Making cheese dip with velveeta cheese and a can of Rotel is common place where I come from. Like every “taco” night include that queso. Every pot luck had it simmering away in a crock pot.
It is easy, and back in the day I thought it was delicious.
This vegan queso isn’ that…but it does have a can of Rotel in it, and it is delicious!
Rotel, diced tomatoes and chilies
If you are not familiar with Rotel, its basically just canned tomatoes and chilies. It comes in a variety of spicy heat levels, from mild to habaneros. So you can choose which level of spice you like!
I keep a few cans of rotel in my pantry mostly out of habit, but also because it is delicious and easily adds that spicy zip to queso, chili, enchiladas, and more! You could use a can of diced tomatoes and a small can of diced chilis if that is all you can find! It would work as well.
I make a lot of varieties of vegan queso, cashew being my base staple, and even already have a white “cheese” sunflower queso recipe on the site, but I wanted to make something more cheddar like, with some kick and some bite.
So I pulled out a can of Rotel and decide to use some sunflower seeds to make this vegan queso more affordable, allergy friendly, and super easy!
As much as I adore my original cashew queso recipe , I think this is a new family favorite. I like that it is a little spicier than my other quesos, but just as creamy, cheesy gooey, and delicious! Even my husband who normally isn’t a fan of spicy stuff, loved this queso….so if it’s Dave tested and approved, then trust me (errr him,) its good!!!
So give this vegan sunflower seed queso a try! I think you will be happy you did!
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, plus water for soaking
1 can of Rotel
1 Rotel cans worth of water (just fill the can after you dump out the tomatoes)
2 tablespoon tapioca starch
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons sauerkraut, no liquid (you can sub wit 2 teaspoons miso paste as well)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 and 1/2 teaspoons smoke paprika
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place sunflower seeds in a microwave safe container and cover with water. Microwave for 3 minutes. You can also soak the seeds in hot water for a few hours if you do not own a microwave.
Drain the water from the seeds. Add the seeds and remaining ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor .
Blend until completely smooth and liquefied, with no bits of seeds still visible.
Transfer the mixture to a medium sized pot and heat over med /low heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens to a queso consistency. Remove from heat once it has reached desired consistency. It will continue to thicken as it heats. if you get it too thick you can add a bit more water to thin it back out.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can reheat this queso a microwave, or on the stove top. Once again, if it seems too thick when you reheat, you can add a splash of water or plant milk to thin it back out.
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