Loaded Vegan Queso Dip

Let me introduce you to the BEST creamy Loaded Vegan Queso Dip that’s made with vegetables! I think “queso” is the first word I learned in Spanish. My parents made the best queso dip ever and I have great memories eating that dip. The bad news is that the base of that wonderful, creamy queso dip was Velveeta cheese. Womp. Womp.

I’m not going to lie, I grew up on Velveeta and man did I love that stuff. From mac and cheese to queso dip to straight sliced from the block, I could eat it all day (and I did).

Today, if I’m going to eat cheese, I prefer to eat the real stuff and not a “processed cheese product” filled with tons of preservatives. If it’s your thing, that’s cool, but as much as I love the taste (and texture) of that melty almost-but-not-quite-real cheese, I tend to stay away from it these days.

All of this is kind of beside the point, though, because today’s recipe is actually for a Vegan Queso Dip. No cheese or dairy at all.

Creamy texture? Yes.

Dairy? Nope.

So what’s it made from? Recently I made this simple, 10-minute vegan nacho sauce with dairy-free yogurt, but I went a different route with this Loaded Vegan Queso dip.

There’s a little bit more involved, but guys, it has VEGGIES. The base is cashews, carrots, and sweet potatoes and it’s pretty dreamy. They blend into a creamy, perfectly and naturally orange, rich dip that is spiced with my homemade taco seasoning. YUM.

This is a fake cheese I can get behind.

Add some onions, tomatoes, corn, and jalapeño peppers and you have a party-worthy dip that everyone will love.

Loaded Vegan Queso Dip

This is a healthier version of traditional queso dip! Made with cashews, sweet potatoes, and carrots, this spicy dip is sure to be a hit!

• Author: Happy Healthy Mama
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked at least 4 hours or overnight
• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium red garnet sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels (frozen is fine)
• 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes, plus extra for garnish, if desired
• 1/4-1 cup water

Instructions

1. Drain the cashews and rinse them.
2. Steam the sweet potatoes and carrots until soft, about 15 minutes. Reserve the water, as you will use some of it to thin your dip to your desired consistency.
3. Using a powerful blender, blend your soaked cashews, steamed vegetables, and taco seasoning. Add the reserved steaming water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dip reaches your desired consistency. I prefer about 3/4 cup water, but you can add more if you’d like it thinner or less for a thicker dip.
4. In a medium skillet, cast iron if you have it, heat the oil over medium heat.
5. Add the onion and sauté until just softened, about 3 minutes.
6. Add the jalapeño (1 for regular, 2 for extra spicy) and sauté another 2 minutes.
7. Add the minced garlic and sauté about 30 seconds.
8. Add the corn and tomato and cook another 2 minutes.
9. Next, add the cashew vegetable mixture to the pan and stir to mix well.  Cook until it is hot throughout, a few minutes more. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

Notes

*To make this Paleo-friendly, omit the corn.

Nutrition

• Calories: 162
• Sugar: 3
• Fat: 10
• Carbohydrates: 15
• Fiber: 2
• Protein: 5

If you make this, or any Happy Healthy Mama recipe, I would love to see it! Snap a pic, share it on Instagram or Facebook, and tag me @happyhealthymama 🙂

If you’d like to save this recipe for later (helllllooo Cinco de Mayo!), here’s an image to save to your Pinterest recipe board. Holla.