Vegan Queso
The smokey, spicy, cheesy TEX-MEX staple, VEGAN QUESO! A Classic party dip that comes together in under 20 minutes! Super Cheesy and Easy!
Growing up in California, I never had Queso like the kind you get in Texas, but my Texan Wife gave this Vegan Queso a thumbs up, so I feel like it’s probably a winner!
I’ve tried some Vegan Queso at restaurants here in California and in Texas, and I gotta say that I think this homemade version beats them no question!
why you’ll dig this vegan queso!
- First it’s super EASY to throw together! I’m using a few convenient ingredients as shortcuts, but feel free to make them from scratch if you prefer.
- And that’s because it’s super customizable! Add or subtract whatever you see fit.
- Lastly, it’s friggin’ delicious! Perfect for a Party, Potluck or BBQ! Or a Tuesday night all by yourself!
ingredients for vegan queso
- Vegan Cheese – Queso is often made with Velveeta. Since there’s no Vegan Velveeta, I suggest using your favorite store-bought vegan cheese. I used the kind by Follow Your Heart. I like the American Slices, Pepper Jack Slices and Cheddar Shreds.
- Plant-Milk – Make sure you use UNSWEETENED plant milk! I use the kind by Ripple.
- Chilies – I like using some fresh jalapeños, chipotles in adobo and roasted green chilies.
- Aromatics and Seasoning – We’ll also employ some onions, garlic and smoked paprika and nutritional yeast!
- Tomatoes – You can either use fresh tomatoes, or canned. I prefer using some Ro-Tel, but you can also used canned fire roasted tomatoes as well.
how to make vegan queso
This couldn’t be easier! For the cheese, I will use American and Pepper Jack slices. I’ll just slice those up so they will melt faster.
Then combine them with some Cheddar shreds. A little cornstarch will help this sauce thicken up. Combine with clean hands.
Over medium heat, melt some butter in a pan, then add in the onions and jalapeños. Cook them for 5 – 6 minutes.
Add in the green chilies, garlic, seasonings and stir around.
Add in the chipotles in adobo and Ro-Tel or canned tomatoes.
Then pour in the unsweetened plant milk. Bring to a light boil.
Remember to add the pickled jalapeño brine too!
Add in the cheese, stir until melted, and that’s it!
Serve with tortilla chips and dig in!
tips for vegan queso
- Different vegan cheeses will give you a different texture. So I recommend starting with 2 cups of plant milk and then after melting the cheese add more as needed.
- If you’re using Ro-Tel or canned tomatoes, make sure you drain them too! Otherwise it’ll get watery!
storage
This Queso is best eaten as soon as you make it, but you can store this in the fridge and it should be good for 3 days or so.
Gently reheat on the stovetop. I don’t recommend microwaving as this will make it thin and watery.
other recipes you’ll dig!
Recommendations for Kitchen Gear, Spices & Pantry Items, Photos and Videos, can be found on my AMAZON Storefront!
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, please leave a rating & review! It really helps out the blog and it makes my day, thank you!
Vegan Queso
Ingredients
- 16 oz Shredded Vegan Cheese (Cheddar, American, Pepper Jack etc)
- 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
- 4 Tbsp Vegan Butter
- 1/2 cup Diced Onion
- 1/2 cup Diced Jalapeño
- 1/4 cup Roasted Green Chiles
- 6 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
- 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast (more to taste)
- 3 Tbsp Diced Chipotles in Adobo
- 10 oz Ro-Tel (or Fire Roasted Tomatoes)
- 3 Tbsp Pickled Jalapeño Brine
- 2 cups Plant Milk (Unsweetened)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the cheese, you can either chop up some slices of Vegan American or Pepper Jack, or use your favorite shredded Vegan Cheese! Mix up your cheese and the cornstarch in a bowl and set aside.
- In a pot / skillet over medium heat, melt the vegan butter. Add the onions and jalapeños and stir to coat in the butter. Cook them for about 5 – 6 minutes until softened.
- Add in the roasted green chiles, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast and minced garlic. Stir to combine and cook for 1 – 2 minutes.
- Next add in the chipotles in adobo an Ro-Tel (or canned tomatoes). Stir to combine. Add in the plant milk and bring to a light boil.
- Add in the cheese, and stir until melted. Taste for seasoning, adding anything else you might like. Add more plant milk if the mixture feels too thick.
- ENJOY!
This looks amazing but what’s the best way to do it without using pre made vegan cheese? Can we make the sauce a la the kradt easy mac powder recipe in your quick meals video?
This was incredible! Queso is one of my BIGGEST hindrances with going completely vegan and the taste/texture/consistency of this was PERFECT! Burger Dude did it again! The only thing was I wasn’t sure when to add the jalapeño brine. It was in the ingredients but not the instructions. I just threw it in with everything else near the end, though, and it was perfect. 🙂 It IS in the detailed instructions before the recipe, but I was impatient and skipped that, lol. Also, I heated up some leftovers in the microwave (this recipe makes a LOT) and it was good and nothing wrong with the consistency THANK YOU for all that you do!!
Awesome so glad to hear that it hit the spot! I’ll fix that note about the brine, thank you!
Um, this is so good. I never even liked queso when I ate it as a non-veg, but I’m adding this to my weekly rotation!
Heck yeah, love to hear it, thank you!
Made this for chips and queso but I ended up using it for so much more! In burritos, in chili, in quesadillas, added to soup—I mean I got so much use out of it. Best vegan queso I’ve ever made!
Oh that is so smart, I gotta try it on other stuff too! So glad you liked it, thank you!!