Greetings! A few weeks ago, I was asked to create vegan, gluten-free, nut-free meals for a woman and her family of five. One of the trickiest recipes to make vegan and nut-free is cheese! Cashews and almonds are a staple in most plant-based cheeses! This one uses flour and is like a béchamel but with nutritional yeast and seasonings. I like this recipe because it can be as thick or as thin as you want.
If you want a dip, skip the stock, or at least don’t use as much of it. Use all the stock if you want it thin for a drizzle on enchiladas or nachos. It makes an excellent base for a broccoli cheddar soup, too! I like it atop my veggie scramble!
I made this gluten-free using a 1:1 gluten-free flour. If you have no aversions to regular wheat flour, go for it! I am one of the unlucky 5% of people with a true wheat allergy (like hay fever) and a gluten allergy. Gluten is a super sticky protein and very inflammatory for some of us.
I added green Tabasco to mine, and the dip was gone within a few hours! Green Tabasco is a milder version of regular Tabasco, and I use it on everything, including popcorn! Anyway, enjoy this recipe! It’s a good one! And, as always, when you make it, tag me and let me know how you liked it!
XOXO,
Steph
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Nut Free Vegan Queso
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20
- Yield: 4-6 cups 1x
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
I love this recipe and I think you will too! It is super good with a few dashes of green tabasco!
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp vegan butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 cloves)
- 4 Tbsp gluten free 1-1 all-purpose flour*
- 1 3/4 – 2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2 – 2 ½ cups vegetable stock
- 5 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 4 Tbsp mild green chilis (optional)
- 1 Tbsp green Tabasco
- ½ Tbsp maple syrup or organic cane sugar
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. Cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add flour 1 Tbsp at a time and whisk. (Don’t worry if it’s a little lumpy).
- Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in milk slowly. Stirring constantly.
- Add vegetable stock and whisk until smooth. Bring to a low boil.
- Add nutritional yeast, salt, cumin, chili powder, maple syrup, and green chilis, and tabasco, if using.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more nutritional yeast for extra cheesiness, salt or tabasco for savoriness, or sweetener for flavor balance.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes and fresh cilantro or pico de gallo. 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
*Makes a great Queso dip! You can use it in a crockpot but be sure to keep a cup of stock nearby so you can add to it as the dip may thicken with the heat.
Keywords: Queso, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, cheese