I always scoffed at cashew-based dips and sauces, but no more. Enter: chipotle cashew vegan queso! It’s creamy, smoky, and completely dairy-free without sacrificing an ounce of flavor.

You'll Love This Cashew Queso Recipe

I tested a lot of variations on cashew-based sauces and this one is the keeper. Roasted cashews, smoky chipotle, and nutritional yeast blend into a silky queso that makes chips, tacos, and even veggies taste like a party. Naturally gluten-free, paleo-friendly, and weeknight easy.

Quick to make, endlessly versatile, and ridiculously addictive, you’ll want to give this dip a permanent spot in your fridge’s condiment section.

Cashew Chipotle Sauce Ingredients

• Cashews - raw and unsalted
• Lemon juice
• Nutritional yeast
• Garlic
• Sea salt
• Chipotle chile powder or a chipotle pepper from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• Ground turmeric

How to Make Vegan Queso with Cashews

1. Put the cashews in a medium bowl and cover completely with steaming hot water. Let the cashews soak for at least an hour. Drain off the liquid.
2. Put the cashews in a blender or food processor along with ½ cup of fresh water and the ingredients listed above. Blend until smooth.

Chipotle Cheese Sauce Variations

Spice - Since chipotle is spicy, you might want to reduce the amount if you have a sensitive palate.

How to Make Paleo Nachos With Cashew Nacho Cheese

For these paleo nachos I used :

• My Crispy Sweet Potato Chips, grain-free tortilla chips, or plantain chips.
• Leftover shredded pork I pulled out of the freezer and heated up with some Chipotle Chorizo Seasoning
• Chipotle Vegan Queso (recipe below!)
• Favorite fixings -- guacamole, pico de gallo, chopped tomatoes, sliced radishes and cilantro.

Tips for making Cashew Nacho Cheese

Getting the cashews rehydrated is a key part of this recipe, make sure you soak them for at least 1 hour.

If you've never used dried chipotle powder, it's about as spicy as cayenne, so keep that in mind when using it.

I'm thinking we'll have these nachos on Sunday for Father's Day.

Nachos has become a Mother's Day tradition because it's something that's fast and easy and the kids can almost do by themselves. (And it doesn't stress Steve out.)

You can even make the vegan queso sauce ahead of time and heat it up in a skillet over low heat. Or pop in in the microwave for 20 second intervals and stir between each one.

If it starts to get clumpy or the texture is funny, just buzz it up again in the blender with a tablespoon of hot water to smooth it out.

How to Store Chipotle Cheese Sauce

Make the vegan queso sauce ahead of time and store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Reheating Chipotle Cheese Sauce

Heat it up in a skillet over low heat. Or pop in in the microwave for 20 second intervals and stir between each one.

If it starts to get clumpy or the texture is funny, just buzz it up again in the blender with a tablespoon of hot water to smooth it out.

Other ways to use this Chipotle Queso Dip

This vegan queso can be used anytime you want to replace a cheese sauce!
I like drizzling it over my Roasted Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole or Easy Blackened Fish Tacos.
Or as a dip for Fiesta Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets and Everything Bagel Chicken Tenders.

SaveSave

---