This Creamy Cauliflower Queso Dip is completely dairy- and nut-free! It’s perfect for chip dipping or drizzling over nachos.
For some reason, my days are really off this week. I meant to have this Creamy Cauliflower Queso Dip post up early this morning, but it wasn’t until I was in bed last night that I remembered today is Thursday. Not sure where the week has gone!
But it’s here now, and I think you are going to enjoy it! I’ve made a ton of cashew-based “cheese” sauces in the past that I love, but I wanted to experiment with making one with cauliflower so it would be nut-free and have much less fat.
I do eat nuts, but I see a lot of comments on cashew-based cream sauces from people saying they can’t eat cashews and are looking for a substitute. That’s where this Creamy Cauliflower Queso Dip comes in! If you use nut-free, non-dairy milk, it’s completely nut-free and still so creamy and delicious!
Cauliflower Queso Recipe Ingredients
- Cauliflower – I used a yellow cauliflower, which I cut into florets. The dip does have a slightly sharp cauliflower taste, so if you really hate cauliflower, this queso dip might not be for you. But I don’t find it off-putting, and my husband even enjoyed this dip, so I say that’s a win. 🙂 It’s flavored with many other delicious spices, so the cauliflower taste isn’t too potent. I also used yellow cauliflower for this recipe, which is slightly milder in flavor than the white kind.
- Non-dairy milk – Any unsweetened non-dairy milk will do, but make sure it’s nut-free if necessary.
- Vegan butter – 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- Nutritional yeast – Nutritional yeast gives this queso its nice, cheesy flavor.
- Spices – This recipe calls for ground cumin, granulated garlic, chili powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Rotel – I used a 1/2 cup Rotel, but this is an optional ingredient.
- Optional toppings – Tomato, onion, cilantro, etc.
- Steam cauliflower florets until fork-tender.
- Add cauliflower, milk, butter, nutritional yeast, and all the spices to a blender and blend until creamy.
- Pour into a bowl and mix in Rotel if desired. Garnish with your favorite garnish and enjoy with chips!
Creamy Cauliflower Queso Dip Recipe Tips
- I used a yellow cauliflower for my recipe. It’s slightly milder in taste and helps give it a nice yellowish queso color, but you can use a regular white cauliflower if you can’t find the yellow one.
- If making it nut-free, make sure to use a nut-free milk in the recipe.
- Creamy Cauliflower Queso dip is best served warm, and if it’s been sitting, it may need to be stirred a bit before serving.
- I used a little bit of Rotel in my dip to give it a nice kick, but you could leave it out if you want your queso to be milder tasting.
Have a question about this recipe? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Vegan or Vegetarian Dip Ideas?
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See Exactly How I Make This Vegan Queso Here:
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Creamy Cauliflower Queso Dip
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
This Creamy Cauliflower Queso Dip is completely vegan and nut free! It’s creamy and flavorful and perfect for chip dipping!
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized yellow cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, make sure it’s nut free if necessary
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more if you like
- 1/2 cup rotel, optional
- Optional toppings: tomato, onion, cilantro
Instructions
- Steam cauliflower florets until fork tender.
- Add cauliflower, milk, butter, nutritional yeast and all the spices to a blender and blend until creamy.
- Pour into a bowl and mix in rotel, if desired. Garnish with your favorite garnish and enjoy with chips!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dip, Gluten Free, Vegan
- Cuisine: American
Oh my gosh, I’m so excited to see that I can make this recipe!! I’m allergic to raw cashews, so unfortunately cashew creams and cheeses are out for me, as for so many others, but I have the added whammy of being allergic to raw cauliflower, as well!! So sad. When I saw the cauliflower was steamed, I literally squealed with joy! I cannot wait to make this!
Thanks for thinking of those of us with nut allergies; I cannot wait to try this!
I’m so glad you are able to make this recipe too! There are so many cashew based vegan cream sauces that I thought it would be nice to make one out of cauliflower! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I’m actually really excited to make this! Thanks for the recipe!
Yah! I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Hi, this looks amazing! We can’t get rotel in Canada. Any substations you could recommend?
You can use any chunky salsa that you like, or add canned green chiles to canned chopped tomatoes if the chiles are available. I actually live in New Mexico, so I can get green chile 24/7, and the canned ones are nationwide now, but I don’t know what you have at the grocers in Canada. But the chunky salsa will certainly do the trick.
Yup!
Yes, a chunky salsa would work great too!
I live in Canada and found Rotel at Safeway.