Need vegan queso and need it fast? Look no further! This recipe requires just 7 ingredients, 5 minutes, and 1 blender. Let’s do this!
This recipe was born out of pure necessity. Some friends were over one night and we ordered Mexican food and I needed some queso STAT. So, I figured blending up some cashews with hot water would work. Guess what? It totally did.
Typically I like to soak my cashews before blending, but in a pinch this little trick totally works! Because sometimes you just need queso and you need it right now — you feel me?
This queso is comprised of raw cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, spices, water, and a little hot sauce or harissa paste blended to creamy perfection. That’s it!
You can make it spicier, cheesier, or more garlicky to taste — the options are endless.
We hope you love our new quick, go-to queso! It’s:
Fast
Creamy
Cheesy
Smoky and spicy
& Incredibly delicious
This would make the perfect dip for Mexican night and beyond. Lately I’ve been keeping a jar around for adding to Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowls, or just to dip with corn chips. Swoon.
If you’re into queso, be sure to check out our Butternut Squash Bowl with Jalapeño Queso, Roasted Jalapeño Vegan Queso, Best Damn Vegan Nachos, Cashew-less Vegan Queso, and our Black Bean Plantain Enchilada Bake!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
5-Minute Vegan Cashew Queso
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!
Ingredients
- 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)
Instructions
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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.
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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.
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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.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 (1/4-cup) serving calculated without additional garnish, chips for dipping, or other sides.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 6)
- Calories: 133
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated fat: 1g
- Sodium: 237mg
- Potassium: 209mg
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Vitamin A: 150IU
- Vitamin C: 0.6mg
- Calcium: 8mg
- Iron: 1.8mg
This might be a dumb question, but are the cashews supposed to be pre soaked before beginning this process?
We didn’t find it necessary!
I made this – quick and easy to make. We like hot spicy food but I only put half a teaspoon ground chillies in and no hot sauce. It was a bit too hot…. perhaps it was the fact that the ground chillies are home grown and possibly more potent?
Definitely sounds like that could be the case! Better luck next time!
Omg this is sooo amazing! I am trying to incorporate more plant based meals, and this is my first experience with a cashew “cheese” sauce. I only had diced green chiles, but they worked great. Even the husband said it was delicious. Thank You!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Stephanie. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Made this Silly question… but could this also replace the cheese in Mac & cheese???
Hmm, maybe! Let us know if you give it a try!
I used it as pasta sauce! Sooooooo tasty:)
I’m trying to eat a more plant-based diet and this was my first experiment with vegan queso. I made it exactly as described and the texture was perfect. I did add a little more salt and nutritional yeast to taste a little cheesier.
I’m surprised at how easy and delicious this recipe was! Thank you so much!
Holy Cow sooooo easy and sooooo delicious A definite KEEPER.
Thank you, my husband would thank you too except I can’t get him out of the Queso Bowl lol
Blessings Dana
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Denise. We are so glad you both enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
This queso is so easy and SO delicious! I’ve been vegan for about 3 months now and hadn’t found any decent cheese alternatives until this queso recipe. I’m seriously obsessed! I ate some leftover queso this morning for breakfast (it reheats really well) and whipped some more up a few minutes ago for a late night snack. This amazing and amazingly simple recipe has curbed any desire I had to “cheat” on my new vegan diet.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Katie! Thanks for sharing!
I love this recipe so much! I’ve made it countless times and put it on EVERYTHING. I normally don’t have harrisa, so I add in some chipotle powder, and it turns out delicious! Thank you!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Michelle!
My first time went well. I give it 4/5 just because I will tweak a few things to get it to 5/5 for my tastes. I used extra nutritional yeast, will cut cumin down next time and roast garlic to cut a bit of the bitter. I used a couple dashes of Frank’s hot sauce. Pretty easy and tasty regardless, and I am not a vegan currently.
Thanks for sharing, Eric!
i am not sure what i did wrong, followed recipe exactly..more like hummus.
Did you use a high speed blender? And did you add water until it was a pourable sauce?
The best vegan queso!
Thank you so much!
Blessings!
I love this queso dip! I always double the amount of nutritional yeast though (I’m addicted) 😋
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Claudia. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
I made a double batch of this today because I just needed queso, you know. It’s so good. I don’t have a really expensive blender, so I always cover my cashews with water and cook them in the microwave for 10 minutes so they will blend easier. This is my favorite queso recipe (even the guys at work eat it and they don’t know it’s vegan). Thanks for the recipe!
