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    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes » Sauces and Salad Dressings » Blender sauces and salad dressings

    Easy cashew queso in your blender

    Published: Jul 12, 2022 by Becky Striepe · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Recipe Video Print

    This creamy cashew queso is crowd-pleasing and kid approved! It's a classic, creamy vegan queso dip that you make right in the blender.

    hand dipping a chip into a bowl of cashew queso

    This is sort of an old-school vegan cashew queso recipe, and it's still one of my favorites. A classic!

    It's rich, creamy, and tastes decadently delicious, despite being a healthy snack.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe notes
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storage directions
    • 📖 Recipe

    Even my omnivore friends devour this vegan queso dip when I make it, and it’s so quick and simple to make!

    Recipe notes

    This is an incredibly easy recipe to make. Just soak your cashews, throw them into the blender with the rest of the ingredients, and blend until smooth. There are a few things to note, though.

    soaked cashews, salsa, nutritional yeast, garlic, oil, and vinegar in bowls on a marble table. All labeled with text.

    First off, you do not need raw cashews. For years, I recommended raw cashews only for any cashew cream type recipe. But I discovered that you can totally use roasted cashews, as long as you soak them in hot water first.

    The next important note about this recipe is about the salsa. The salsa is bringing quite a bit of flavor to this queso, so choose one that you really love! Don't go for the cheapest salsa here.

    The last thing I want to mention is about blending. You can make cashew queso in a regular or a high speed blender. In a high speed blender, it takes a minute to a minute and a half. It will take longer in a regular blender.

    close-up of the vegan queso dip on a tortilla chip

    No matter what kind of blender you have, I suggest that you don't blend for more than one minute at a time.

    Once a minute, stop, scrape down the sides of your blender, and give the motor a rest. Blending for extended periods can burn out your blender's motor, and I don't want that for you!

    Serving suggestions

    Of course, you can dish this up with chips and veggies for dipping, as pictured, but this vegan cheese recipe is way more versatile than that.

    Use dollops of creamy cashew queso on pizza, spread it onto sandwiches, or stuff it into a pita or wrap. You can also spread it onto a tortilla, add fillings like corn and beans, and bake it into a vegan quesadilla.

    a stack of vegan quesadillas with beans and corn on a white plate

    I love it in tacos or on top of a burrito bowl, too. Basically, anywhere you feel like your food could use some cheesy goodness, this cashew queso is your friend.

    Hi, friend.

    Storage directions

    Leftover queso will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for three to five days.

    You can also freeze this recipe. It will keep for up to six months in a freezer safe container in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then toss it back into the blender before serving.

    📖 Recipe

    Cashew queso recipe

    This creamy cashew queso is crowd-pleasing and kid approved! It's a classic, creamy vegan queso dip that you make right in the blender.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiment, Snack
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: cashew queso
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 133kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup cashews - soaked in hot water for 10-15 minutes
    • ½ cup salsa - Choose your favorite!
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • 2 cloves garlic

    Instructions

    • Toss all of the ingredients into the blender, and puree until smooth. Then, blend for a little bit longer. Then, just for good measure, blend for just 30 more seconds.

    Equipment

    • Blender

    Video

    Notes

    You don't need raw cashews to make vegan queso. Soaking in hot water will soften roasted cashews up well enough to blend into a creamy mixture.
    I'm not kidding about the blending. You don't need a high speed blender to make this queso. All that you need is patience. Blend in 45-60 second bursts, stopping in between to scrape down the sides of your blender. Your queso is done when it's completely smooth and creamy.
    Serve your queso chips, crackers, or veggies for dipping. You can also drizzle over tortilla chips for some impromptu nachos!
    Keeps for 3-5 days in the fridge.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Cashew queso recipe
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    133
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    11
    g
    17
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    10
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    7
    g
    Sodium
     
    109
    mg
    5
    %
    Potassium
     
    177
    mg
    5
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    7
    g
    2
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    4
    g
    8
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    78
    IU
    2
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    0.4
    mg
    0
    %
    Calcium
     
    11
    mg
    1
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Rosemary

      December 23, 2020 at 2:50 pm

      Do you have to use the oil in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 28, 2020 at 10:17 am

        You can do water or aquafaba instead, but it does add a nice, rich mouthfeel to the finished queso that you might miss.

        Reply
    2. lea

      September 05, 2015 at 1:42 pm

      I so know what you mean about the cheese.... I currently eat 2 vegetarian meals/wk, all the rest of my meals are vegan just because of cheese. But I am getting closer heading for 1/wk. This recipe will help me get there.... Looks delicious!!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 05, 2015 at 1:44 pm

        I am so thrilled to hear it! Glad that this will help!

        Reply
      • Erika D

        October 07, 2020 at 7:44 pm

        5 stars
        Becky. Gotta tell you. My kids are not picky: they love blue cheese, sardines, etc. But they will not touch cashew cheese. Its usually nothing like cheese. But THIS stuff I could devour!! By itself in a bowl with a spoon! You said it was that good but I didn’t believe you. ? But you’re right. It is that good. The salsa is a brilliant idea. And all my kids love it, too! Thank you.

        Reply
        • Becky Striepe

          October 08, 2020 at 1:53 pm

          Haha what a delightful comment! I'm so glad that you and your kids are digging this queso. Thank you for coming back to leave such a lovely comment and taking the time to rate, as well.

          Reply
    3. Sarah | Well and Full

      August 26, 2015 at 10:09 am

      This queso looks great! I love how you added the salsa into the recipe :D

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 26, 2015 at 11:18 am

        Thank you, Sarah! The salsa really makes it extra special. I brought this batch over to my omni neighbor's house, and even her two year old asked for more. Hurrah for queso!

        Reply
    4. Debra @ Bowl Me Over

      August 25, 2015 at 2:36 pm

      Boy that looks good, a perfect snack! Thanks for sharing with us at #TryaBiteTuesday - pinned & tweeted to share the love! Hope to see you back next week!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 25, 2015 at 2:39 pm

        Thank you, Debra! Loving your linkup! ??

        Reply
    5. Cadry

      August 25, 2015 at 10:15 am

      Sounds great! I can never have too many queso recipes.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 25, 2015 at 11:00 am

        Thank you, Cadry! I agree. Queso forever!

        Reply

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    About Me

    photo of Becky Striepe
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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