During my time in college, my friends and I went to Carlos O’Kelly’s once a week to grab some margaritas and—most importantly—a heaping bowl of chips and queso. After going vegan, I thought those days were over. But I officially found the dreamiest, creamiest replacement—and it’s so much healthier than the real thing.
Jessica Bippen, MS, RD, the registered dietitian behind Nourished by Nutrition, has an endless supply of good-for-you recipes. Recently, though, she shared what might be my favorite one yet: a dairy-free queso.
“It’s insanely good. Both [my husband] Ben and I can’t get enough, and that says a lot because he loves cheese,” she wrote on Instagram. “The ingredient list may look slightly long, but it’s mostly spices. Plus, it couldn’t be easier to make. All your need is a stove to heat things up, as well as a blender.”
Unlike what you’ll find at a restaurant—aka something that’s loaded with cheese, butter, half-and-half, and other ingredients—this one gets its creaminess from a base of carrots, potatoes, and cashews. Then for the melt-in-your-mouth flavor, there’s spices like nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder.
After boiling your base for 10 minutes then blending it together with the rest of the ingredients, you’ll be left with a healthy cheeze sauce you can use as dip, drizzle over veggies, pile on your baked potatoes, and more. Carlos O’Kelly’s, who?
For the full recipe, head over to Nourished by Nutrition’s Instagram post.