Whoop! Thanks, Eileen!
Amazing. So much flavour. I used Chipotle Paste instead of Harissa and it worked amazingly. It gives the dip an nice smokiness.
Thanks, Jennifer!
This was so delicious. We used it for soft tacos. 😋
Great idea! So glad you enjoyed it, Jackie!
I have some leftover cauliflower, could I throw it in with the cashews or do you think it’ll ‘ruin’ the overall taste?
It might be a little too strong, depending on how it was cooked and the quantity. But it might work! Let us know if you give it a try!
I tried this recipe this morning to go along with a breakfast burrito. I’m so, so happy with it! I can’t wait to try some of the other vegan cheese recipes.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jasmyn!
We love this recipe!! We make it all the time. Even my real cheese loving friends like it. It’s the best alternative to queso I’ve ever had! Also so quick and easy to make. It’s just a tiny bit crumbly when you reheat it but still good for left overs the next day!
Wonderful! Thank you!
I made this tonight to put on nachos along with some guacamole, pico, and jalapenos. I used chilula hot sauce since I could not find harissa. I was so good even my significant other who is not vegan INHALED it! Will be making this many more times!!!
Whoop! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it!
This is the queso recipe I keep coming back to. It’s so delicious! Every time I’ve made it, it turns out perfectly. I use extra nutritional yeast. I’ve used both raw and roasted cashews and both work as long as you account for the salt. We love it on broccoli and baked potatoes and it’s perfect for nachos.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Kristen! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe. It’s the best cashew queso I’ve ever had, and I’ve made many different cashew-based quesos. I think the tablespoon of hot sauce is key. We used Franks Hot Sauce and it’s perfect! ????
Thanks for sharing, Josie! xo
This was so yummy! Thank you for the recipe! I used 3/4cup boiling water and it turned out great!
Thanks for sharing, Julie!
Super Yummy!!!! Thanks
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Chantal!
Super delicious! I’ve made this twice now…awesome both times. I used boiling water and substituted garlic powder (1/2t) for the fresh garlic. (I’m always afraid fresh garlic won’t completely blend properly.)
My only complaint is that it doesn’t make enough!
Thanks for sharing! We’re so glad you enjoy it! You can always double the batch :p
Amazing queso! My husband was craving queso and I didn’t want to wait to soak cashews, so I tried this recipe — and I’m so, so glad I did.
So glad you enjoyed it, Annette! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Thank you so much for sharing! My very picky dad, who is allergic to dairy, tried it reluctantly. Immediately, he took two more spoonfuls because he loved it so much.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Amber! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review next time? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Oh. My. Goodness! This was unbelievable! So easy, so quick, SO delicious! My only problem, I immediately needed to make more!! Next time i’ll quadruple the recipe if I want to share!
The flavour was on point but the texture was off/I couldn’t get it to blend to be smooth. Although probably very much my own fault for using a food processor and then switchingto a Ninja but it still came out gritty. I also had soaked raw cashews on hand (after making banana ice cream) and used those instead of dry raw ones and lessened the water. I think next time I’ll try it with a proper blender to achieve a smoother texture.
So, FYI, a food processor and Ninja aren’t ideal for creamy sauces. I’ve tried using both and they just don’t work well. A high speed blender like a cuisinart, vitamix, or kitchen aid are best! Check out our shop for options! Glad you enjoyed the flavor! Thanks for sharing, Jaclyn.
This was better than I expected. I usually make a more labor intensive cashew queso and this is just as good. I used ghost pepper salsa and next time I might squeeze a bit of lemon juice in. Thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kelly! Thanks for the lovely review! xo
Love it!
I double and triple spices and the nutritional yeast.
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Stephanie. We are so glad you enjoyed it]! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
This recipe literally took me 5-minutes and it’s GOOD!! We couldn’t stop eating it on corn chips and it barely made it to the dinner table on the tacos it was intended for. Do yourself a favor and try it!
Thanks, Erika!
Didn’t bother with the chips, this was good enough straight from the blender ??
