5-Minute Vegan Cashew Queso: Cheesy, Creamy, and Plant-Based Delight

Turn basic ingredients into a velvety, dairy-free cheese sauce that elevates any dish.

By Medha deb

Created on Sep 8, 2025

Turn basic ingredients into a velvety, dairy-free cheese sauce that elevates any dish.

5-Minute Vegan Cashew Queso

Looking for a deliciously cheesy vegan dip that takes just minutes to make? This 5-Minute Vegan Cashew Queso answers all your plant-based cheese cravings—without dairy, gluten, or artificial additives. Rich and creamy cashews blend with bold spices and a touch of heat, creating a spreadable queso that’s healthy, versatile, and flavor-packed. Serve it with chips, drizzle it over tacos, use it as a sauce for burrito bowls, or use your imagination!

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Queso

Ready in 5 minutes: No complicated prep or cooking required.
Creamy & Cheesy: Achieves that irresistible cheese dip texture using wholesome cashews and nutritional yeast.
Dairy-Free & Vegan: 100% plant-based, suitable for most dietary needs.
Customizable Heat: Easily adapt the spice level using salsa, hot sauce, or harissa.
Versatile Use: Ideal as a dip, sauce, or creamy topping for countless dishes.
Minimal Ingredients: Made from pantry staples and whole foods.

What Is Cashew Queso?

Queso is the Spanish word for cheese. Traditionally, queso dips are made from melted cheese mixed with spices and chiles, but this vegan version swaps cheese for raw cashews to create a surprisingly authentic texture and flavor. Nutritional yeast adds savory, cheesy depth, while spices and garlic provide savory notes. With a splash of hot water and sauce, everything blends into a luscious, pourable dip or spread.

Ingredient Spotlight

This simple recipe brings bold flavor and creamy texture using a short ingredient list:

Raw Cashews – The base for creaminess. Use raw, unsalted cashews for best flavor and texture.
Hot Water – Helps soften cashews and achieve a smooth consistency. Using hot water helps everything blend easily, even without soaking the cashews in advance.
Nutritional Yeast – The secret to the “cheesy” flavor in vegan recipes. It also adds a slight golden color.
Garlic – Adds a fresh, zesty kick.
Ground Cumin – Provides smokiness and depth.
Chili Powder – Lends a mild heat and rich color.
Salt – Essential for rounding out flavors.
Harissa, Hot Sauce, or Salsa – Offers customizable spiciness and tang (try different options for new variations).

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep time: 5 minutes
Yield: Approximately 2 cups
Dietary: Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, oil-free

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews
3/4–1 cup hot water
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (add more to taste)
1 tablespoon harissa (or sub hot salsa, hot sauce, Ro-Tel, or 1 chipotle in adobo)

Instructions

Add the cashews, hot water, garlic, nutritional yeast, cumin, chili powder, salt, and harissa (or alternative) to a small or high-speed blender. Start blending with the lesser amount of water (3/4 cup).
Blend on high until completely creamy and smooth. Add more water a little at a time as needed to reach your preferred pourable queso texture. If the mixture becomes too thin, add a few more raw cashews and re-blend.
Taste and adjust. For more cheesiness, add a bit more nutritional yeast. For more smokiness, try extra cumin. Boost the heat with more harissa or chili powder.
Serve immediately: Pour into a bowl and garnish with additional harissa, salsa, or hot sauce for an extra pop of color and flavor (optional).
To store: Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 5–7 days. To freeze, transfer to an airtight container for up to 1 month.
To reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Gently warm in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding water as needed to loosen if the queso thickens when chilled.

Troubleshooting & Tips

No Soaking Required: Hot water and a high-speed blender remove the need to soak cashews, but if your blender is less powerful, soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes for a smoother finish.
Texture Adjustment: For a thicker queso, reduce water or add more cashews. For a thinner queso, add water a tablespoon at a time.
Flavor Variations: Change up the heat level by swapping in chipotle, sriracha, or diced roasted chiles. Stir in fresh salsa for extra texture.
Nut-Free Option: Try cashew-less renditions using eggplant, white beans, or sunflower seeds as a substitute base (see the FAQ section for more details).
Big Batch Friendly: Easily double or triple the recipe for parties or meal prep.

