I love cheese, but it doesn’t love me back! I can tolerate a little dairy once in a while, so I guess I’m lucky in that I’m not actually allergic to it, but I’m not a fan of the inflammation, achy joints, and weight gain it causes for me, so I try to avoid it as much as I can. But… cheese! What’s a Wisconsin girl to do?
Quite frankly some of the dairy free “cheeses” on the market either leave a lot to be desired in terms of taste or texture, or they use crappy ingredients like soy or canola oil!
I like simple, easy recipes, so when I found that blending up cashews with coconut milk can make a smooth creamy base for a lot of yummy things, I had to use it to create cheese sauce! In addition to cashews and coconut milk, is nutritional yeast and a bit of seasoning. That’s it! You can also add diced green chilis or diced tomatoes for a chunky queso. This dairy free queso is also low in carbs, making it keto friendly!
For a super smooth and creamy sauce, I do recommend a high-power blender like a Blendtec.
Equipment
High Powered Blender like a, Vitamix, Nutri Ninja, or Blendtec*
*I have a Blendtec and it worked great for making this sauce super smooth. I love my Blendtec and highly recommend. I haven’t tried the Vitamix or Nutri Ninja, so I can’t comment on their performance.
Ingredients
1 c. Organic raw cashews**
1 can Full fat coconut milk (I used Thai Kitchen organic)
4 tbsp. Nutritional yeast
1-1/2 tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Garlic powder
¼ tsp. Onion powder
Pinch Cayenne powder
Diced green chilis and /or diced tomatoes (optional)
Directions
Soak cashews for about 2 hours. You can get away with soaking for less time, but you will get a smoother sauce if the cashew are soaked
Drain the cashews and place in blender with rest of ingredients. Blend until very smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). I use the smoothie button on my Blendtec.
Pour into a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat. Add diced green chilis and/or tomatoes if using.
Serve with tortilla chips or on your favorite Mexican dish. Makes about 2 cups of Queso.
Once chilled, the thickened sauce also makes a great “cheese” dip for crackers.
** Make sure your cashews are raw and unsalted, with no additional ingredients
Macros for one serving (1/4 c)
Calories: 155
Fat: 7g
Protein: 5g
Carbs: 7g
Fiber: 2g
Net carbs: 5g
Dairy Free Queso
Ingredients
- 1 c. Organic raw cashews
- 1 can. Full fat coconut milk
- 4 tbsp. Nutritional yeast
- 1-1/2 tsp. Salt
- ¼ tsp. Garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. Onion powder
- ¼ –1/2 tsp. Chili powder
- Pinch Cayenne powder
- Diced green chilis and /or diced tomatoes optional
Instructions
- Soak cashews for about 2 hours. You can get away with soaking for less time, but you will get a smoother sauce if the cashew are soaked
- Drain the cashews and place in blender with rest of ingredients. Blend until very smooth and creamy. I use the smoothie button on my Blendtec.
- Pour into a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat. Add diced green chilis and/or tomatoes if using.
- Serve with tortilla chips or on your favorite Mexican dish. Makes about 2 cups of Queso.
- Once chilled, the thickened sauce also makes a great “cheese” dip for crackers.
Notes
After you’ve tried the recipe, share your pics! Tag me on Instagram @cindy.hilliard.nutrition
Try my other dairy free recipes
Broccoli “Cheese” Soup
Poblano “Cream” Sauce
Keto Potato Salad
Keto Key Lime Pie Bars
Keto Pumpkin Spice Latte Bars
All content on CindyHilliard.com is for information purposes only and is not to be used in place of medical advice or treatment. Always seek the care of a medical professional if you have health concerns.
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