THIS IS SO TASTY! I omitted the garlic because of a sensitivity and it was still SO DELICIOUS! creamy, full of flavor, and doesn’t make your belly hurt afterwards. the hot water hack in the blender worked well. thanks for a great recipe.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kayla. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
I’m using the leftovers on some roasted broccoli for dinner tonight; fast, easy & delicious. I was bummed to see after posting my original comment that I had forgotten to rate it, but 5 stars and then some to this vegan cashew queso recipe. thanks!
:)
LOVED it!!! I used chili garlic sauce instead or harissa, and turned out better than I could have imagined! Thanks for another wonderful creation!
Delicious… We make this quite often in our house as half the family is vegan and the rest are mostly vegetarians. I call it cashew sauce because the non-vegans object if I use the word cheese… but they all love it. We pour it over broccoli, potatoes, nachos, and anything else around.
Thanks for sharing, Laura!
Hi Dana!
I discovered your blog sometime ago but forgot about it. When a co- worker was eating a quinoa, sweet potato casserole recipe of yours I had to have a bite. Delicious!!! Tasty food just makes me so happy!
I made a version of this awhile ago and I mixed it into some kale that I had massaged with a little salt and lemon juice and a touch of raw sesame oil. It was the best kale salad I ever had. So easy to take to work for a filling lunch!
I can’t wait to make your sunflower seed dip with dill and garlic. I plan to make a collard green wrap with it and add arugula, spinach, shredded raw beet and carrots.
I’m trying to eat mostly raw these days and it seems these days there are so many great recipes!! Thanks!
Thanks so much for the lovely review and sharing your creation, Lisa. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Giving it a 5 for what it is bc it tastes good but as a non-vegan the people commenting make it obvious they haven’t had real cheese, much less real queso in awhile lol! It is appealing but now I need to find something to put it on. Thinking about dipping veggies or on meatballs.
Thanks for sharing!!
Really delicious and healthy! Used mine with nachos. Will make it again!
Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!!
GENIUS. The only way I’m making cashew queso ever again.
This was really good! I added half a jalapeno and some cilantro though. It needed some freshness.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Taylor. We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
I am making an enchilada casserole and had some leftover chipotle peppers in adobo. I remembered this recipe and decided to make a batch while the casserole is in the oven.
Why? What has it taken me so long to make this again?!?! So amazing! So easy! So tasty!
I only hope there will be some left by the time the enchiladas cool…
So glad you liked it!
The easiest and most delicious vegan queso! Thank you for this :)
Thanks, Octavia!
This was the quickest and easiest recipe! And the taste is fantastic. Will definitely continue coming back to this recipe!!
Thanks for sharing!! xo
This remind me of the cheese sauce recipe for the plantain black bean enchilada bake just using a high speed blender . (Yes I’m I’m learning lol)
Simply amazing.
Thanks from Italy for sharing this! Great flavour and very easy to make!
This is the second time I’ve made this. Didn’t use harissa either time and just subbed some spicy salsa in which is perfect! Love this simple, easy queso.
I’m always skeptical about dairy alternatives since discovering that I’m lactose intolerant. Since I only discovered this intolerance in my twenties, I’ve spent many years enjoying the real deal cheeses and sometimes nothing beats the real thing. However, this queso was a game changer. It’s super creamy and so flavorful. I added chipotle powder to mine for that little extra kick I live. This is definitely a 5 star recipe!
I’ve now made this 3x. OH.MY.GOODNESS. The most perfectly amazing, and easy, addition to so many dishes!
Hello, can I use room temperature water instead of hot? Does that change the queso in any way? I cannot blend hot liquids in my ninja.
That should be okay! The hot water helps it blend better, but room temperature will likely work just fine. Hope that helps!
Adding my rating!
Oh man, so good! So I really like the jalapeno flavor in my cheese dip, so, I replaced 1/4 cup of the water with jalapeno juice, and of course added jalapenos too :-) Delish!
Thanks so much for sharing, Michelle. We are so glad you enjoy this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Forgot to rate! It was great!
I’ve made this three times now, so easy and yum! First time I did with harissa and we liked it but it wasn’t “nachoey” enough. Second time I added some lemon and pickled jalapeño. SO GOOD. Tonight I subbed the harissa with Valentina hot sauce and the family gobbled it up! So versatile and fast… thanks for the great recipe!
