You only need two ingredients to make this creamy, festive vegan queso recipe. No, for real. It's going to be your new favorite snacky treat.
Y'all, before we get to the 6-Minute Vegan Queso recipe, I do what to throw one caveat out there: this recipe uses the microwave. (Please, don't yell at me!)
But good news!
If you don't like to use the microwave, you can make this queso on the stovetop in a small saucepan. Just heat over low heat, stirring constantly.
Either way, this dip is quick, easy, creamy, dreamy queso perfection!
More Easy Vegan Dips: Spinach Artichoke Dip, Vegan Sour Cream Ranch Party Dip, Pickled Jalapeno Guacamole
Making Vegan Queso
You truly only need two ingredients to make this queso:
- a package of vegan cheese slices (Choose a brand that melts well!)
- half a can of tomatoes with green chiles
That's it!
You're going to treat the stack of cheese slices like a single block of cheese here. Grab a knife, and slice the "block" into 1" cubes. Place the cubes into a microwave safe glass dish.
Then, add the tomatoes and green chiles from the can. No need to stir. Just dump them right on there, then stick the bowl in the microwave.
Microwave your queso on high for three minutes, and give it a good stir. Depending on the power of your microwave and the type of cheese you used, your vegan queso may be done now.
It's finished cooking when you have a smooth, creamy mix after stirring. There may be some lumps in your finished queso before you stir. They will melt down after a few seconds of stirring.
If your queso needs more time, just stick the bowl back into the microwave for an additional minute, and stir again. Repeat the one-minute-then-stir situation until the queso turns smooth with stirring.
How to Serve, Store, and Reheat It
Serve your vegan queso anywhere you'd use dairy queso! Here are some ideas:
- with chips for dipping
- poured over a plate of Vegan Nachos
- as a topping for tacos
- as a baked potato topping
Anywhere you can use some melty, cheesy goodness, this queso is here for you!
It will keep in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat, just pop it into the microwave, one minute at a time and stirring in between, until it's nice and creamy again.
6-Minute Vegan Queso
Ingredients
- 1 7-ounce package Chao Creamy Original Slices - cut into 1" pieces (Just cut through the whole stack of slices, like in the photo above.)
- 1 cup diced tomatoes and green chiles - undrained (about half of a 15 ounce can)
Instructions
- Put cheese and tomatoes into a small microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave on high for 3 minutes (see note), and stir. Keep microwaving in 1-minute increments, stirring well each time. Your cheese will be fully melted before it looks fully melted. Before deciding to pop the dip back in, try breaking up the chunks of cheese with your spoon. They might just need a little bit of help to combine into the queso. My queso took just two 1-minute rounds in my little low-power microwave, for a total cooking time of 5 minutes. A more powerful microwave might not need that extra minute.
- Serve with your favorite things to dip in queso!
Sheena B
OMG, OMG!! Ok so I love queso but since switching to a plant based diet I just couldn’t find any good vegan cheese! Some of the other cheese were good on sandwiches but I hated the way they melted. Then I was really craving some queso so I looked on Pinterest and came across your recipe! I always saw this brand in my local Winn Dixie but always turned my nose up to it for some reason but when I saw your recipe I instantly recognized the packaging. So I gave it a try. I was shook! This stuff is the truth! I can’t wait to try this in other recipes, thank you so much!!!
Becky Striepe
Oh my gosh, this makes my day! Thank you so much for taking the time to rate and comment, and enjoy your queso! 😀
Monika
Trying the coconut pepper one tonight.... You are right, one slice just doesn't do. ;). I like this a lot and we're going to try the quesadilla recipe. The one downside to Chao is the lack of real nutrients (no vitamins, minerals, protein, etc) though I wonder if the probiotic content is high. Probably?
Anyhow, what a fun treat!
Linda York
So okay, my husband and I just polished off the ENTIRE BOWL OF THIS STUFF and it's AMAZING!!!! It even got him thinking we could make this and mix it with some Banza Chickpea Rotini Pasta for a zippy mac and cheeze. You could even add some vegan chili for a chili mac, etc. etc. OH MY GOODNESS!! Thank you so much for this inspiration, Becky!!!
Becky Striepe
Oh my gosh, I am loving all of these ideas! Let me know what you end up making!
Linda York
I just stumbled across this recipe today on Pinterest. I actually have the Coconut Herb and Tomato Cayenne in my frig right now. This evening for dinner we had a simple grilled cheese sandwich with the Tomato Cayenne. Delicious!! But tomorrow, I am going to the store to buy the Original and a can of Ro-Tel and make this recipe!! Who knew?? This cheese is a staple in our house. We don't think there's a better cheese on the market!!
Becky Striepe
It's our fave for sure!
Mike
I know this is an old post, but this recipe is life changing for me. I am such a huge fan of queso and since switching to plant-based foods, has been a part of my life left sorely unfilled. I've tried a ton of recipes ranging from potato and carrot, tofu, cashew based, daiya, and others...and none have lived up to my expectations. They were all okay, but I'd never crave it and it was more of me forcing myself to want to like it...opposed to actually liking it.
This is different. This is like heaven. I've made your exact version a few times and love it. This last time I played around with it a bit and figured I'd share for others to try as well. I added some additional diced jalapenos, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and crushed reds. I also like my queso a bit runny so I added a splash of coconut milk to thin it out.
Overall, thank you for the inspiration...I can say I will make this every week until I exceed Chao's production capacity.
Becky Striepe
Mike, this comment is a day-maker! I'm so glad you found this recipe helpful and appreciate you sharing your variations! Thank you so much!