I’m crazy for nachos, so this budget-friendly Nut-Free Oat Vegan Queso is my new favorite recipe!
This vegan queso is like magic; because it transforms oats, some spices, and a little organic cornstarch into a creamy cheesy sauce!
Nacho cheese, queso, or whatever you want to call it, is my favorite treat. I love the creamy consistency over vegan chili, air-fried tortilla chips, or even over burritos or enchiladas.
It’s so versatile. I really think my oat queso is the best vegan queso, it is beyond a doubt the easiest to make!
More Oat Recipes
Oats are indeed magic, and I even wrote a whole book of recipes for them, OATrageous Otameals.
The book is out of print, but you can still get copies through Virtual Vegfest, and if you leave a note, I will sign it for you!
My Steel Cut Oat Risotto uses sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms to bring the flavor.
And I use steel-cut oats to make my oat sausage crumbles that I use on pizzas, salads, and more. Curry Cashew Savory Granola is another great topping for salads.
Is queso vegan?
Queso actually means cheese, so most queso is not vegan.
With that said, most vegan restaurants have a vegan version of queso.
Does vegan queso contain nuts?
A lot of vegan queso recipes do contain cashews to make it extra creamy.
This recipe uses no cashews and gets its creaminess purely from rolled oats.
Are all oats gluten-free?
While oats don’t naturally contain any gluten, they are often cross-contaminated with gluten during harvest and processing.
If you eat gluten-free, like I do, just look for oats marked gluten-free.
What is vegan queso made of?
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup rolled oats – make sure the bag is marked gluten-free if you can’t have gluten
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast – this gives it its cheesy flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon organic cornstarch – this with the oats is what thickens the sauce up
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon jalapeno powder, optional but it makes it really good!
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or salt substitute
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon lactic acid – adds sharpness and is 100% vegan and gluten-free!
- Pinch dry mustard powder – adds a little extra sharpness
How to make oat vegan queso
It’s so easy to make this vegan cheese sauce and it takes less than 15 minutes start to finish.
Blender Cooking Method:
Blend all ingredients until smooth. If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec continue blending until thick – listening for the sound to change as a sign it’s thick.
Stovetop Cooking Method:
Don’t have a fancy blender? After it’s smooth, pour into a saucepan, cook over medium heat, whisking until it thickens.
The photos below show the stove-top method:
Add all the dry ingredients to your blender. I’m using the small container on my Ninja blender.
Blend until smooth. (Note if you use a high-speed blender just keep blending and it will thicken up from the heat the blender creates.)
Pour the blended oat mixture into a pan over medium-high heat. Whisk constantly so the bottom doesn’t burn, the oats will thicken and sink to the bottom as it cooks.
It will thicken in about 5 minutes or even less. I know it looks a little lumpy, but don’t worry. The next step will smooth things out.
Blend the cooked mixture to make it smooth. Hint: don’t wash your blender from the first blend, so you only have to wash it once!
How do you store queso
If you don’t eat all your queso, store in a container with a lid in the fridge. It should last for about 3 days.
Remember, you can always make a 1/2 recipe to make just what you need. Since it takes no time to make that’s the way I do it!
Can you reheat vegan oat cheese sauce?
You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. Either way, you will probably need to thin it out with some extra water or plain unsweetened nondairy milk.
Since the sauce will be thick, you will need to gently fold in the liquid as it heats. I recommend using a pan that’s larger than you think you need. That will minimize any splashing.
More queso & chili recipes:
If you aren’t a fan of oats you can try my potato queso: Vegan Torchy’s Queso Copycat Made with Potato and Homemade Rojo Sauce, my Instant Pot cauliflower queso, or my bean queso. They all make a fun dinner!
Queso pairs amazing with chili and the two together make an amazing dip! So try one of these:
- Lots of Beans and Grains Slow Cooker Chili
- Vegan Instant Pot Cranberry Bean, Millet and Bulgur Chili
- Vaquero Bean Tempeh Chili Recipe
And don’t forget a treat for your best friend: Pumpkin Cranberry Dog Cookies!
Nut-Free Oat Vegan Queso
If you are looking for a vegan queso that everyone can eat, you have found it! This is made with a based of gluten-free rolled oats, no nuts are used, and it's soy-free and oil-free too!
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon organic cornstarch or arrowroot
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or salt substitute
- 1/2 teaspoon jalapeno powder, optional but it makes it really good!
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon lactic acid
- Pinch dry mustard powder
Instructions
- Blender Cooking Method:
Blend all ingredients until smooth. If you have a high speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec continue blending until thick - listening for the sound to change as a sign it’s thick. - Stovetop Cooking Method:
Don’t have a fancy blender? After it’s smooth, pour into a saucepan, cook over medium heat, whisking until it thickens.
Notes
Note: if you cook until it’s too thick, add some more water. Also you can add more water to reheat later.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 104Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 290mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 4gSugar 0gProtein 8g
Nutrition information is provided from nutritionix.com as a close estimate. If you have specific health issues please put the recipe information, including the exact ingredients you use, into the nutritional calculator your Dr. recommends.
Morgan says
I want to make this, like, yesterday…. but I do not have any lactic acid. (I’ve only been vegan for 3 months… still building up my pantry.) Would a splash of vinegar do okay to make it a bit on the sour side?
Kathy Hester says
That would totally work!
Joann Lakes says
I added these various options to the recipe to add some different varieties. I use a Vitamix to make my sauce
Optional additions:
1/4 small onion, chunked
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup roasted red pepper
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice /ACV
1/2 teaspoon miso
.
Seasoning options:
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked paprika
3-4 drops of liquid smoke of choice
.
Protein/Creamy additions:
1/4 cup raw cashew or almond flour (or soaked nuts)
1/3 cup cooked white beans (any variety)
.
extra spices:
cayenne
hot sauce (I love it with Peri Peri sauce)
jalapeno, (pepper or juice)
sriracha sauce
The options are almost endless and the recipe is SOOOO EASY!!!!
Joann Lakes says
I’ve also added tapioca starch (2 to 3 teaspoons) instead of cornstarch or arrowroot and cooked the blended sauce on the stove to make a mozzarella sauce for SW pizza (premade crusts or toasted pita bread)
Maria C says
I just purchased a nut milk maker that has heat (Arcmira), would you be able to use the room temperature setting at first, then the warm setting? Would that cook it enough? Trying to avoid dirtying more cook ware.
Kathy Hester says
I would NOT make this recipe in your Arcmira. It gets too thick and may burn out the motor.