Vegan Salsa Con Queso is an easy warm cheese dip that will disappear as quickly as you make it! This vegan, plant-based dip uses fresh vegetables and a hint of Tex-Mex spices, making it a family friendly snack that everyone will love. Paleo and Whole 30 friendly!
The Easiest Vegan Queso
Vegan queso does exist! This vegan cheese is spicy, creamy, easy to make in 10 minutes, and made with rea; food. It’s even Whole 30-friendly. I know, I’m still in shock too. I’ve made three batches already and put this salsa con queso “cheese” on just about everything!
In fact, this whole cheesy vegan salsa dip platter could totally count as a meal. Let’s have a family gathering and eat all the cheese and chips! My chips and salsa loving mother would be so proud.
Vegan Salsa Con Queso Ingredients
- Cooked and Peeled Potato (russet works best)
- Cooked Carrot and Cauliflower Floret
- Olive oil
- Lemon Juice
- Garlic and Onion powder
- Nutritional Yeast
- Chili powder or Chili Paste
- Canned Chili ready Diced Tomatoes!
Hot Tip: A key ingredient for making this vegan cheese even more flavorful is to use seasoned canned diced tomatoes. We like to use Red Gold Tex Mex Green Chile Petite Tomatoes or chili ready canned tomatoes. It takes this vegan salsa con queso up to the next level, but has a mild spice flavor, so it’s great for younger kids who don’t necessarily like things spicy.
A Kid-Approved Recipe
This taste like the real deal. We had a real cheese queso loving friend come over to taste test and he couldn’t believe it wasn’t “real” cheese. Knowing that, he took this recipe and made it for his whole family. A family of 7 with 5 kids under the age of 18 (who all love real queso), and a wife who suffers from food allergies. All approved of vegan salsa con queso.
Salsa Con Queso is one of those recipes that will most definitely bring everyone together around the table. And what better than now! So let’s do it. Make a meal out it it. This might be the one and only queso recipe that you don’t mind your kids eating for dinner. Sneak in those veggies whatever way you can. Right?
How to Make Vegan Con Queso
- To make the salsa con queso you must first cook your carrot, potato, and cauliflower. I love using leftover cooked veggies for this or even frozen veggies. A pantry staple ingredient that won’t go to waste!
- After your veggies are cooked, you blend it all together. I recommend blending it in two batches. First the Veggies, then add the tomatoes and nutritional yeast. This creates a smoother consistency, like cheese!
Hot dip tip: Heating the cooked veggies before blending is key to making hot queso dip! Just steam the veggies then blend it all together while they are still hot. Your dip will be smooth, creamy, and HOT right out of the blender. 🔥
More of Our Favorite
Dip & Spread Recipes
Vegan Salsa Con Queso Recipe
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan, plant-based dip uses fresh vegetables and a hint of Tex-Mex spices, making it a family friendly snack that everyone will love. Paleo and Whole 30 friendly!
Ingredients
- 1 large peeled and cooked potato (about 1 ¼ cup, chopped)
- 1 cup cooked baby carrots
- 1 cup cooked cauliflower florets
- ¼ cup olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- â…” cup canned diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
- 6 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast (see notes for substitutes)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder or onion salt
- 2 teaspoons to ½ Tablespoon chili powder
Instructions
- To cook the vegetables – Peel the potato, pierce it with a fork, and place it in the microwave for 6 minutes until soft. Remove from the microwave and cut into smaller pieces. Place the baby carrots and cauliflower in a large microwavable bowl, add a few tablespoons of broth or water, cover with a paper towel and place in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft and cooked. Remove and drain excess water. (Steam the vegetables on the stove top. Make sure they are soft enough to blend then discard the water before blending.)
- Place the cooked vegetables and oil in a blender or food processor. Blend until combined. Then add the lemon juice and canned tomatoes with green chilies and blend again on high.
- Add the nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and chili powder. Blend on high until a creamy cheese texture forms scraping the sides a few times in order for the vegetables to blend well. It should look like queso or a melted cheddar.
- Pour the batter into a large bowl and serve with an fresh vegetables or gluten free baked tortilla chips.
- Store in the refrigerator in airtight container for up to five days.
Notes
Substitutes – Use parmesan cheese or a vegan cheese replacement in place of nutritional yeast.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: appetizer
- Method: blend
- Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 1.9 g
- Sodium: 393.9 mg
- Fat: 6.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.8 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Just made this, found it a little bland so I added a pinch of cayenne and a bit of mustard powder. Can anyone tell me if this can be used in a pasta bake in the oven? I’m not a fan of just sauce over pasta, I like it baked.
