Vegan Queso Dip

by Steph Sunshine at StephSunshine.com

Yield10 servings

Prep Time25 minutes

Cook Time10 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butternut squash, diced (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/4 cup carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4" pieces
  • 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tbsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. mustard powder (dry mustard)
  • 1/2 cup tomato, diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced
  • tortilla chips, for serving
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Instructions

  1. Boil butternut squash and carrots until fork-tender, about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and drain.
  2. While the vegetables are cooking, blend cashews and water in a blender for 2-4 minutes, until smooth. Then add cooked squash and carrots, along with the tomato paste, and continue blending until smooth and well-combined.
  3. Add nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and mustard powder and blend until well-combined.
  4. Transfer the dip to a medium saucepan, then stir in tomato, corn kernels, and jalapeño. Heat the dip on low heat and continue stirring until the dip is warm, then remove from heat. (You can also add water to the dip if it gets too thick). Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Notes & Hints

Be sure to stir continuously while heating the dip; if you don't, the cashews may burn.

Soak your cashews in water for 2 hours, or boil for 10 minutes. Soaking your cashews is not necessary if you have a high-powered blender.

Make ahead: You can prepare this recipe a day in advance, just skip heating it up. Mix the veggies in and refrigerate, then heat when you're ready to serve it!

Leftovers: Reheat in a saucepan on low to medium-low heat, stirring regularly. You may need to add a splash of water if it gets too thick.

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