Dairy Free Salsa Con Queso

By
Allyson Kramer
Allyson Kramer
Bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and food photographer who focuses on vegan and gluten-free cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/17/21
Photo Credit: Allyson Kramer
Prep: 3 hrs
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 3 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
272 Calories
19g Fat
19g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 272
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 359mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 5g 16%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 33mg 164%
Calcium 35mg 3%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 475mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This cheesy recipe tastes just like traditional salsa con queso yet is totally free of dairy, making it a delicious option for those following a plant-based diet.

Feel free to adjust the spiciness to your liking. If you prefer a very spicy dip, use fresh jalapeños and leave a few seeds to kick up the piquantness several notches. For a mild dip, simply decrease the amount of chopped jarred jalapeños called for in the recipe, or omit altogether.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups raw cashews

  • 2 large orange carrots

  • 1 orange bell pepper

  • 3 cloves fresh garlic

  • 1 cup nondairy milk, such as almond, soy, or cashew, plus more to thin if needed, divided

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 1 cup tomato

  • 1/3 cup chopped jarred jalapeño peppers

  • 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

  • 2 tablespoons finely minced chives or scallions

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Place the cashews into a medium-sized bowl and cover with 1 inch of water. Allow the cashews to soak at least 2 hours, up to 3.

  3. After the cashews have soaked about 1 hour, preheat the oven to 400 F and line a medium-sized baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Arrange the carrots, bell pepper, and garlic onto the baking sheet and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until carrots are tender and you can easily remove the skin from the bell pepper. Allow to cool 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are easy to handle.

  4. Peel the skin from the bell pepper and place into the pitcher of a blender or the bowl of a food processor, along with the roasted carrots and garlic.

  5. Drain the soaked cashews and place into the pitcher of a blender or the bowl of a food processor. Add 1/2 cup of the nondairy milk and blend until smooth, stopping and scraping down the sides of the blender container as needed. Add the salt, nutritional yeast flakes, chili powder, and lemon juice, as well as the remaining 1/2 cup non-dairy milk and blend once again until very smooth. Feel free to add up to 1/4 cup additional non-dairy milk to thin to your desired texture. Transfer to an oven-safe bowl and fold in the jalapeño pepper, cilantro, and chives or scallions.

  6. Warm in the oven or enjoy cold with tortilla chips (makes fab nachos), on top of cooked pasta, or as a veggie dip. Store leftover salsa con queso in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

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