Plant Based Queso Recipe
This easy Loaded Plant-Based Queso Dip is better than the real thing! Whip the queso up in 5 minutes to creamy perfection, and top it with homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, and refried beans. Perfect for sharing at game day, not only is it undetectably vegan, but it’s also so easy to make paleo and low-carb – just skip the beans. Seriously, the BEST vegan queso!
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 178kcal
Ingredients
Vegan Queso
- 3 cups dairy-free milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder optional
Refried Beans (optional)
- 200 g 1 heaped cup dried black or pinto beans OR 1 can of black or pinto beans
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2-1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder optional
Pico de Gallo and Guacamole (optional)
- 420 g 2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (I like cherry tomatoes)
- 1 red onion diced finely
- 1 good handful cilantro 10g
- 1/2 lime juiced
- salt & pepper to taste
- 3 avocados for guacamole
Instructions
Vegan Queso:
- Add the dairy-free milk and then all of the dry ingredients to a pot on the stove and THEN turn it on to medium heat.
- Don’t start the heat until all of the ingredients are in and you’re ready to stir or it will turn lumpy.
- Stir continuously with a whisk for 5 minutes, until it is a thick consistency.
Refried Beans (optional):
Quick option:
- Add 1 can of pinto or black beans to a pot on the stove over medium heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes until they’re heated through.
- Drain, add salt and spices, and then mash or blend for a minute until it’s more of a chunky paste.
The long version:
- Soak 200g pinto or black beans for at least 8 hours (I usually do 16).
- Drain beans and add them to a pot with 1/4 tsp baking soda.
- Cover with clean water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes until they are cooked.
- Add salt and spices and mash until it’s more of a chunky paste.
Pico de Gallo (optional):
- Dice the onions, tomatoes, and chili pepper, and finely chop the cilantro.
- Add everything including the lime juice, salt, and pepper to a bowl and mix well.
Guacamole (optional):
- Peel and deseed avocados.
- Add them to a molcajete, mortar and pestle, or a large bowl.
- Add half of the pico de gallo to the avocados, plus 1-2 tbsps of the juice from the pico (should be gathered at the bottom).
- Mash with a fork, large, rounded spoon, or pestle for about 1 minute, or until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Load a bowl starting with the vegan queso on the bottom followed by the toppings. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!
Notes
- You can just make the queso without the other toppings, but I highly recommend the whole recipe.
- Store any leftover vegan dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store the other toppings separately.
- Reheat the leftover queso in the microwave or stove to return it to its original consistency.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 430mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g