Hi Lois,
What kind of tomatoes did you use? That can definitely change the flavor! I like using the ones with green chilies for a little extra kick.
If you’re looking for another option, I have a quick and easy vegan cheese sauce that works great for pasta. I also have a dairy-free Alfredo sauce if you’d like to try that. Let me know if you’d like me to send you the recipes, or you can find them on the site!
I’m reluctantly dairy-free, and I appreciate all the recipes that you share. This wasn’t bad, but it tasted more like hummus than queso. It’s nothing like cheese. Is there a particular brand of nutritional yeast that tastes more cheesy? I used Trader Joe’s.
Oh no, really? What brand of tomatoes did you use? The chili ready works best. And the best nutritional yeast i’ve used in bob’s redmill. It’s very cheesy! Let me know what ingredients you used. Happy to help!
This recipe was such a pleasant surprise! I wasn’t sure how much I’d like it, because I do love cheese, but the flavors come together so well, and the nutritional yeast adds that cheese taste that I needed!
So glad you enjoyed it Katie!
I really love how easy this is to make!! So good!
Thank you, Toni!
I’ve been making this no queso sauce for years. There is no reason to add oil of any kind. Otherwise, you are spot on with this plant based recipe. And did you know there is a great no queso recipe made with rolled oats?
we’d love your recipe!
This is a great dairy free option! Perfect for taco night or just for snacking!
Thank you! I totally agree!
I was so intrigued by this recipe and it did not disappoint! What a delicious, healthy recipe!
Yaayyy! Glad to hear that Lauren! Thanks!
This recipe is easy to follow and it is delicious! I used a diced tomatoes with green chilies mix WITH chipotle peppers for a little extra. Yum!!
Great! So glad you love it Alex
I am ready to start dipping!
looking so delicious and yummy thanks for sharing the recipe…
Thank you! Enjoy:)
These look delicious! And definitely the temptation I need to get me to sit down for a full football game 🙂
So beautiful ! Thank you !
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That looks awesome! Can’t believe it’s vegan!
right? So easy too! and DELISH!
LOVE that you made this vegan and gorgeous! Such a stunning crowd pleaser!
Thanks liren! I know you’d love this!
You know my love of full fat dairy filled cheese, yes? And I still want this, and it wouldn’t count as a main meal. In fact, this would be my preference.
LOVING this spread! It’s picture perfect 🙂
I just got sooooo hungry looking at this!!!
I’m so intrigued by this! It looks amazing. And yes, I could (and can!) just totally make a meal from appetizers. Seriously the best! Wonderful photos, friend!
Thanks friend! Bring your cranberry Riesling sauce and let’s party!
This is one of your most brilliant recipes OF ALL TIME! Love that you used Red Gold Tomatoes! And potato? AMAZING.
Love vegan queso – yum! I’d have this for dinner too 🙂
I am ready to start dipping!
ok.. I am obsessed. Pia and I could take down this whole thing in the blink of an eye!
oh my gawd, making this!!!
YOu must!
I would never think those ingredients would turn into a delicious queso. You’re such a wizard!!!!
Thanks friend! I know you’d love this one too. <3
Oh wow!! Love this recipe Lindsay! So wholesome and delicious!
I think vegans an non vegans would all love this!
they totally would!
Love the vegan spin on this and yes, it would absolutely disappear in seconds here!
I bet your boys wouldn’t even know this had veggies in it!
Really good dairy free dips like this are my weakness. MUST MAKE ASAP!
OMG me too friend!
mine too!
Wow, what a fun vegan queso! Sharing with my vegan and DF friends!
Awesome! Thanks Sabrina!Let me know if they give it a whirl!
Perfect for healthy holiday munching Lindsay! And as always, your photos blow me away!
Thank you so much Mary Ann! Hope you have an awesome holiday.
Loving this paleo version of a cheesy dip! The perfect appetizer, but I could totally make a meal out of it!
Ok. This is beyond cool. I wonder if I could sneak it past Vegas? I’m betting yes!
James ate like 3 batches!! Add sriracha. Feed to Vegas. Report back. It’s great on potato or pasta too
Need this in my life ASAP <3
Looks good enough to eat by the spoonful!
It’s like this recipe was made just for me – queso is my absolute favorite! Love that you’ve made it vegan with ingredients I already have on hand!