This recipe is awesome! I love the cashew-less queso recipe (with eggplant) and actually haven’t made a cashew-based cheese sauce yet though have eyed the super expensive ready-made brands. Queso was once of my favorite snacks as a non-vegan but I always hated how I felt afterward. This dip tastes super creamy/cheesy and is warm enough from the hot water to use right away. I used it for nachos and it was so delicious. I forgot to put garlic in it but had a bunch of garlic in the nacho toppings so it wasn’t a big deal though more garlic would make it even better.
My variation of this recipe was: Trader Joe’s hot pepper sauce, chili lime seasoning, paprika, chili powder, a TBS of Trader Joe’s tomatillo salsa
My nachos consisted of Trader Joe’s unsalted tortilla chips drizzled with the queso and topped with sautéed red bell pepper, soyrizo, black beans and crimini mushrooms topped with chili lime seasoning + fresh cilantro with the tomatillo salsa on the side.
This review is in no way sponsored by Trader Joe’s.
I’ve made several versions of vegan queso from different books and blogs including some of your other queso recipes and this one is by far my favorite and the easiest too! Double win! We made it with the adobo peppers and it was super tasty with a great consistency. Definitely will be making this more often…you rock as usual!
THIS! WAS SOO GOOD! Honestly, this was perfect. We devoured it. Thank you!
Hmmm, so delicious – I made it for a Mexican salad and it was so yummy, could hardly stop myself from eating all the queso sauce before adding it to my sald❣️❣️
Yay! Thanks for sharing! Next time would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers! xo
I made this last night & it was a hit with the whole family! We poured it over roast potatoes, alongside cajun-spiced roast cauliflower & green beans. Later, my son was seen disappearing into his room with the rest of the queso…and it was never seen again… Thanks for the great recipe x
Whoop! thanks for sharing, Libby!
Hi there. Could I substitute almonds for the cashews?
We haven’t tried that, but it might work! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
This was really great! The consistency was amazing and I doubled up on Chipotle peppers to add smoke. Delicious!!
Yay! thanks for sharing, Robyn.
Excellent and so easy.
Thanks for sharing!
Hey Dana I’m making this right now and I know it’s gonna turn out awesome. I’m using a mix of alderwood smoked salt and pink salt and roasted black garlic in it! I just wanted to say I have been following your blog for many years, since you had only a dozen or so recipes, and I was vegetarian and then vegan for a really long time. As of last month I decided to add (wild caught/hunted) animal protein (not dairy!) back into my diet (once or twice weekly) for similar reasons to you and I am feeling better so far. Still totally open to going back to being vegan-ish. The labels are such a pain! I have used honey this whole time and find it no less disturbing than drinking tree blood, aka, maple syrup and it does save the bees in our human-altered world. I also have leather hiking boots because I work in the realm of forestry and have to be around very hot fire and other things that require leather. Besides, what’s better for the environment, leather or (current) synthetic materials? ANYWAYS that was a tangent, but it brings me so much relief that you told a publicist that you eat a diverse diet without labels. That gives me so much courage to be open about my own diet when others ask. I know they are not entitled to an answer but I don’t want to feel like I have to lie anymore and your response is so helpful to me. Vegan meals are still totally awesome and the major component of my diet and I am excited to see what you’ve got cooking for the future :-) thank you!
Isn’t this pretty much the same recipe as your Vegan Mexican Cheese (the queso version)?
Not quite, but close!
Easy and so delicious! Thank You for creating this; my craving for dairy cheese has finally been taken care of.
Thanks, Maggie!
Hi! I was wondering how much it would change the flavor if I substituted roasted/salted cashews for the raw ones as that is what I have on hand at the moment. Will it still work? Thank you, love your recipes!!!
Hi Christy, we haven’t tried that, but it might work! You may want to omit the salt and then add to taste. If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Easy and great! Will double the batch next time! Too good not to have MORE!!! Bam
Thanks, Maria!
Just yummy ?
Thanks, Tiffany!
Holy moly! This looks SO good. Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks, Brittany!
We liked it a lot!
I will do the regular quick soak next time because it didnt blend as smooth as I should have liked it. Delicious! Thanks Dana! ?
Thanks for sharing, Eva!!
Also, careful if reheating :D
We tried reheating the leftovers in the microwave and it was inedible after.
