Name: Incredible Vegan Queso Cheese Sauce
Prep time: 11 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 14 min
Ingredients: 1/2 roasted red pepper; 1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked*); 1 cup boiling water; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno juice*; 2-4 tbsp nutritional yeast; 1/2 - 1 tsp coarse salt; 1-2 tsp chili powder; 1 chili in adobo; 1-2 tsp tapioca starch; 1/2 cup chunky salsa; pinch hot pepper flakes (optional)

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"There's no way this queso cheese sauce is vegan!". Ha Ha, it sure is!

Easy to make and loaded with flavour and texture this spicy, thick homemade vegan queso is perfect for drizzling and dipping!

Spicy, cheesy, vegan queso dip that's beyond incredible and a little addictive. It's seasoned with Mexican spices, roasted red peppers, chunky salsa, and the perfect pinch of heat and smoke.

Try this addictive vegan queso smothered on everything. We love it at our Friday Night Nacho Supreme feasts. It's also amazing liberally drizzled over baked potatoes, burritos, breakfast scramble, roasted veggies, and makes a burger epic. It's fabulous on everything!!!

How to Make Vegan Queso

Vegan queso cheese sauce is easy to make and super versatile. Let's get started:

Roasting the red peppers - cut the peppers in half and pop them into the oven until soft and charred. Then cover them with a towel or an upside down bowl while they cool to sweat the skins off. Remove the skins and membrane and you're done.

Red peppers cut in half on a baking tray ready for roasting.

Pro Tip: Pressed for time? Buy a jar of roasted red peppers at the grocery store.

Everything else (except the salsa) goes into a high powered blender and blend until smooth.

Right before serving, pour the blended ingredients into a sauce pan and heat over medium until thick and creamy. It doesn't take long so stick around and keep stirring. Stir in the salsa and your queso is ready for drizzling and dipping!

Incredibly delicious, this simple queso cheese sauce is dairy free, gluten free, oil free, vegan/vegetarian, and easy to make. No joke - it's missing all the bad stuff and packed with all the good stuff!!!

Storage Tips

This queso keeps well in the fridge for a few days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove. If the sauce thickens up too much, just add a tablespoonful or two of water while heating until desired consistency is achieved (or simply stir in some more salsa).

Where to use leftover Queso Cheese Sauce

Try this queso cheese sauce on a Super Stuffed Potato Bar. Equally delicious on these Simple Savoury Chickpea Pancakes or stirred into some hot pasta. A classic combo and family favourite - drizzled on my Deluxe Vegan Nachos with Sausage!

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A bowlful of vegan queso cheese sauce on a tray surrounded by taco chips.

Incredible Vegan Queso Cheese Sauce

Spicy, cheesy, vegan queso dip that's beyond incredible and a little addictive. It's seasoned with Mexican spices, roasted red peppers, chunky salsa, and the perfect pinch of heat and smoke. Everyone loves this queso - vegan or not! Grab a bag of chips and dig in!

Author : Tracy Halasz

Servings: people

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Prep Time 11 mins

Cook Time 3 mins

Total Time 14 mins

Equipment

high speed blender

INGREDIENTS

½ roasted red pepper
½ cup raw cashews (soaked*)
1 cup boiling water
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp pickled jalapeno juice*
2-4 tbsp nutritional yeast
½ - 1 tsp coarse salt
1-2 tsp chili powder
1 chili in adobo
1-2 tsp tapioca starch
½ cup chunky salsa
pinch hot pepper flakes (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Roasting Red Peppers (or buy a jar of roasted red peppers)

Roast red pepper in a preheated 450º F oven by cutting in half and placing cut side down on a parchment-covered oven proof dish.
Cook for around 20-25 minutes until wrinkled and charred.
Remove from oven and cover with a clean kitchen towel or an upside down mixing bowl or place the peppers in a paper bag. The peppers will steam as they cool down which will loosen the skin.
Remove the skin, membranes and seeds. Set aside.
*You can save the remaining roasted pepper in the fridge or freezer for your next batch of queso!
Add all the ingredients into a high-speed blender except for the salsa and hot pepper flakes. Blend until smooth.
INGREDIENT SUBS
Sub any acid for the jalapeno juice (lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, etc).
Sub 1-2 tsp smoked paprika for chili in adobo (or any smoky spice or sauce you have on hand).
*If you do not have a high-speed blender, soak the cashews for a couple hours, drain and rinse. Then follow the rest of the recipe.
Pour blender ingredients into a saucepan and heat over medium heat - stirring constantly until thickened (4 or 5 minutes).
Remove from heat and stir in the salsa or green chillies and hot pepper flakes (if using). Voila!

NOTES

Extra time needed to roast the red peppers or buy a jar of pre-roasted red peppers.

Extra to required if you don't have a high-speed blender to soak the cashews.

Freeze any extra roasted red peppers in an air-tight bag for up to a couple months.

Adjust seasoning to make the queso hotter or spicer to your taste preference.

Ingredient Sub - sub any acid for the jalapeno juice (lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, etc). Sub 1-2 tsp smoked paprika for chili in adobo (or any smoky spice or sauce you have on hand).

Queso Consistency - as the queso cools, it will thicken up. Use a splash or two of water when reheating to achieve desired consistency (or stir in a bit more salsa).

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