Vegan Queso Blanco
While I’ve never been a huge dairy eater, there are a few dairy-based goods on my list that I consider essentials to a well-rounded diet. {Ok, not essential. But absolutely delicious!}
1. Goat cheese. Any form, any flavor.
2. Greek Yogurt, especially with honey.
3. Queso Blanco, the ultimate Mexican cheese dip.
Well, whatever little dairy eating I did do has completely gone out the window. My 11 month old {gasp!} 1 year old {!!} son is allergic to dairy, soy, and a handful of other delicious foods. Because I’m nursing him, that means those foods are off limits to me. Most of the time I’m pretty grown up about the whole ordeal- I don’t complain and I don’t really miss those three delicious dairy favorites above. It’s a lot easier to handle something maturely when it’s for your child.
But then there are days. Days where I’m all “woe is me” and “this sucks” and “damn it I just want some cheese dip”.
Nachos with cheese dip are kind of a tradition around these parts. When the husband and I first moved to the area, we lived in a tiny apartment across the street from a shopping center. In true young newlywed fashion, we were totally broke, jobless, and more than pinching our pennies. Every once in a while, as a special celebration, we’d treat ourselves to our favorite Mexican takeout from the shopping center. Eventually it became a Sunday tradition: football and nachos smothered in heavenly queso blanco. But remember I said we were broke? We compromised by concocting our own nacho monstrosities, complete with beer-laced gooey cheese dip.
Five years and a child later, we still have our Sunday tradition. For awhile we skipped over it, but there’s just something about sticking with those early marriage traditions. At first I just skipped the dip part, but I was seriously missing out. Until I came up with this gem of a dip: a dairy free {and completely vegan and soy free} queso blanco dip. Dairy-free cheese dip? Say it isn’t so.
Vegan Queso Blanco {Dairy Free}
Ingredients
- 1 cup Silk Pure Almond Unsweetened Original
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup dark Mexican beer (or sub vegetable broth or additional milk)
- 1/2 jalapeno, diced
- ¼ cup white onion, minced
- ½ tsp smoked cumin
- ¼ tsp lime juice
- 1 cup vegan/dairy free mozzarella cheese (such as Daiya)
- Whole grain corn tortilla chips or sliced veggies (for dipping)
Instructions
Sauté onion and jalapeno in a small saucepan over medium heat until the onion starts to brown, about 3-5 minutes.
Stir in almond milk and cornstarch until well combined.
Whisk occasionally until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
Whisk in beer, cumin, or lime juice.
Add in vegan cheese. Stir thoroughly until cheese melts and forms a smooth mixture. Add more cheese for a thicker dip; less for a more pourable cheese (to top nachos, etc.).
This dairy free cheese dip is only 107 calories per serving- a 15 calorie savings over skim milk and a vast improvement over traditional restaurant-style Mexican queso blanco!
This dip also tastes great with Pepper Jack style vegan cheese instead of mozzarella, especially when served over black bean smothered nachos. The beer provides a rich and intense depth of flavor and gives you a great excuse to finish the rest of the bottle with your dip! Feel free to use vegetable broth or additional almond milk if you prefer to not to use beer.
This recipe was developed for Silk for a Fitfluential campaign. You can find other great recipes using Silk Pure Almond on their Facebook page.
Click here for more Gluten Free Dairy Free Recipes that won’t leave you trapped in the kitchen for hours or hunting down a million bizarre ingredients.
