Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (2024)

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This tofu queso recipe is a creamy and flavorful sauce that is ready in 5 minutes in a blender. A rich and cheese sauce that is vegan and gluten free.

Great for nachos, burritos, or just as a party dip for tortilla chips. Blend all the ingredients together and fiesta forever!

Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (1)

This tofu queso recipe saved our party last weekend, and was a huge hit for everyone! It’s creamy, tasty, and perfectly spiced.

This Tofu Queso Recipe Is:

  • Creamy
  • Cheesy
  • A Little Spicy
  • Loaded with Flavor
  • Bright
  • Fresh
  • Made in the Blender
  • Vegan, Gluten Free, and Dairy Free
Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (2)

A Great Last Minute Vegan Dip Recipe – with Pantry Ingredients

This tofu queso recipe is a fantastic pantry-staple dip! It uses almost all ingredients you would have in your dry pantry or cupboards – most of which you probably have on hand. Keeping a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to come up with delicious meals using a few staples you can rotate.

I made a list of my Top 125 Plant-Based Pantry Staples that always keep stocked. By stocking up on whole ingredients you can cook delicious recipes without a trip to the store!

Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (3)

What’s In Tofu Queso Dip?

See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

  • Silken Tofu
  • Nutritional Yeast: not to be confused with bread baking yeast, nutritional yeast has a cheesy nutty umami flavor which is great in all kinds of dishes – I even sprinkle it on fresh popped pop corn and WOW! Also great in soups and sauces of all kinds.
  • Garlic
  • Jalapenos: if you don’t have fresh jalapenos, these jarred sliced jalapenos are a fantastic addition to the dip! I use these in a pinch, they’re great to keep a jar or two in the pantry.
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Garlic Powder: Also a major pantry staple ingredient that gets used in our house daily! I love this garlic powder and add it to a lot of recipes that I would use fresh garlic in too.
  • Smoked Paprika: give an additional depth of flavor to this dish.
  • Cumin: also adds a really nice flavor to this recipe – cumin has a lightly smokey flavor found in a lot of chili recipes.
  • Lime Juice
Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (4)

Is This Vegan Queso Authentic?

For the record, in no way is this a real authentic “queso” dip. Queso means cheese in Spanish, and since this dip has no real cheese in it, I borrowed the mere concept of queso to adapt it and make it vegan. The result is a creamy, spicy, cheesy-tasting dip that is 100% plant-based, but in no way part of traditional Mexican cuisine.

If you are looking for a real cheese queso recipe, here is one I found online from a group of local Mexican restaurants by us. They vouch that it is authentic Mexican queso dip, so sharing it here!

Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (5)

How Do I Make Queso with Tofu?

  1. Add all of the below ingredients to a blender, and blend well to combine, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Transfer sauce to a serving bowl, and top with extra paprika or cilantro for a garnish.
  3. Enjoy it as a dip, a sauce, or add it to your next burrito!

Other Tofu Dips and Sauces You’ll Love!

Vegan Boom Boom Sauce Recipe (Dairy Free, High Protein, Low Sodium)

Vegan Garlic Sauce For Falafel, Kebab, and Shawarma Recipe

Tofu Mayo Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Egg Free)

Tzatziki Sauce with Tofu Recipe (Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free)

Tofu Sour Cream Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (6)

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Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (7)

Tofu Queso

Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (8)Kelly Jensen

This tofu queso recipe is a creamy and flavorful sauce that is ready in 5 minutes in a blender. A rich and cheese sauce that is vegan and gluten free. Great for nachos, burritos, or just as a party dip for tortilla chips. Blend all the ingredients together and fiesta forever!

5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Condiment, Dip, Sauce

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 8 servings

Calories 64 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 12 ounce block tofu
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 jalapeno seeded
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 lime juiced
  • Paprika for garnish

Instructions

  • Add all of the below ingredients to a blender, and blend well to combine, about 1 to 2 minutes.

  • Transfer sauce to a serving bowl, and top with extra paprika or cilantro for a garnish.

  • Enjoy it as a dip, a sauce, or add it to your next burrito!

Nutrition

Calories: 64kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 124mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 40IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below, let us know what you loved about it!

This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn from qualifying purchases from affiliate programs, at no additional cost to you. Please read ourprivacy policyfor more information.

About the Author: Kelly Jensen

Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (9)

Kelly Jensen has 7 years experience as a food blogger, freelance recipe developer, content creator, beekeeper, and loves cooking everything she can from scratch.

View all post by Kelly Jensen | Website

Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan queso made of? ›

Rich, tangy, gooey, and spicy vegan nacho cheese made with toasted cashews and puréed potatoes provides the creamy base. Crispy, pan-fried vegan chorizo gives the dip some meaty texture. You can use either a can of Ro*Tel tomatoes or diced tomatoes and a can of chopped chiles.

