!
        I just found a delicious vegan dip at Target but it’s really expensive…
        Wondering if anyone has tried making with cashew butter ?

  2. Kacie

    Yum! Will definitely be trying this. Keep the vegan recipes coming!!!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Kacie, will do! Please let me know how it turns out for you!

  3. Yvette

    This looks great and I’m anxious to try it for my family tonight. If it’s anything like so many of your recipes I’ve tried I’m sure it will be a hit! I’m not familiar with nutritional yeast though, what is that?

    Thanks,
    Yvette

    1. Kate

      Hi Yvette! I hope it’s a big hit. Nutritional yeast is an interesting ingredient. It has a cheesy flavor and it’s high in vitamin B. You’ll often see it in vegan recipes because it has a cheesy flavor and natural yellow coloring; I like to sprinkle it on my popcorn. Bragg’s brand is the most widely available. I usually find it in the health food section or baking/spice aisle. I just added a link to it in the ingredients list if you want to see the container!

    2. Claire

      Oh my goodness! This recipe is heaven! I made it as written the first time and again after realizing I’m sadly allergic to potatoes. I refused to back down from this recipe though so I omitted the potato and lowered the water (I actually used homemade veggie broth). I used this as a sauce for a pasta salad and added black beans, red peppers, corn, tomatoes, and cilantro and it was a BIG hit at a party. Nom nom nommm!

    3. Lindsey

      The BEST non-dairy queso EVER! I’ve tried SO many. I’ve made this three times in the last week- and I’m the only one in my family eating it. ‍♀️

  4. Ludivine

    Love this recipe and can’t wait to try it! However, my son can’t have cashews, would you have a good suggestion of an alternative nut to use in this case?

    1. Kate

      Hi Ludivine, that’s a tough question to answer! I’ve only tried it with cashews, and they are my go-to nut for creamy vegan recipes like this one. I’m wondering if maybe macadamia nuts would work well—they are even softer than cashews and blend very easily.

      1. Heather

        I’d recommend raw pumpkin seeds. I’m recently allergic to both dairy & tree nuts. Pumpkin seeds are my go-to. Meaty buy not overly “seedy”. I’m looking forward to trying this recipe!

      2. Jacki

        Would chickpeas work?

    2. Stefan

      Hi
      I have made good experience with one-night soaked sunflower seeds, then blended. Add lemon and you’ll get a mayonaisse-like consistency and flavor. A plus is that sunflower seeds are less pricy than cashews.
      Stefan

  5. Stacy | POP KITCHEN

    This recipe is genius!!! It looks so much like queso. I have been making these sweet potato nachos that taste glorious with queso, but I always feel like I’m ruining the health effort I put into it with that half pound of cheese that’s in it. This would be perfect!

    1. Kate

      Ooooh sweet potato nachos sound epic. Yep, I bet this sauce would be great on top!

  6. Erin

    Do you think I’d have any luck using an immersion blender right in the pot? Not sure how soft the cashews get before the blending starts.

    1. Kate

      Hi Erin, I managed to drop and break my blender container before I blended my final batch. I tried using my immersion blender, and it was definitely not up for the job. You’ll need a decent stand blender for this one.

    2. Amy

      I beg to differ. My immersion blender worked just fine.

  7. Giselle

    Would roasted (unsalted) cashews work for this?

    1. Kate

      Hi Giselle, Serious Eats used roasted cashews in their recipe, so they should work—I just haven’t tried.

  8. Sandy

    This looks amazing, but I was devastated to see it calls for palm oil. This is an ingredient that should be eliminated from recipes due to deforestation and loss of habitat for some of earth’s most precious creatures. :'(

    1. Kate

      Hi Sandy, the recipe actually calls for avocado or olive oil. I never ever use palm oil in my recipes.

    2. Nicole

      This is such an odd comment. The recipe doesn’t call for palm oil so…what? Do you just paste this comment onto every recipe? I’m confused.

      1. Sandy

        I clicked on the link below (on Kate’s page). It is above the recipe, (Kate referenced it) so I thought it was the recipe, and that recipe has palm oil in it which really surprised me. You just don’t expect that on healthy eating sites. I am in error about Kate’s recipe as I exited the page and did not follow through to see the ingredients Kate listed. My apologies to Kate. I left the site before I got all the facts.

        http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/02/gooey-vegan-nacho-cheese-sauce-recipe-food-lab.html

        Have a great day.
        Sandy

      2. kitty katt

        lol

  9. Sara @ Last Night's Feast

    This looks super creamy and good!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, friend! I hope you get a chance to try it.

