This Vegan Nacho Cheese Dip may be the best Vitamix recipe ever
New and exciting! This recipe is part of our new diet plan: 1k30. Check it out!
__
This 5-ingredient queso is a hall of fame recipe. So unbelievably, irresistibly delicious. What’s more, it’s:
- GreatĀ hot or cold
- Lasts for days.
- So, so easy to make and clean up, especially if you’re looking for a cheesy dinner for kids!)
And yes friends, it’s dairy-free (and therefore vegan).
It’s cashew queso. And if there’s a recipe that will have you fall in love with Life is NOYOKE or fantastic vegan food or your Vitamix, it’s this.
Let’s talk about how this cashew queso came to be.
Note: Vitamix has an adapted version of our queso. Their version is quite watery, especially compared to ours.
Looking back: The story of Cashew Queso
You know those little moments in history that, today, look like turning points?
Creating cashew queso was a turning point for me (and Life is NOYOKE).
- A signature recipe.
- The return of cheeseĀ (after going 100% dairy free).
- A fabulous, non-smoothie use for my Vitamix.
Oh, and the discovery of Nutritional Yeast. A key ingredient in several of our best recipes.
But arguably the most life-changing impact of creating this cashew queso? Publishing this YouTube video; one of my first.
Thousands of people have made this cashew queso
Here are a few comments I’ve received when offering samples to my friends:
- “Can you just leave the bowl with me?”
- “It has a serious kick. Wow!”
- “It’s not cheese, but who cares!”
But here was my personal favorite:
“I can’t eat that. I just lost 50 lbs and now eat super clean…Oh, really? It is super clean? Oh wow. Let me try!”
And everybody asked what was in it. Raw cashews, raw almonds, almond milk, a red pepper, and nutritional yeast. That’s it! Mix that together with some simple spices and you’re done.
The best part? Clean up isĀ really easy, too.
“You should sell this!”
I know. I know.
My cashew queso is the best thing ever. And I should jar it and sell it.
Summary
We make this cashew queso weekly, religiously.Ā It’s great as:
- A dip (for chips or veggies).
- A sauce (on tacos or pasta).
- A recipe base (beer cheese soup, for example).
There are a lot of dairy-free cheese recipes out there. ThisĀ one is very minimalist.
And, of course, it tastes incredible (and has a nice little kick!).
Go make this, guys. Go make this right now.
Other Noteworthy Versions
- Detoxinista: Healthy queso dip
- Allyson Kramer: Quinoa and Black Beans with Cashew Queso
- Vegan Sparkles: Sizzling Veg Fajitas with Cashew Queso
Recipe
Cashew Queso
Legendary, dairy-free queso cheese dip with a kick!
Almonds, Cashews, Nutritional Yeast, Red Bell Pepper,Ingredients:
- almond milk - 1 cup (240 mL)
- nutritional yeast - 1/4 cup (20 g)
- raw almonds - 1/2 cup (70 g)
- raw, unsalted cashews - 1/2 cup (65 g)
- red bell pepper (de-seeded) - 1 whole
- salt - 1.5 tsp (8 g)
- garlic powder - 1/2 tsp (1.5 g)
- onion powder - 1 tsp (2.5 g)
- crushed red pepper - a few shakes (to taste)
Instructions:
- Add liquid ingredients to your Vitamix.
- Then add rest of ingredients.
- Start blender on low, ramp to high.
- Blend on high for 6 minutes (or use preprogrammed ‘Soup’ setting).
- Snap a pic and tag #lifeisNOYOKE
- Be really happy.
NOTE: This recipe requires a Vitamix.
Useful tips for Cashew Queso
Biggest takeaway from this recipe? Don’t hesitate to make it. Every day without it is a day without (dairy-free) cheese!
Allergic to cashews? Substitute them with raw sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Per our friend Andrew, this substitution works perfectly.
The queso will last refrigerated for up to a week.
Here are some more useful tips:
Take a picture of your cashew queso and tag #lifeisnoyoke. (Here's the original featured image from this recipe post.)
The nutritional yeast needs to say "nutritional." Any other type of yeast won't work. This non-GMO version from Whole Foods worked great. You can also buy it there in bulk (near the coffee and nuts).
I can't speak to dogs' ability to stomach this stuff. But Lucy liked it!
Serve with chips or sliced veggies. Just know it won't last long!
I completely screwed this up the first time and it came out super thick (I think I finally figured out it was because I used cashew pieces which packed more densely into the measuring cup) but tonight I got it right and itās so good Iām almost upset that I know about it. Iām going to think about this every day. We added a little chipotle powder and it was a worthy addition, though it didnāt need any modifications to be amazing.
