Creamy vegan queso ready in just 5 minutes! Cheesy, quick and easy to make, and perfect for serving with nachos, burrito bowls, tacos, and more!
4.90 from 238 votes
3/4 - 1 cup hot water
1 cup raw cashews
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 Tbsp harissa (or sub hot salsa, hot sauce, Ro-Tel, or 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce // plus more for garnish)
Add all ingredients to a blender (starting with the lesser amount of water) and blend until creamy, adding more water as needed to blend until creamy and smooth. We recommend a small blender (we prefer the NutriBullet), or a high-speed blender. Add just enough water to achieve a creamy, pourable queso. If it gets too thin, thicken with additional raw cashews.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more nutritional yeast for cheesiness, salt to taste, cumin for smokiness, chili powder or harissa for heat, or garlic for zing. It should be quite flavorful, so don't be shy.
Serve with chips or add to things like tacos, nachos, burritos, and more! Garnish with additional harissa or a spoonful of fresh salsa or hot sauce for serving (optional).
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5-7 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. To thaw from frozen, set in refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Reheat in microwave or in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add more water as needed if it thickens when reheating.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 (1/4-cup) serving calculated without additional garnish, chips for dipping, or other sides.
Serving: 1 (1/4-cup serving)
Calories: 133
Carbohydrates: 8 g
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 237 mg
Potassium: 209 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 1 g
Vitamin A: 150 IU
Vitamin C: 0.6 mg
Calcium: 8 mg
Iron: 1.8 mg
