A spicy Vegan Cheesy Dip with black beans recipe made with cashews, spices, and jalapeños. An easy plant-based appetizer for sharing! Gluten-free, too.
Hot, spicy, and cheesy. Intrigued? There's more. This easy dairy-free cheese dip recipe replicates that bean and cheese combination in such an addictive way.
The word "vegan cheese" may have you assume a bunch of strange ingredients are to follow.
But this vegan queso recipe incorporates easy ingredients for a taste and texture that mimics the real thing.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Cheesy flavor without the dairy
- Easy recipe
- Simple ingredients
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
Canned black beans - This pantry staple makes things easy. Here are some great black bean substitutes.
Minced garlic - You can use prepared or mince your own.
Yellow onion - Don't have a fresh onion? Substitute 1 tablespoon of onion powder or 3 tablespoons of dried onion flakes.
Tomato paste - Another great ingredient to have on hand in the pantry. You can also make your own tomato paste.
Jalapeños - Fresh jalapeños help spice things up. Feel free to substitute with canned or pickled jalapeños or diced green chiles.
Raw cashews - Unsalted and unroasted cashews are best.
Lemon juice - This fresh juice adds a little acid to the dip.
Olive oil - If you don't have olive oil on hand, substitute avocado oil.
Dijon mustard - The tanginess of this gluten-free mustard helps give that "real cheese" flavor.
Nutritional yeast - One of the secret ingredients in this vegan cheese dip. This gluten-free nutritional yeast adds both color and a tangy flavor.
Spices - Ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
Step-by-step instructions
Before you start: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 1: Place the cashews in a high-powered blender and cover with hot water. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes. Drain the cashews and return to the blender. Add remaining cheese sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.
Step 2: In a 10-inch cast iron or oven-proof skillet, add the onions, followed by the jalapeños and garlic, and cook for one minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients and red pepper, if using.
Step 3: Pour the cashew cheese sauce over the bean mixture and stir gently to incorporate.
Step 4: Place skillet in the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes. The top of the dip should start to turn golden.
Equipment
High-speed blender or food processor - Using one of these helps achieve a creamy texture (like in this vegan queso blanco!)
Ovenproof skillet - A 10-inch cast iron skillet or any kind of ovenproof skillet will work.
Helpful tips
- You can make the creamy vegan queso a day ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Give it a good stir before adding to the rest of the ingredients.
- This dip makes a great filling for vegetarian tacos or burrito bowls!
Storage
Keep any leftover black bean dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Serving suggestions
Serve this appetizer immediately with corn tortilla chips or soft tortillas. Other things to serve with this cheesy dip:
- Hot sauce
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado slices
- Guacamole
- Dairy-free sour cream
FAQs
The vegan queso in this recipe is made from a combination of cashews, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and spices.
This easy vegan queso dip recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Any type of salty tortilla chip or corn chip pair best with this bean dip.
Love a good bean dip? Then you should also check out Michelle's Instant Pot rice and beans!
More gluten-free appetizers
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Queso Black Bean Dip
Ingredients
Cashew Cheese Sauce
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup water
Black Bean Dip
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1-2 jalapeños, thinly sliced (seeded for less heat)
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2-14 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- pinch of cayenne (optional)
- ½ cup hot water
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Cashew Cheese Sauce
- Place the cashews in a blender and cover with hot water. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes. Drain the cashews and return to blender. Add lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and ¾ cup water.
- Blend until smooth. Set aside.
Black Bean Dip
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. In a 10-inch cast iron or oven-proof skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the jalapeños and garlic and cook for one minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste, black beans, cumin, paprika, cayenne (if using), and ½ cup hot water. Add a couple healthy pinches salt and pepper, or more to taste. Pour the cashew cheese sauce over the bean mixture and stir gently to incorporate.
- Place skillet in the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes. The top of the dip should start to turn golden. Serve immediately with chips or tortillas and hot sauce, if desired.
LAURA E CONANT
Seriously... This was SO delicious!!! My husband can't have tomatoes so I used a little pumpkin puree and added some coconut aminos and balsamic vinegar to give it a little umami. And left out the peppers. Otherwise, made it as is and will be making it again very soon. This is one of those recipes I will be thinking about all day in anticipation of dinner! Thank you!
Tessa
Thank you so much! That is awesome!
Joe LeRoy
Easy and delicious!
Tessa
Glad you enjoyed it!!