In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I’ve decided to update this dairy-free cauliflower queso recipe. It’s a chef-created dip or sauce with delicious cheese-inspired flavor, creamy texture, and a spicy kick. You’ll love it with tortilla chips, dolloped on tacos or burritos, drizzled on Mexican-inspired bowls, and even as a key ingredient in cheesy enchiladas.
Dairy-Free Cauliflower Queso Recipe that’s Light & Creamy
This vegan cauliflower queso recipe was originally shared with us by McCormick, but was created by chef Kevin Vetter. He uses a unique combination of basic ingredients to create this delicious infusion of flavor that’s far lighter than your average cheese dip or cheesy sauce. We’ve got more details on the ingredients and options below.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Natural Ingredients: This is a whole food-based recipe!
- Full Flavor: The blend of spices creates a very well rounded taste.
- Special Diet Friendly: It suits almost any dietary need, including gluten-free, paleo, and keto.
- No Soaking Needed: The small amount of cashews in this recipe are cooked to make them soft.
- Low Fat: Cauliflower gives this vegan queso body while keeping it relatively light.
- Adjustable Spice: See the tips below for mild, medium, or hot queso.
- Versatility: Keep it thick for dipping or thin it to use as a dinner sauce.
Mild, Spicy, or Hot Cauliflower Queso
Chef Vetter uses a combination of fresh jalapeno, salsa, and hot sauce to give this dip well-rounded spice rather than just heat. If you want a milder dip, use mild salsa, skip the jalapeno, and add hot sauce only to taste. On the contrary, go ahead and use the whole jalapeno if you want more heat. If you don’t have all three ingredients on hand, feel free to omit, if needed, or use a little more of the other spicy ingredients to compensate.
More Ingredient FAQs
- Nutritional Yeast: Can I omit the nutritional yeast? If you don’t have any dietary issues with it, I would use the nutritional yeast. If you need to omit it, the sauce should still be tasty. It just won’t be quite as cheesy. If needed, add a little more salt for pungency.
- Coconut Milk: What is full-fat coconut milk? It is the regular coconut milk sold in cans. Don’t use lite canned coconut milk, and don’t use the drinkable type of coconut milk beverage sold in cartons.
- Coconut Milk: Do you have a coconut-free option? I would use cashew cream. For this recipe, that means increasing the cashews to about 1 1/3 cups, and adding 1 cup water, plus additional as needed.
- Cashews: What are raw cashews? Use plain unroasted and unsalted cashews.
- Cashews: Can you suggest a nut-free option? You can substitute sunflower seeds for the cashews. They will have a more prominent taste, but should still work.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Cauliflower Queso
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, vegan, and vegetarian. It also might suit some paleo and keto diets.
For soy-free, vegan cauliflower queso, use a soy-free miso. There are some made with barley, rice, or chickpeas.
Dairy-Free Cauliflower Queso
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and sauté until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the nutritional yeast, paprika, garlic, mustard, salt, cumin, and turmeric. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Stir in the coconut milk and miso paste until combined.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the cauliflower and cashews. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the salsa, vinegar, and hot sauce.
- Carefully transfer the cauliflower mixture into your blender. It will be hot. Remove the center piece from the lid to allow steam to escape, but hold a towel over it. Puree until the mixture is completely smooth. If it is too thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed.
- Taste and blend in more hot sauce, if needed, to reach your desired heat level.
- Optionally strain the vegan queso to remove any remaining chunks.
- Pour the dairy-free queso into a serving bowl and serve hot with tortilla chips. Or use it as a spicy cheese sauce on tacos, burritos, or Mexican-inspired bowls.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!More Recipe Notes: Dairy-Free Cauliflower Queso
Serving Suggestions
- Crudites: Serve carrots, celery sticks, cucumber, and yes, even blanched cauliflower for dipping in this queso.
- Nachos: Enjoy it as a simple dip with tortilla chips or dollop over nachos and optionally broil before serving.
- Burrito Bowls: Layer cooked rice, chicken or steak, sauteed vegetables, and fresh diced tomatoes. Then top with this dairy-free cauliflower queso.
- Enchiladas: Dollop it inside with the enchilada filling (and use regular enchilada sauce on top).
- Burritos: Skip the cheese and sour cream and use this thick sauce instead.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Time: For optimal freshness, make it no more than one to two days ahead.
- Store: It will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or you can freeze it.
- Defrost or Reheat: Whisk or blend it again before serving. It might separate a little, and will thicken as it cools. Reheating it will help it to thin out.
Also try our Dairy-Free Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe!
6 Comments
I added a can of diced green chilis.
I also found that this is best dipped with chips instead of a alternative cheese topping.
Thank you for sharing your feedback and tips Tracy!
Hello,
Can we use Sunflower Seeds instead of cashew’s? I have a few family members that have nut allergies.
You can, but I haven’t tested this and can’t guarantee the taste and consistency. Sunflower seeds tend to be more pronounced in flavor and not as creamy as cashews. Please let us know if you do try it!
Always pre-soak i.e. sprout your seeds and nuts before using in recipes. That should also help make the taste of sunflower seeds more mild.
The cashews are not soaked in this recipe because they are also used as a thickener. If you pre-soak, it will be thinner. I realize some people like to always pre-soak, but in terms of results, it depends on the recipe. This is a quick, no soak recipe.