  10. Maria

    Your veganized versions of recipes are always so good!! In a household with some vegetarian/vegan members and some who we’ll just say aren’t… Some of your vegan spins on classics have been the only ones to get a “pass” from the non-veg people! Excited to give this one a go!! Always looking for a good vegan queso!!

    1. Kate

      Ah, I’m so glad to hear this, Maria! I’m glad my recipes fit the bill for the whole crowd. :)

  11. Danica

    This looks wonderful! Can this be kept in the fridge and reheated?

    1. Kate

      Yes, definitely! See my last step. :)

  12. Ellen

    I am not a fan of nutritional yeast. Has anyone tried this recipe without it? I’m wondering if it will taste cheesy enough? Thanks.

    1. Kate

      Hi Ellen, it will taste less cheesy but still somewhat cheese-like, if that makes any sense at all… I think nutritional yeast tastes funky sometimes but I didn’t use much in the queso and it tastes great to me.

      1. Ellen

        Thanks Kate!! I made it tonight (without the nooch) and it is delicious! I served it over warm tortilla chips and chili…. awesome vegan, gluten-free nachos! Thanks for sharing!

        1. Melanie

          Ellen – I don’t like nooch either, plus I can’t eat synthetic vitamin B. The recipe was worth a try without the nooch?

  13. Dhyan Atkinson

    I’m going to make this! Thanks, Kate! Also – do you think this could be the base for some vegan mac and cheese? I miss my mac and cheese. Dhyan in Boulder

    1. Kate

      Yes, it makes a great mac and cheese! I’m going to share a modified mac and cheese recipe next month. If you drop the cumin and chili powder, it will taste a little closer to regular mac and cheese.

    2. ellen

      FYI to Dhyan.. I mixed some of the leftover queso in with (brown rice) elbow noodles and it was delicious!!

      1. Dhyan Atkinson

        Thanks, Ellen! Dhyan in Boulder

  14. terry southwick

    Made last night- awesome! Creamy smooth texture stays unlike cheese that gets thick and gloppy. Really tasty with pinto bean tortilla chips and a lot less guilt than traditional queso! Thanks Kate!

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Terry! The texture was really important to me, so I’m glad it worked out so well for you.

  15. dana

    Looks seriously amazing, friend!!

    1. Kate

      Too kind, Dana! Thank you, friend. :)

  16. Adele Kruger

    hi Kate & Cookie

    I just have one question , how can I replace the Nutritional Yeast?
    ( because I can find it in South Africa)

    regards
    Adele

    1. Karen van der Merwe

      You can find nutritional yeast in the healthy foods isle of Dis-chem pharmacies.

  17. Abby @ Heart of a Baker

    My dairy digestion has diminished in the last few years too, so I’m PUMPED for this! Few recipes have been good queso replacers, but I know that this one is perfect xo

  18. Margarita

    This is delicious! I made some and took it and some tortilla chips to a non-vegan friend’s house this past weekend. She had blue cheese and some other cheese set out, along with other appetizers. She didn’t touch her own cheese, and devoured this. I don’t think she even knew it was vegan. AND it’s 100% healthy.Highly recommend.Thanks,Kate.

    1. Kate

      So delighted to hear this, Margarita! It sounds like it was a huge hit.

  19. Kat

    I made this last night! I used an emulsion blender. As a queso fanatic, it wasn’t 100% the real thing but definitely curbed my craving…and I felt 1000x better than I normally feel after indulging. Definitely would make again! Thanks for the recipe. P.s. counting down the days until your book release!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Kat! I’m glad it got a queso fanatic’s approval. I can’t wait for you to see the book! :)

  20. Becki

    Hi Kate! I made this last night for supper, and it was delicious! Thank you!

    I don’t do dairy, but my husband does…and he liked this version too. We really really enjoyed nachos last night!

    The only substitution I made was that I didn’t have hot sauce. I used 1/2t chipotle powder instead. I did soak my cashews overnight, and I think it helped my old cheap blender achieve peak sauce smoothness!

