Vegan Queso
This easy homemade vegan queso recipe is a game-changer, delivering all the classic queso flavors without the dairy! Packed with sautéed onions, fiery jalapeños, and a medley of spices, this creamy dip comes together in just 20 minutes. Perfect for parties, it’s a crowd-pleasing non-dairy appetizer that everyone will devour.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup white onion finely diced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper finely diced
- 2 tablespoons jalapenos diced; canned or fresh
- 2 tablespoons vegan unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces evaporated coconut milk
- 12 ounces vegan cheese shredded
- optional toppings: green onion, diced tomatoes, additional sliced jalapenos, chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine onion, bell pepper, diced jalapenos, vegan butter and minced garlic.
- Saute over low heat until onions have started to soften slightly. Do not overcook or you’ll burn the garlic.
- Stir cornstarch, red pepper flakes, cumin, garlic powder, chipotle chili powder, black pepper and salt into the sautéed mixture. Stir until no lumps of cornstarch remain.
- Whisk in the evaporated coconut milk until fully mixed. Bring to a light simmer over low-medium heat and let simmer for 3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add in the vegan cheese. Whisk until cheese is fully melted. Vegan shredded cheese takes longer to melt than regular dairy cheese so keep this in mind as you’re whisking the mixture.
- Remove from heat and serve hot with gluten-free tortilla chips.
- Store leftovers in a sealed food-safe container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
Notes
- Check all of your ingredients to ensure they are gluten-free and vegan. Don’t forget to read the cross-contamination warnings on packages as well.
- Feel free to omit the red pepper flakes if you prefer a less spicy queso. Jalapeños give the queso a mild spice which enhances the cheesy flavor.
- As the mixture cools, it will start to form a thin film over the queso. This is totally normal—just give it a stir to recombine the ingredients.
- Vegan shredded cheese takes longer to melt than regular dairy cheese, so keep this in mind as you whisk the mixture.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed food-safe container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, microwave for about 30 seconds.
- This does not freeze well. All leftovers should be eaten out of the fridge within 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 654mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 324IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg