This plant-forward queso is perfect to serve at your next get together or Tex-Mex feast, smothered over a burrito or scooped up with chips. When we made this queso, we wanted to be sure to give it an extra kick of richness, which is what makes it so irresistible in the first place. That golden color? Butternut squash. It doubles up here, giving the queso a silky texture and the oh-so-queso-ey color.
Ingredients
2 C butternut squash (or carrots or sweet potatoes)
1.5 C raw cashews, soaked for at least an hour, drained
1/4 C garlic cloves (about 8-10)
1 T coarse salt (we like Jacobsen’s Sea Salt)
2 T rice vinegar
1 T white miso
1 T nutritional yeast (hippy fish food)
1 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/4 t white pepper
1/2 sliced jalapeño (red or green)
1/2 t coarse salt
1/2 t smoked paprika
3/4 C almond milk
1/4 C canned or fresh and cooked hatch chili
garnish options
1 jalapeno, sliced thin
fresh cilantro sprigs
drizzle of sriracha
Instructions
In small saucepan, add butternut squash, cashews, garlic and 1 tablespoon salt. Add enough water to cover, then bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat until tender. Remove from heat to cool, then drain and add mixture to a high-speed blender.
Add in remaining ingredients (except hatch chili) and blend for 3-4 minutes until wicked smooth, then add hatch chili and pulse for 5 sec to incorporate and still leave it chunky.
To make this, you’re going to need a high-speed blender to achieve that ultimate smooth and velvety texture. Start on low speed, then work your way up to high. If you don’t like or have access to butternut squash, you can also use carrots or sweet potatoes if you like. In 10 minutes, you’ll have a wicked delicious queso that will blow your mind and taste buds!