Serving Suggestions

This versatile vegan queso is delicious in dozens of ways. Enjoy it as:

Dip – Scoop with tortilla chips, veggie sticks, or sliced bell peppers.
Drizzle – Pour over nachos, burrito bowls, tacos, vegan chili, or roasted potatoes.
Sandwich Spread – Layer inside grilled wraps, quesadillas, or veggie burgers.
Casserole Sauce – Swirl through plant-based casseroles or enchiladas for creamy, cheesy results.
Soup Topper – Dollop onto black bean or tortilla soup for a rich, creamy garnish.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

Refrigerate: Store queso in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze: For longer storage, freeze for up to 1 month. Stir well after reheating to restore creaminess.
Meal Prep: Queso can be made days in advance for snacking, parties, or fast dinners.

Nutrition Information

Queso made from cashews is nutritious and satisfying. Here’s why:

High in Healthy Fats: Cashews provide heart-healthy fats.
Rich in Plant Protein: This queso supports plant-based diets with a protein boost.
Vitamin B12 from Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast is often fortified with B12, important in vegan diets.
Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free

Approximate Nutrition (per 2 tbsp serving)	Amount
Calories	50
Fat	3.5g
Carbohydrates	3g
Protein	2g
Sodium	100mg

(*Values are estimates and can vary depending on specific ingredients and portion sizes.)

Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

Cashew-Free: Substitute raw sunflower seeds, blanched almonds (skins removed), or try cooked and cooled white beans for a nut-free version.
No Nutritional Yeast? Try a pinch of miso, a squeeze of lemon, or a little Dijon mustard for umami flavor.
Custom Heat: For milder queso, use mild salsa or omit harissa/hot sauce. For extra spice, add a chipotle pepper in adobo or extra chili powder.
Flavor Boosters: Stir in chopped roasted red peppers, smoked paprika, or jalapeños.
Oil-Free: This recipe contains no added oils, making it lighter but still ultra-creamy.

Recipe FAQs

Q: Do I need to soak the cashews first?

A: If you have a high-speed blender and use hot water, soaking is not necessary. For regular blenders or a super-silky texture, soak cashews in very hot water for 30 minutes, then drain before blending.

Q: Can I use roasted cashews instead of raw?

A: Roasted cashews can change the flavor (making the queso less neutral and a bit sweeter/toastier). For best results, use raw cashews for the most authentic creamy, mild flavor.

Q: Is this queso freezer-friendly?

A: Yes! Freeze in an airtight container for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then blend or stir to restore smoothness. Add a splash of water if needed after thawing.

Q: How do I make it nut-free?

A: Substitute raw sunflower seeds, white beans, or cooked eggplant as a nut-free base. The texture and flavor will be a little different, but still creamy and flavorful.

Q: What if my queso is too thick or too thin?

A: If too thick, blend in 1 tablespoon hot water at a time until desired consistency. If too thin, add more raw cashews or blend in 1 tablespoon at a time and re-blend.

Expert Tips for Creamiest Vegan Queso

High-Speed Blender: For best results, use a high-speed blender (like a NutriBullet or Vitamix) for the silkiest texture. Smaller blenders work especially well for single or double batches.
Water Temperature: Use very hot water (not boiling) to help cashews blend smooth—even more important if not soaking nuts beforehand.
Salt: Taste and season generously. Salt helps bring out the classic cheesy “pop.”
Topping Ideas: Top your queso with diced tomatoes, harissa, chipotle cream, green onions, or cilantro for color and extra flavor.

Creative Serving Ideas

Drizzle over classic vegan nachos or use as a base sauce for loaded fries.
Add a spoonful to breakfast scrambles or tofu burritos.
Mix into pasta for a quick plant-based mac and cheese.
Use as a filling in enchiladas, burritos, or taquitos.
Spread on toast or bagels for a savory, cheesy breakfast treat.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients: - 1 cup raw cashews - 3/4 – 1 cup hot water - 1 clove garlic, chopped - 2 tbsp nutritional yeast - 1/2 tsp cumin - 1 tsp chili powder - 1/2 tsp salt - 1 tbsp harissa or hot sauce  Instructions: 1. Combine all ingredients in a blender, starting with the smaller amount of hot water. 2. Blend until very smooth, stopping to scrape sides as needed. Add water to adjust consistency. 3. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt, nutritional yeast, or spices as desired. 4. Serve warm, garnished as desired. Store leftovers in fridge 5–7 days or freeze up to 1 month.

References

Author

medha deb

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

Read full bio of medha deb