Get your chips ready, friends. We’re about to embark on a queso adventure.
If you’ve followed our blog for a while now, you probably already know about my favorite queso recipe, which is made without cashews and with eggplant instead!
That recipe still has my heart because it uses an entire vegetable in place of butter and cheese and whatever else goes into conventional queso dip. Healthy swaps for the win.
Side note: you can learn about the origins of queso here.
But, sometimes you don’t want vegetables in your “cheese” dip. Sometimes you just want creamy, buttery goodness that’s a little more on the indulgent side.
If that’s the case, then this is the dip for you.
The base is garlic, vegan butter (or oil of choice), unbleached all-purpose flour, and plain almond milk. This roux creates a thick, creamy, undetectably-vegan dip.
Next comes nutritional yeast for that “cheesy” flavor and mild green chilis for heat.
Blend it all together to create the most creamy, luxurious queso dip you’ve ever seen.
Guess what? It’s simple! This recipe requires just 10 ingredients and about 20 minutes to make, so you’ll be out the door and on your way to the party with dip in no time.
I hope you guys love this queso! It’s:
Creamy
Velvety
“Cheesy”
Spicy
Warm
Gooey
& Perfect for dipping
Ready your tortilla chips. This is the perfect dip for Mexican night, sports games, nachos, and more. Serve it alongside my 7-Layer Mexican Dip and watch people swoon.
If you try this recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it (once you’ve tried it!), and tagging a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see! Cheers, friends!
Vegan Green Chili Queso
Creamy, flavorful Vegan Queso infused with green chilis for a subtle spice! The perfect plant-based dip for Mexican meals. Print SAVE SAVED
from votes Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Total Time 20 minutes Servings 8Course Appetizer, DipCuisine Gluten-Free, Mexican-Inspired, VeganFreezer Friendly NoDoes it keep? 4-5 Days
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Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
QUESO
3 Tbsp vegan butter (or sub avocado oil)4 cloves garlic, minced (4 cloves yield ~2 Tbsp or 12 g)1 serrano pepper (seeds removed and finely chopped)4 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour*1 3/4 – 2 cups unsweetened plain almond or rice milk5 Tbsp nutritional yeast (plus more to taste)1/2 tsp sea salt1/4 tsp ground cumin4 Tbsp mild green chilis (divided)1/2 Tbsp maple syrup or organic cane sugar (or sub other sweetener of choice)1/4 tsp hot sauce (optional)
FOR SERVING optional
Cilantro (chopped)Red pepper flakesTortilla chips
Instructions
Heat large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add butter and let it melt and start to sizzle – about 1 minute.Add minced garlic and serrano pepper and stir. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, then turn down heat if garlic starts to brown too quickly.Add flour 1 Tbsp at a time and whisk (see notes for flour-free version).Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in almond milk ½ cup (120 ml) at a time until it no longer looks thick and gloppy – about 1 ¾ cups total (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).Cook in skillet for 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Then transfer to high speed blender. Add nutritional yeast, salt, cumin, half of the green chilis (2 Tbsp as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), sweetener of choice, and hot sauce (optional). Blend on high until creamy and smooth.Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more nutritional yeast for extra cheesiness, salt for savoriness, or sweetener for flavor balance.Transfer back to skillet or saucepan and simmer on low for 5 minutes, whisking or stirring often, to thicken.Turn off heat and add remaining green chilis (2 Tbsp as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Stir to combine. Garnish with red pepper flakes and fresh cilantro (optional). Enjoy with chips, or atop Mexican dishes, such as nachos, enchiladas, or tacos!Store leftovers in a glass jar or container in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat. Best when fresh.
Notes
*In place of flour, you can sub arrowroot starch or cornstarch to keep this recipe gluten-free. I find the consistency to be not quite as creamy, but it still works!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 78 Carbohydrates: 7 g Protein: 1.5 g Fat: 5 g Saturated Fat: 1.4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 231 mg Fiber: 0.8 g Sugar: 1.6 g