    1. Kate

      Yes, that soaking tip is a good one for those without super-powerful blenders! I’m so glad the two of you had a great night sharing nachos. Sounds ideal to me! :)

      1. Becki

        Oh, and we used the leftovers on steamed broccoli and it was a huge hit! Transforms the ordinary vegetable practically into dessert status!

        Have you tried freezing this? It’d be awesome to keep small amounts on hand in the freezer.

        1. Kate

          Oh yeah, it’s so good on broccoli! I think you’ll see more renditions of this cheese sauce on the blog soon. I haven’t tried freezing it, but I have a hunch that would work well since there’s no dairy in here.

  21. Leo Sigh

    This is so easy to make!

    And I just went vegan a few months ago, and am always looking for a new recipe to try. Need to make this over the weekend, it looks delicious. Thanks!

    1. Kate

      Perfect timing! Let me know how it goes.

  22. Jessica

    Yay!! This looks fantastic! I am not able to have tomatoes :-(. Super sad, I know. I was thinking roasted red peppers at the end and maybe chile powder for the sundried tomatoes? If you have another suggestion, I’ll take it! :-)

    1. Kate

      I think that would work beautifully, Jessica! Let me know how it goes.

  23. Misha Buchkowsky

    Made this yesterday and it was delicious!! A bit in the sweeter side so will need to fondness a way of cutting that down- maybe it’s due to the cashews? But will definitely be making this again! Thank you for posting the recipe!

    1. Kate

      Hmm… it could be those cashews. Did you include any smokiness, like from chili pepper or paprika? That could help with the sweetness.

  24. Katherine

    Trust me, you’re not the only one who tends to overdo it on the queso… (Oops.)

    1. Kate

      We’re definitely not a small group… :)

  25. Kristina

    This was fantastic. I mixed in a bunch of roasted Hatch green chiles, and we used it as a topping for some baked nachos. I was feeling lazy and ended up just thinly slicing the potatoes and leaving the garlic cloves whole and it blended up just fine. Glad to have this as a lower-oil option when I’m not feeling quite as indulgent as Kenji does. His recipes always turn out perfect, but as a short lady, I just can’t do 6 T palm oil every time I’m craving non-dairy queso or mac and cheese. Thanks for doing the legwork of testing a lower-oil version for us =)

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Kristina! I’m glad this is what you were looking for.

  26. Lisa

    Kate, I am eating this recipe right now, standing next to the stove. I’m so excited to have this! It’s delicious. The bonus is knowing my body can tolerate all these ingredients, (I had to omit the onion and it still tastes really good). There are so many awesome flavors that play so well together. Brilliant. Thank you. Can’t wait to share this at a Cinco de Mayo fiesta this evening!

    1. Kate

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Lisa! I hope it was a hit at your fiesta, too. :)

  27. Kathy

    I thought this queso is great! My husband…? not as much. But I also noticed that he kept eating it until all the chips were gone.
    The only ‘complaint’ I could make is that the color was not as vibrant as yours appears to be. I also think that I need a hotter hot sauce to add.
    This recipe makes quite a lot and so I am going to use the leftovers for macaroni & ‘cheese’. I’ll let you know how that goes…
    I am SO looking forward to your cookboook–just a few more days!

    1. Kate

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Kathy! Let me know how the macaroni goes– I’m interested!

      1. Kathy

        I thought that my rendition of macaroni & cheese was less than stellar but my husband loved it! I was very hungry when I put it together so I cooked the macaroni, tossed in the queso, some broccoli & onion, stirred it all up with some additional salsa. I also put some fresh chopped tomato on top. Normally I would have given it some bake time, but like I said, I was too hungry when I made it. Next time I make the queso I will reserve some and be sure to bake the macaroni! This queso sauce is very creamy and has great potential. Thanks Kate. I’m looking forward to the mail–Love Real Food arrives today‼️

  28. Melanie

    I’m five months vegan and very happy without cheese. I had tried a few substitutes only to be completely nauseated by them. I also am a hater of all things nooch. :) I have been a long-time fan of your blog, it was my go-to when I became a vegetarian two years ago. I gave your cheese a try because I’ve never disliked a single one of your recipes. Well, well, well, you killed it with this one! This is simply amazing. Amazing! We used it for nachos, inside quesadillas, inside a grilled cheese sandwich, a dipping sauce for homemade soft pretzels, you name it. It is a huge portion that lasted all week for us in the fridge. I used less nooch than the recipe called for and I think it could have been eliminated altogether as well as the oil (we eat a plant-based, no/low oil diet). Sorry for the novel, but this recipe is a dream come true.

