Best Vegan Queso (Quick + Easy Recipe) - The Simple Veganista (2024)

FAQs

How do you make queso dip not chunky? ›

If you're going thick and cheesy, use about 2 cups of cheese with ¼ cup milk alternative or water. For a thinner creamy sauce, use the same amount of cheese but add an extra ¼ cup of liquid (½ cup total).

Most importantly, cream cheese will also keep your queso smooth. Made from milk and cream, its high-fat content, soft consistency, and velvety texture complement the melted cheese, milk, diced tomatoes, and whatever seasonings and spices you choose to use to create a classic queso.

If the dip is too thick, add more milk; if it's too thin, add more cheese.

So maybe the internet is flooded with non-congealing warm cheese dips now! “The secret ingredient in this is evaporated milk. That's how this stays creamy – warm or cold.” This dip is made with evaporated milk which makes all the difference.

To make a thinner cheese dip, you can add more milk a little bit at a time until you reach the desired consistency. This is great scooped up with some tortilla chips, but it is also great for making nachos or burritos!

Queso fresco is available at some supermarkets and at Mexican grocers. Feta cheese makes a good substitute. Opt for a mild one if you can, or soak a block of feta in fresh water to tone down its tanginess. A young ricotta salata (firm Italian cheese sold at most supermarkets) will also work.

Making a slurry with cornstarch and cold milk is how you will thicken your queso. A traditional slurry is a 1:1 liquid to cornstarch ratio, but for our queso purposes I used 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of milk.

You may not need to add the milk; Velveeta can melt on the stove without it.

If you add the milk too quickly, use cold milk or simply don't whisk fast enough, you could get lumps in your sauce as bits of roux will cook and turn into small balls before they've had a chance to be smoothly blended into the milk.

Why do you put cornstarch in queso? ›

Cornstarch: Helps to thicken the queso sauce mixture to a perfectly dippable consistency. If you prefer a thinner consistency, skip the cornstarch at the start–but keep it on hand in case you need to thicken it later.

Why won't my cheese melt? There are many reasons, but the biggest is the moisture content. The moisture content of the cheese has a great effect on the melting process. Cheese that contains higher amounts of fat will melt better than one that doesn't.

If you're into a thinner dip, add the 1 1/2 cups to start out with, and after all the cheese is incorporated, if it's still too thick for you, slowly stir in another 1/4 cup (or more) of cream until it's thin enough for you.

If you don't want to use American cheese, you can achieve the same creamy, stabilized texture with the addition of cream cheese — which also has stabilizers added. Use whatever cheese you like (cheddar, Monterey Jack or other cheeses) and then add 2 ounces of cream cheese to the mix.

But most likely it's because the cheese was heated too quickly or too much, causing the protein to clump up. Suggestions: Melt with less heat. Use a double boiler (to reduce hot spots within the pan)

The curdles in a cheese sauce come as a result of overheating the proteins in the cheese, which causes them to separate from the fat and water content, per The Washington Post. Protein molecules bind together and form tight, chewy grains throughout the sauce, all while leaving an excess of oil and liquid around it.

Another option is to add a little lemon juice, which may help bring the curdled sauce back together. Pour in just a splash (around 1/2 teaspoon) of lemon juice and immediately start whisking the sauce vigorously [2].

Making a slurry with cornstarch and cold milk is how you will thicken your queso. A traditional slurry is a 1:1 liquid to cornstarch ratio, but for our queso purposes I used 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of milk.