Ready in just 5 minutes, this cashew queso is an irresistibly cheesy dip that can be enjoyed not only with tortilla chips, but with just about anything Mexican… or not! Try it with nachos, tortillas, enchiladas, burritos, or even pasta, sandwiches, burgers, and more. It’s so good that you’ll want to put it on everything…

Ready in just 5 minutes, this cashew queso is an irresistibly cheesy dip that can be enjoyed not only with tortilla chips, but with just about anything Mexican... or not!

I remember when I was younger, much younger, I used to be a big fan of that shady orange stuff that can be bought in jars at the grocery — or even convenience — store and that’s questionably labeled as “queso”… To be honest, I never even dared look at the ingredients, but I’m pretty sure that it doesn’t even contain one single healthy element.

This cashew queso, though, is made with nothing BUT good stuff… and it’s much tastier than its dubious counterpart, if you ask me! Of course, this cheesy dip is spectacular served with corn tortilla chips, but it’s soooo irresistibly delicious, you’ll probably end up using it on everything. I even put some in a tomato sandwich the other day, instead of mayonnaise! BOOM! Talk about taking a boring tomato sandwich to the next level!

Ready in just 5 minutes, this cashew queso is an irresistibly cheesy dip that can be enjoyed not only with tortilla chips, but with just about anything Mexican... or not!

With that in mind, I feel I must warn you that this size batch — you’re looking at about a cup and a half of finished queso — is pretty much the smallest batch you could successfully make in a high-speed blender. While it’s totally feasible, it will require that you stop and scrape the sides AND cover of the container very often, because the blades will send the mixture flying all over the place as soon as you start the motor. If you can afford to make a double batch, or even a triple batch, then by all means, go ahead and do it; It’ll make your life SO much easier! Or, you could use a smaller regular blender, but then the final product won’t be nearly as smooth and creamy… 

Oh, and one last thing before I go: this queso is amazing as it is, but if you wanted to change things up, feel free to stir in some finely chopped white onions, cilantro, pickled jalapeño peppers, diced tomatoes, or even chopped green olives (yes, they work amazingly well!). 

Place the raw cashews, boiling water and garlic in the container of your high-speed blender

Whether you decide to make a single, double or even triple batch, the instructions remain the exact same: start by putting the raw cashews, 3/4 cup of the boiling water (double of triple that if doing a double of triple batch) and the garlic clove(s) into the container of a high-speed blender and blend on high for about 30 seconds, or until a smooth paste forms.

Like I said, you could probably get away with using a regular blender, but your finished queso won’t be nearly as smooth and creamy… 

Blend on high for about 30 seconds then add the spices

Scrape the sides (and cover! – don’t forget the cover! you won’t believe the amount of mixture that makes its way up there) of the container well, add the nutritional yeast, lime juice, tomato paste, salt, paprika, onion powder, chipotle powder and ground turmeric.

Blend until smooth and creamy

Cover and blend on high for a few minutes, scraping the sides (and cover!) from time to time, until completely smooth.

Adjust consistency by adding water, a little bit at a time, blending well between each addition

Now add a little bit more of that boiling water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing well and scraping the sides (and cover!) between each addition, until your queso has reached the desired consistency.

Ready in just 5 minutes, this cashew queso is an irresistibly cheesy dip that can be enjoyed not only with tortilla chips, but with just about anything Mexican... or not!

Voilà! You’re all done. Transfer your finished queso to a service bowl, garnish it as and if desired, and serve.

Leftover queso will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a few weeks. However, it will firm up slightly once it’s been chilled, so if you want, you can pour it into a small saucepan and heat it over low heat, adding a little bit of water to get it to desired consistency.

Ready in just 5 minutes, this cashew queso is an irresistibly cheesy dip that can be enjoyed not only with tortilla chips, but with just about anything Mexican... or not!

Ready in just 5 minutes, this cashew queso is an irresistibly cheesy dip that can be enjoyed not only with tortilla chips, but with just about anything Mexican... or not!
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe
4.72 from 14 votes

5-Minute Cashew Queso

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ready in just 5 minutes, this cashew queso is an irresistibly cheesy dip that can be enjoyed not only with tortilla chips, but with just about anything Mexican... or not! Try it with nachos, tortillas, enchiladas, burritos, or even pasta, sandwiches, burgers, and more. It's so good that you'll want to put it on everything...
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Optional garnish

  • chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
  • chopped cilantro leaves
  • dash of chipotle powder

Instructions

  • Place the raw cashews, 3/4 cup of the boiling water and the garlic clove into the container of a high-speed blender and blend on high for about 30 seconds, or until a smooth paste forms.
  • Scrape the sides (and cover!) of the container well, add the nutritional yeast, lime juice, tomato paste, salt, paprika, onion powder, chipotle powder and ground turmeric. Cover and blend on high for a few minutes, scraping the sides (and cover!) from time to time, until completely smooth.
  • Now add more water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing well and scraping the sides (and cover!) between each addition, until the desired consistency is achieved.
  • Transfer your finished queso to a service bowl, garnish as desired and serve.
  • Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a few weeks. If you wish to slightly reheat your queso, pour it into a small saucepan and heat over low heat, adding a little bit of water to get to desired consistency.

Notes

This is a very small batch to make in a high-speed blender and as such, it will require that you stop and scrape the sides and cover of the container very often. If you can afford to make a double batch, by all means, go ahead and do it; It'll make your life so much easier!

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 458mg, Potassium: 283mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 196IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Mexican American
Author: Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

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