looking for the ultimate fall appetizer or snack? you need to try this pumpkin queso! it is completely vegan, filled with lots of flavor, and so perfect for those chilly fall nights. all you need are 7 ingredients and 20 minutes.
A few months ago I shared my version of Queso Blanco. It was so delicious, easy to make, and I knew I wanted to make a fall version of it. This pumpkin queso follows a similar way of making it but has a touch of sweetness from the pumpkin and spice from the vegan chorizo. I like to pair this with some oven baked tortilla chips but it also would really well in a chili, in a burrito or it would be fun for dipping veggies in. Either way this pumpkin queso is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it.
the ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree: this time of year it should be very easy to find canned pumpkin puree in the grocery store. You can usually find it in the seasonal end caps right now otherwise it will be in the baking section. Make sure you are getting pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie mix.
- Tapioca Flour/Starch: this ingredient is very important for creating a texture in the vegan queso. Tapioca flour/starch can be found online or in health food stores with the other flours.
- Nutritional Yeast: it will add in a cheesy flavor, umami, and nutrients. If you want to leave it out you can add in some miso paste.
- Salt: adds saltiness to our pumpkin queso.
- Non-Dairy Milk: this will help to make the vegan cheese in the beginning process and then thin it out to make it into a dip.
- Vegan Chorizo: for this recipe I used the Field Roast Mexican-style sausages, which I know they don’t call it chorizo but it is very similar. However, there are other brands that make vegan chorizo like Abbot’s Butcher, Trader Joe’s Soyrizo, Upton’s Natural, and others.
- Peptias: aka pumpkin seeds these add a nice garnish and a little bit of texture to the pumpkin queso. I like to buy the ones that are already roasted and salted.
making the vegan cheese
The first part of this recipe will be making a quick homemade vegan cheese. I promise it isn’t intimidating at all! All you need to do is whisk together non-dairy milk, nutritional yeast, salt, and tapioca flour. You will mix it until the tapioca flour is well incorporated and not clumpy. From there you will bring it to the stove and then whisk for 5 to 10 minutes over medium heat until it thickens. It is so simple to do and there you go, you just made a super quick vegan cheese to serve as the base of our recipe. You can use any non-dairy milk you like I prefer to use Ripple pea protein milk for everything.
how to turn the vegan cheese into pumpkin queso
Once you have made your vegan cheese it so easy to turn it into queso. You will need to add in more warm non-dairy milk, the pumpkin purée, and cooked vegan chorizo. I like to whisk it off the stove at first to get everything mixing together. From there you can then place it back on the stove over a low heat for a few minutes continuing to whisk. This will turn it into a thick beautiful pumpkin queso! It is best to enjoy this right away as once it starts to cool it will lose its viscosity.
vegan chorizo
When I first thought to make the pumpkin queso I was going to not use any vegan chorizo. I had seen online that most recipes for pumpkin queso contained chorizo. So, I figured I sort of had to use it. Luckily, there are so many brands out there now making vegan chorizo or vegan Mexican-style sausages. I use Field Roast for this recipe but I also really enjoy the Abbot’s Butcher vegan chorizo. The chorizo adds heat, spice, and texture to the pumpkin queso but it isn’t overbearing. I also like that it adds in a little bit of extra protein as well. If you want to leave it out you can but I do think that it is a very important addition that if you can include it, you should. It only takes a few extra minutes to just pan fry it, so it really doesn’t add too much work to the recipe.
more pumpkin recipes
why you’ll love this recipe
I think this recipe is truly great for anyone. It is nut and soy free so perfect for a gathering where people may have allergies. The pumpkin queso comes together very quickly and it is also great for reheating. I think it is one of those dishes that is so fun and seasonal people will love it. You can also really have fun with this and serve it in a little carved out pumpkin or pumpkin bowl for extra cuteness factor. This pumpkin queso will be perfect for a Halloween gathering, Thanksgiving Day or watching some Sunday football! I also feel that it is a recipe that non-vegans will enjoy too because the texture and flavor is amazing.
pumpkin queso Faq
- Is this recipe soy free? Depending on the vegan chorizo you use, yes.
- Is this recipe gluten free? The vegan chorizo most likely will not be gluten free. So if you need to make this gluten free, leave out the chorizo and add in some extra spices like red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder to incorporate more flavor.
- Is this recipe soy free? Yes.
- How long will this last in the fridge? 4 to 5 days.
- Can I freeze this? I think that would be fine. You may just need to add in some extra non-dairy milk after you heat it up if it is too thick.
- How do I warm this up? You can warm up the leftovers either in the microwave or a pot on the stove.
- Can I replace the tapioca starch? I personally do not encourage you to as it helps to give the proper texture to the pumpkin queso.
- How do you make oven baked chips? I like to use the Mission carb balance tortillas. All I do is cut 1 to 2 up into triangles. Line them up on a baking sheet. Add a bit of spray oil and seasonings like salt, paprika, garlic powder to the tortillas. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes or until golden and crispy.
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Pumpkin Queso (Nut Free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups non-dairy milk divided
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 Field Roast Mexican-style sausage *see note
- ⅛ cup pepitas for topping
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- In a small pan crumble the vegan chorizo (if it isn’t already crumbled) and cook according to package directions.
- In a pot whisk together 1 cup (240ml) non-dairy milk, tapioca flour, and salt. Whisk for about 30 seconds until smooth and well incorporated.
- On the stove cook over medium high heat for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened and bubbling, whisking continuously.
- In the microwave or in another small pan warm up the other cup of non-dairy milk. It doesn’t need to be boiling just warm like a hot shower. Pour that into the vegan cheese, along with the pumpkin purée and half of the cooked vegan chorizo. Mix until well incorporated and smooth.
- If you are struggling to get everything mixed together to form one smooth texture you can pop this back on the stove for 2 to 3 minutes over medium low heat and mix continuously.
- Taste and add in any more salt or seasonings to preference. Add into a bowl and top with remaining vegan chorizo and pepitas. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea.
- I used 1 Field Roast Mexican-style sausage which is about 3.2 ounces (92g), if you are using another type of vegan chorizo use the equivalent of 3.2 ounces (92g).
Nutrition
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This recipe looks so good. Can regular, chickpea or rice flour be used as as substitute?
Hi Astra, thank you so much! Unfortunately no, as I covered in the blog post it is a crucial ingredient. I am sorry.