Ingredients
3large carrots
1small white or yellow onionchopped
4clovesgarlicpressed or minced
1 ½tspextra-virgin olive oil
1 cupraw cashewssoaked for at least 2 hours if not using a Vitamix or Blendtec blender (see notes for quicker alternatives)
1 ¼cupvegetable broth
4tbspnutritional yeast flakesto taste
3tbspadobo saucefrom canned chipotle peppers
½tspground cumin
½tspsalt, more to taste
freshly ground black pepperto taste
1can small green chilisdrained
2tbspfinely chopped pickled jalapeño peppersoptional, for a vinegary kick
Big handful cherry tomatoeschopped
Handful chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
Warm the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the chopped carrots, onions, garlic, and a dash of salt.
Cook, stirring often until the onions are translucent and the carrots are tender around 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a blender, combine the cashews, vegetable broth, and carrot-onion mixture.
Add nutritional yeast, adobo sauce, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree the mixture until it is completely smooth.
Taste and adjust as necessary—add more nutritional yeast for more cheesy flavor and more adobo sauce for more heat. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and blend again.
Next, warm the queso, either by using a blender until it’s sufficiently heated or by pouring the queso back into the pot and warming it over medium heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through.
Stir the drained green chilis and optional chopped jalapeños into the mixture.
Pour it into a serving bowl and top with chopped cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and more jalapeños. Dig in!
