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Cashew queso dripping off of a black spoon and into a glass jar filled with more queso.
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Vegan Cashew Queso

This lightly spicy and smoky queso is made with cashews and chipotle peppers. Omit for the chipotle peppers for a non-spicy option.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cashew Soak Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Sides
Cuisine: vegan
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 136kcal
Author: Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw unsalted cashews see note #1
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • ½ cup water more as needed
  • 7 ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce see note #2
  • 1 small lime about 2 tablespoons of lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste

Instructions

  • Cover the cashews with water the night before, or bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil. Add the cashews to a heat-safe bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover the cashews. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
  • Drain the water from the cashews. Transfer the cashews to a blender. Add the nutritional yeast, ½ cup water, 1 chili pepper, lime juice, onion powder, and salt.
  • Blend until smooth. Taste for spice. Add 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce from the can or an extra chili pepper, if desired. Add extra water, as needed, to thin.
  • Transfer to a small pot. Place over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through.

Notes

  1. Cashews: Choose raw, unsalted cashews. If using salted roasted cashews, just adjust the added salt to taste.
  2. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: These are dried, smoked jalapeno peppers, so they are spicy! Start with one pepper and add adobo sauce and extra peppers to taste. Leftover chipotle peppers and adobo sauce freeze well. Let thaw on the countertop for an hour before using, or overnight in the fridge.
  3. Soaking cashews: You don't need a high speed blender to make the cashew sauce. Soaking the cashews helps soften them and makes them easier to blend. Soak cashews in boiling water for 10 minutes or in cool water overnight or up to 24 hours. The longer the cashews soak the easier they will be to blend
  4. Makes about 1 cup of queso.

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg
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