Yeah, we find it’s best to slowly heat on a stovetop and add dairy-free milk or water as needed to thin. The cashews tend to thicken it when reheated. Will add a note!
Absolutely so easy, quick AND divine! Thank you! I want to put on everything!
Left out the Chili powder as did not have, and used chipotle in adobe, was plenty flavorful.
I’m another person that agrees on a squirt of lemon for tang and a fresh note to add balance.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Beth Ann!
Made this tonight. I had never used Harissa before, picked some up yesterday and the sauce is delicious!! So easy, can’t believe how good it is. Thank you!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Sara!
Wow this was delicious and easy to make! I had hot salsa on hand so used that and it was fantastic. Once mixed I added another tablespoon of so of salsa for texture and added flavor. I will definitely be making this again. I may try with macadamia nuts like some of comments suggested just to experiment with. Thanks for the recipe.
Lovely – thanks, Birdie!
This sounds delicious and easy. I’ve made some other cashew dishes, like whipped cream and milk, and they are fine–not a long shelf life however. Question: What could I use beside nutritional yeast in this recipe (and so many of your other recipes)? I have a bad reaction to it. Thanks.
So in your instance I would suggest upping the salt a little and compensating on flavor with a bit of chickpea or soy miso if you can OR just garlic powder!! Hope that helps, Karen.
Thanks! I will try it.
Ooo yes! This looks great for my birthday party coming up! Woot, woot!
This queso looks SO creamy and dreamy!! I love the addition of harissa in it :)
Yummo! I added a squeeze of lemon juice for a bit of tang?
Lovely! thanks for sharing, Tatiana!
We made this last night with tacos and it was delicious! We tried to make them like the cheesy gordita crunch or double decker, where you wrap the soft shell around the hard shell for the taco and we used this cheese to stick them together. It was perfect for that and the leftovers were great as a dip.
Such a smart use! Thanks for sharing, Nicolette!
I am travelling at the moment and really miss my blender,when I see a recipe like this!
Can anyone recommend a small portable,blender for future trips?(possibly even battery operated)
Thanks!
I don’t know of any batter-operated. But the Nutribullet is our go-to small blender.
Thanks Dana!
It’s on my list!
This was really simple and delicious! Took just a minute to grab the ingredients from my pantry and throw them into my little blender. We poured it on top of a savoury potato style meal loaded with yummy stir-fried nuts, seeds and peas. I’m imagining using this in place of sour cream in the future too.
yay! Thanks for sharing, Tracey!
Hi – what’s the trick for the cashews if you don’t have time to soak them?
I didn’t soak at all for this recipe and it turned out perfect.
I normally just boil them quickly while I get everything else together. 10 minutes usually does the trick.
Hi all! This recipe doesn’t require soaking cashews, which is what makes it so quick! But you could still soak them in cool water overnight, OR in very hot water for 1 hour before draining and blending. Hope that helps!
This is the trick! Recipe has you add hot water to throw cashews, do first so it sits while you add the other ingredients then blend until smooth. Works great in my Bullet blender no soaking required!
I recently found through a blood test that I have a food sensitivity to several foods that I’ve been using in Vegan recipes; one being cashews. I know they make for the best sauce but what would you consider to be second best? I also cannot have sesame, lemon,or any kind of pea. UGH!
My son has a cashew allergy so we made this cashew-less queso. Everyone loved it! Definitely double the recipe(:
https://minimalistbaker.com/cashew-less-vegan-queso/
Maybe try macadamias, canned cannelloni beans, or silken tofu?
Macadamia nuts work better than cashews
Karen, if you can have soy try subbing silken tofu. Or, I agree, perhaps another nut such as macadamia or blanched almonds? Or, soaked sunflower seeds or hemp seeds?
Sunflower seeds work great!
Hi, just wondering if any other nuts could be subbed for cashews as they are an allergy for me. Thank you
There is a link in the post to Cashew-less Vegan Queso.
I’ve heard of people subbing raw sunflower seeds for cashews! Probably will affect the color but worth a try (:
Macadamia nuts are my go-to for sauces….more expensive but taste excellent. And not as harsh as cashews can be to the immune system .
Hi Michelle, if you can have soy, try subbing silken tofu. Or perhaps another nut such as macadamia or blanched almonds? Or, soaked sunflower seeds or hemp seeds? Hope that helps!