#1 on best compliment list. I’m going to think about this every day. š
Delicious and so easy! And that’s coming from a dedicated cheese eater who is trying to cut back. For my taste it came out a bit too salty, so I cut the salt in half the second time around. I also have a bell pepper allergy, so I subbed it with a large carrot. Turned out great.
Fran G – Not quite totally vegan or WFPB yet, but I’m working on it. This was the first real recipe I made in my new Vitamix that wasn’t a smoothy. I was skeptical as many vegan recipes claim to be great but what a surprise when I tasted it. It tastes so much like real cheese sauce and is yummy delicious. Can’t wait to try your other Vitamix vegan recipes! Thank you so much š
Not 100% and skepticism are the norm! š
So glad you loved the queso — it’s a staple in our home (and friends’ when they invite us over and insist we bring it.)
OMG: This was delish! I added about half a can of organic Rotel tomatoes for extra zing. Next time, Iāll add a drained can after it is made to give it a little texture. Love your recipes!
Sounds like a great addition, Sue. Keep up the good work. We appreciate you sharing our recipes and work with family and friends š
This is a food site so wtf is ‘kosher’ salt all about?
Hi James, kosher salt is unique because of its size and shape. Has nothing to do with religion.
Regular ol’ table salt or sea salt will work just fine. š
The first time I made this it was very runny so the next time I only put 3/4 cup almond mild and it turned out perfect. Thanks for the recipes.
So glad it turned out perfect. š
We love it as is, but my husband came up with a great variationāwe subbed cauliflower for the red pepper and left out the spices (except salt). It made a terrific healthy āAlfredoā sauce for pasta. After mixing with the pasta, we added a little more starchy pasta water to thin it a bit, and plenty of black pepper and a little parsley on top. Delicious! Next time, I might add a pinch of nutmeg. Thanks for a great recipe, Lenny!
Love this! I think you may have backed into our Alfredo sauce recipe! š
Iāve made this exactly to recipe several times and love it! Just so happens I donāt have almond milk on hand right now and Iām suffering from a pregnancy-induced vegan queso craving. Iām trying to decide if I should try the recipe with oat milk (which I have in hand), but sometimes oat milk gets funny when heated, so Iām nervous about wasting all the nuts.
Has anyone tried it with oat milk instead of almond?
We just recently had a pregnancy-related queso craving, too. š
Try to replace the almond milk with plain ol’ water. And maybe add a few extra nuts. Should be the same. (After all, store-bought almond milk isn’t much more than a few nuts.)
Maaaaan!! This was off the chain!!! Me and my wife made this together and it was SO GOOD!! I added more chill pepper than the recipe required, to add a kick to it. I also chopped up fresh cellery and put it in there and it was SUPER GOOD! Yea, this is DEFIANTLY a winner!! ššāŗš
Thanks for making it and sharing it with your wife! Appreciate it so
As a new Vitamix owner, I can’t thank you enough for this recipe (and others on your site). My partner is lactose intolerant and now he gets to enjoy this “queso.” Our kids love it and I always have to double it when I make it! My one tip to others would be to make sure your nuts are unsalted. Otherwise, adding salt is too much. Or, if you use salted nuts don’t add extra. Anyway, we’ ve got nothing but love for this delicious, amazing recipe!
HeyHey, thanks, Ava. So glad you and your family love it as much as we do. Great tip about the salt, btw. Really helpful š
Maybe I ran it too long in the Vitamix? It came out super thick and tasteless. I had to add tons of hot sauce to make it edible.
Very possible. Maybe next time add a bit of water?
Hi! Very excited to try this. I don’t have a Vitamix , though. Just a regular ol’ blender and regular food processor. Would you recommend I soak the nuts first? Is so, for how long? Thanks so much! Can’t wait to make this!
Yeah, soaking the nuts may help with the consistency.
Also, you’ll need to heat the queso on the stovetop in a pot. š
Game changer!!! Only had cashews and didnāt have a red bell pepper so subbed salsa. Ridiculously yummy. Even my non-vegan teens who think everything I eat is weird and gross loved this! I will be making it often!
Heyhey Valerie! Salsa is a great sub for a red pepper. Thanks for sharing the tip!
Seriously the best quest dip! My husband could not believe how good it was! I like it better than any queso Iāve ever had AND itās good for you! Win/win!
Yes!
Can’t wait to try this. Do you think fresh garlic clove would work in place of garlic powder?
Yes!
Very excited about this recipe! Delicious – can’t wait to surprise my hubby with nachos tonight!