    1. Kate

      I’m so glad this exceeded expectations, Melanie! It seems like you found a lot of uses for it, too. :)

  29. Faith-Anne (_momswag_)

    This looks fantabulous!!!!!! Haven’t true it but it’s on my list. I’m still swooning overnight your cookbook on my kitchen counter, displayed with JOY

    1. Kate

      Haha! I hope you end up trying this, Faith-Anne.

  30. Kimberly

    I’d like to be a vegan, but I eat way too much cheese (because I love it and I haven’t found a scrumptious variety of substitutes to replace the variety of cheeses I love). This recipe was exquiste! I’m eating it right now. I modified it a bit, made it a bit chunkier and am using it as a sauce for rice vermicelli. Thanks, Kate!

    1. Kate

      Yum! Sounds delicious, Kimberly.

  31. Andrea

    This was my first attempt at vegan queso and I have to say my expectations were not super high, but wow! Even my husband couldn’t believe how close it tastes to the real thing!

  32. Jasmin

    This turned out fantastic! I made some minor tweaks- omitting sun dried tomato and vinegar and increasing hot sauce and fire roasted tomatoes. Next time I think I will cut down on the powdered onion and garlic.

    1. Kate

      Absolutely! Feel free to experiment so it’s perfectly suited to your tastes. Thanks, Jasmin!

  33. Ian

    Made this last night, great recipe!! Used it on our loaded vegan nachos, was perfect!
    Will post on IG. Ibryant20

    1. Kate

      Sounds delish! Thank you, Ian for sharing.

  34. Kristen

    I made this tonight for a party tomorrow — it’s going in the “little dipper” crock-pot – and already it’s SO TASTY. And not too “noochy” for my non-veg friends, who will love it, too, because it’s good. :) I love the consistency, and it coats chips perfectly. I also added the extra half-teaspoon of salt. And used Yukon gold potatoes because that’s what I had. Still, very good and I can’t wait to serve it. Thank you for the recipe, which is different from some others I’ve seen but will become a go-to, I’m sure.

  35. Kelly

    I only have sundried tomatoes in a bag, not oil soaked. Will those work or should I skip that ingredient?

    1. Kate

      Best result, oiled packed but I wouldn’t omit them. You should be fine!

  36. Char

    the soaking of raw cashews is not to blend better (though it does), it’s for cleanliness sake as they are grown in third-world countries in unclean conditions. Be sure to not only soak, but to drain and rinse well also. Heads up on this.

    1. Kate

      Thanks for your comment, Char.

  37. Joy

    This queso i seriously better than any queso I’ve ever had! SUPER YUM!

    1. Kate

      Hooray! I love to hear that. If you would want to leave a star review, I would really appreciate it!

      1. Joy

        Approved by 3 teenage boys and a husband! YUM!

  38. Kathleen

    This is AMAZING!! Could you use it with your black bean enchiladas recipe in your cookbook? I make the spinach and onion variation of that with your cashew sour cream instead of cheese. I’m only recently avoiding dairy and LOVE the dairy version of these enchiladas and am wondering if this queso could be used to make cheesy enchiladas. I use your cookbook every day and have been since soon after it was released. It’s incredible that you provide variations for special diets and all versions taste wonderful. Thanks!

    1. Kate

      Yes, what a great combination! And thank you so much for your support. I appreciate it and for your review.

  39. Taysia

    whenever I make one of your recipes I know it is going to be without a doubt delicious! I’m so grateful to have found your cookbook and your blog. You’ve made the transition to a more plant based diet so smooth, and this vegan queso is once again another win. Even my husband who was SO skeptical couldn’t get enough of it! Thank you for all your hard work!!

    1. Kate

      You’re so sweet! Thank you, Taysia for your support and kind words. I appreciate the feedback!

  40. lindsay Rodgers

    My go to queso recipe! We love nachos round here, been eating them cheese-less for yrs. Now I can enjoy them with ‘cheese’ again. Recipe comes together quickly and is easily customizable to your spice preference. It bakes wonderfully in the oven. Ive left some in fridge for 3 days and it kept nicely, just had to reblend on last day. Was still great however. Thank you for this yummy recipe!

