# Vegan Queso Dips This Creamy Eggplant Dip is Free from Dairy, Gluten, Soy and Cashews By Katherine Pendrill | Published 2015-07-02 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vegan-queso References: [minimalistbaker](http://minimalistbaker.com/cashew-less-vegan-queso/) The 'Minimalist Baker' blog has developed a delicious recipe for creamy vegan queso. While this classic Spanish dish is traditionally made from cheese and chili peppers, the vegan version is entirely free from dairy, gluten, soy and cashews To whip up a batch of vegan queso, you will need eggplants, almond milk, olive oil, nutritional yeast, fresh garlic, cumin, chili powder, cornstarch and some chunky salsa. Begin by drying out your eggplants in order to remove a bit of the moisture and bitterness. Then broil the eggplants in the oven until they are tender and golden brown. Peel the skin from the eggplants and then toss them in a blender with your other ingredients. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and heat until tick and bubbly. Finally, serve your queso warm with a side of chips, crackers or veggies. To kick your vegan queso up a notch, you can also add smoked paprika and hot sauce for an added dose of spice. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.3/10 - Popularity: 59% | Activity: 62% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Vegan Queso Alternatives:** Opportunity for developing new vegan queso recipes using ingredients like eggplants, almond milk, cashews and nutritional yeast. - **Dairy-free Food Products:** Opportunity for developing dairy-free alternatives of traditional food products for lactose intolerant and vegan consumers. - **Plant-based Dip Options:** Opportunity for creating new plant-based dip options using ingredients like eggplants, nutritional yeast and cashews for consumers looking for healthier and allergy-free alternatives to traditional dips. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Food and Beverage Industry:** Developing vegan and dairy-free food products and dipping options for lactose intolerant and vegan consumers looking for alternatives. - **Health and Wellness Industry:** Creating healthier and allergy-free food options for the health and wellness conscious consumers. - **Plant-based Industry:** Developing new plant-based alternatives for traditional food products including dips and sauces using ingredients like eggplants, almond milk and nutritional yeast. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Cheesy Dairy-Free Quesos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plantbased-queso.md) - [Dairy-Free Sour Cream Dips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sour-cream-and-onion-dip.md) - [Organic Vegan Nacho Dips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/organic-vegan-nacho-dip.md) - [Fermented Vegan Cashew Dips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/creamy-cashew-dips.md) - [Tangy Eggplant Dips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/garlic-eggplant-dip.md) - [Dairy-Free Mexican Cuisine Cheeses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mexican-4-cheeze-style-blend-shreds.md) - [Vegan-Friendly Buffalo Dips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vegan-buffalo-style-dip.md) - [Smoky Almond Butter Dips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/almond-chipotle-dip.md) - [Chickpea-Based Cheese Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cheeze-blocks.md)