Is tofu dairy free cheese? ›

It can be regular high-protein food on your table. Myth: Tofu is a cheese. Fact: Tofu is sometimes called soy cheese because, like dairy cheeses, it's made with the use of a coagulant, or curdling agent, soybeans and water, but it's not a dairy-based cheese.

What is a good alternative to tofu for soy allergies? ›

The most common recipe for soy-free tofu is chickpea flour-based Shan tofu. Chickpea flour is simply finely ground dried chickpeas, and, thanks to its use in gluten-free baking, it is now fairly easy to find in grocery stores.

Can I use extra-firm tofu instead of silken tofu? ›

Both silken and regular tofu can be found in soft, medium, firm, and extra-firm consistencies. They are made with the same ingredients, but they are processed slightly differently and are not interchangeable in a recipe.

What are three dominant ingredients in vegan cheese? ›

Ingredients Used in Vegan Cheese
  • Nutritional Yeast: It is a deactivated yeast rich in B vitamins and has a slightly cheesy flavor. ...
  • Agar Agar: This is a gelling agent made from seaweed. ...
  • Tapioca Starch: Tapioca starch is a starchy flour made from cassava root. ...
  • Coconut Oil: This is a plant-based oil high in saturated fats.
Mar 30, 2023

What can I use instead of dairy in tofu? ›

But you can also puree a package of tofu in the blender with a cup and a half of water the create a high-protein, low-fat milk substitute for use in recipes.

Is tofu gluten-free and dairy free? ›

Yes, plain tofu is generally considered to be safe for those with gluten intolerances to eat, as the beancurd contains no glutenous grains. However, flavoured tofu such as sweet chilli or smoky tofu may not be suitable, as it may be marinated with soy sauce which is not gluten-free.

Which allergy is commonly found in tofu? ›

People with a soy allergy should not consume soy milk, soy yogurt or ice cream, edamame, miso, tempeh and tofu. Most individuals allergic to soy can safely consume highly refined soybean oil. Ask your allergist about avoiding this ingredient.

Why am I allergic to soy milk but not tofu? ›

On the other hands, patients with secondary soy allergy in adults, who have allergic reactions exclusively to soy milk, but not to tofu, are predominantly sensitized to Gly m 4 (PR-10), possibly due to the cross-reactive pollen allergens.

What allergens are in tofu? ›

Soy is considered a priority food allergen by Health Canada. Priority food allergens are the foods that cause the majority of allergic reactions. Soy comes from soybeans, a type of legume. Soybeans can be made into flour, soy milk, tofu, oil, and other products.

What's the difference between tofu and silken tofu? ›

Silken tofu is softer and—unsurprisingly—has a more silken texture. It is great to use in soups and pureed in sauces, salad dressings, and desserts. “Regular” tofu—firm and extra firm—are best used in stir fries, casseroles, and heartier stews.

What is the difference between firm tofu and tofu? ›

The texture is determined by the water content in the tofu. The more water, the softer or 'silkier' the tofu; with less water, the tofu is firmer. Tofu is categorized as silken, regular, firm, extra-firm and super-firm. Silken, the softest type of tofu, can be compared to a young white cheese.

What is a substitute for firm silken tofu? ›

If the recipe calls for silken tofu (soft tofu), you can try using yogurt. If a firm or extra firm tofu is being used in a recipe, you could try mashed beans or chickpeas, lean meat, lean fish, and seafood (as a protein source) would work well. It is very important to get animal and plant-based protein with food.

Is vegan queso healthy? ›

Some of the more processed types of vegan cheese contain large amounts of refined oils, preservatives, color additives and sodium while being mostly void of substantial nutritional value. In general, foods like this should be consumed minimally, if at all.

Is plant-based queso vegan? ›

Raw cashews blend up so creamy and are the perfect flavorful base for recipes like plant-based milk, vegan sour cream, dairy-free cashew cream, and yes, vegan queso dip.

What is queso usually made of? ›

Classic Queso Dip: This is the basic and most common type of queso dip, made from melted cheese (such as cheddar or Monterey Jack) mixed with milk, cream, or other dairy ingredients. It's often seasoned with spices and sometimes diced tomatoes or green chilies for added flavor.

Is vegan cheese technically cheese? ›

Vegan cheese is a category of non-dairy, plant-based cheese analogues. Vegan cheeses range from soft fresh cheeses to aged and cultured hard grateable cheeses like plant-based Parmesan. The defining characteristic of vegan cheese is the exclusion of all animal products.

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