    1. Kate

      Sometimes you just need some nice indulgences. :) I’m glad this recipe worked for one of your favorites! If you would want to leave a star review since you liked it so much, I would appreciate it!

  41. lindsay Rodgers

    5 starz☆☆☆☆☆

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Lindsay!

  42. Melody

    YUM, this is so good! I used it as topping for chili mac, and it is awesome. I could happily eat the entire batch with a spoon.

    1. Kate

      Sounds like a great way to use it! I’m glad you like it, Melody. I appreciate the review.

  43. Rebekkah

    I am addicted to this queso. I recently stopped eating dairy and have been pretty disappointed with store-bought dairy-free cheeses. I had an insatiable cheese craving and decided to try making this. I first tried it right after I made it, and it was good, but I wasn’t convinced that it tasted at all like queso. But then I tried it again after refrigerating it overnight, and I was absolutely hooked. Even if it doesn’t taste exactly like dairy queso, it is pretty close! And so delicious! Thank you!

    1. Kate

      Hooked, that’s awesome! It’s so good. Hard to miss the cheese with this one. Thank you, Rebekkah for your review.

  44. Meg Osterby

    what do you suggest for vegan sour cream queso for someone (my husband) who is allergic to cashews

  45. Lisa Cooper

    Hi, I made the recipe last night in preparation for a vegan taco bar extravaganza tonight. The result was good, it is spiced well and tastes good it’s just too thick, and I’m looking more for the consistency of queso.

    Thoughts on what I should add to make it be less thick? Water, Avocado Oil…?

    Thanks for any suggestions.

    1. Kate

      Yes, add a little more water at a time until your desired consistency is met. Hope that helps!

  46. Lauren

    Hi! This looks so good! How long do you think this would last in the refrigerator or freezer?

    1. Kate

      Hi Lauren, I’m not sure about the freezer, but store cooled leftover queso in a bowl, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Hope this helps!

  47. Patti

    Is there something that can be substituted for the nuts in this (& other) recipes? We are nut free. Thanks!

  48. Heather

    This was our dinner on Sunday. Our WHOLE dinner (well + chips). It was the first Mexican-style recipe in a week of all Mexican recipes, all the time. Sunday: C+K Queso; Monday: Fajitas; Tuesday: C+K Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas (from the cookbook); Tonight: C+K chili. Thursday + Friday: Leftover enchiladas and chili. Anyway, back to the queso. It was great fresh, and as lunch on Monday and Tuesday!!

    Before making it, I was skeptical, but given that it was a Cookie + Kate recipe, I cast aside my skepticism and gave it a shot. I’m so glad I did.Why was I skeptical? I’ve been burned too many times by nooch. But honestly, this recipe had just enough to make it taste cheesy, but not so much that it was overwhelming. It was perfect.

    If you expect this dip to taste like nacho cheese from the movie theater, you’ll be disappointed (you should actually be disappointed by movie theater nacho cheese because yuck?). If you expect it to taste like a creamy cheese dip, you’ll love it.

    If you’re skeptical, don’t be. Go to the store right now and procure the ingredients. GO.

    1. Kate

      Sometimes nights just call for a appetizer night! Love that, Heather. Thanks for sharing the recipes you have. I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying them!

  49. Whitney

    I’ve made this now 3 times! Getting ready for #4. I don’t have a Vitamix so here’s my tips for others who don’t have one also- soaking your cashews for 2 hours, then adding a little extra liquid when blending or mixing in your food processor, then cook the extra liquid back out :) also, i like to use jarred jalapeño juice instead of vinegar! A little extra kick!

    1. Kate

      4 times?! That’s great! Thanks for sharing your tips. I appreciate you taking the time, Whitney!

  50. Jake

    Kate this was excellent and I will absolutely be making it again! Normally I hope for something close or at least tasty when it comes to vegan approximations of cheese stuff. But this is right on the money. 6/5 stars. Thank you so much for sharing!

    FYI I boiled my cashews for 15ish minutes and they blended up just fine in my thrift store blender. So there’s hope for last minute planners like me!

    1. Kate

      6 out of 5, thank you! Thanks for commenting, Jake. I appreciate it!