VEGETARIAN QUESO
Forget your go-to cheese replacements (or cheese?) and try our vegan queso! If you’re lactose-intolerant, vegan, or just seeking a healthier option, you’ll never look back on adding tomatoes, peppers, and vegan chorizo.
HOW TO MAKE PERFECT VEGAN QUESO
Making a truly delicious vegan queso is about creativity with a few essential ingredients. Using too little, it will taste exactly like it is: a mixture of heated, somewhat spicy cashews. Blech. If you overdo it, you may end up with a too overwhelming flavor.
That being said, I’m a lactose intolerant; therefore, I’m confident I’ve created the best vegan queso. The cheese-obsessed omnivore, even gave it her seal of approval!
The following are the three essential components in making this recipe:
- Cheesy flavor is achieved by using a lot of nutritional yeast.
- The sharpness of your favorite Mexican hot sauce can be added to your preferred distilled white vinegar. I use Valentina, a staple in our kitchen for burritos and tacos to rice and beans.
There’s also a generous amount of garlic and a simple spice mix!
ADDITIONAL ADDITIONS/TOPPINGS
So there you have it: delicious, rich, and creamy queso. What’s the next difficulty? Restaurant-style queso—that cheesy, cheesy, cheesy casserole of cheese baked with chorizo—is my persistent, subconscious longing. It’s delicious, but it’s not a vegan option.
As a result, there are TOPPINGS. It’s all about the garnishes. These include chopped tomatoes, diced bell peppers, cilantro leaves, and a tablespoon of crispy vegan sausage.
Dollop it on a baked or sweet potato with a side of salad, and enjoy! Make it, and it’ll become one of your favorites!
How long does vegan queso keep in the refrigerator?
You may store this cheese in the fridge for up to two weeks without additional ingredients. I keep it in airtight containers in case I get a craving for it!
A plate should be placed on top of the dish to catch any spatter when heating it in the microwave for one minute. After that, reheat it for 30 seconds at a time until it reaches the temperature you desire. Just keep stirring it until it’s smooth, and if necessary, add a splash of hot water.
Let’s get started, shall we?
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup of hot water
- 1 1/2 cups of raw cashews
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. of onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. of dried oregano
- 1 tbsp. of distilled white vinegar
- 2-3 tbsp. of Mexican hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp. of salt (or to taste)
- OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- 1/2 of small tomato(finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup of green bell pepper or jalapeño (finely chopped)
- 3 tbsp. of cilantro (chopped)
- 1/2 cup of vegan chorizo (browned/sautéed)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine the boiling water, raw cashews, and garlic in a food processor or blender. Blend until completely smooth. It’s time to add the nutritional yeast and spices such as cumin and onion powder. Add salt, extra hot sauce, or nutritional yeast to taste after blending until well-combined.
- Serve the queso in a bowl with desired toppings or store in jars for future use. With tortilla chips on the side.