Gochujang Queso: Why This Recipe Works
I’ve made a vegan queso blanco before, and I love its creamy and rich texture. After I watched a show on Food Network that featured Roy Choi, I was so inspired. His story, his passion for cooking and altogether unique vision pulled me in.
A few days later, I was making a batch of vegan queso. I had purchased a tub of gochujang after seeing Chef Choi use it. What would happen if I combined them together? I scooped up a generous amount of the thick red paste. I whisked it into the steaming hot vegan queso which instantly created a bright neon orange sauce.
This gochujang queso is a nicely balanced dip that clings beautifully onto tortilla chips or drizzled over quesadillas. It delivers a spicy kick of heat that’s tempered by the richness of the vegan queso, and adds the perfect amount of umami flavor.
More On Vegan Queso
A couple of years ago I made a vegan quesco blanco dip with full-fat coconut milk and coconut vinegar, with tapioca flour added for stretch. It was startlingly similar in texture and flavor to the dairy-based version I used to eat years ago and missed. Since then, I’ve drizzled it over sweet potato quesadillas or scooped it up with tortilla chips, and it’s fantastic.
How To Serve This Gochujang Queso
Here I’ve combined mashed sweet potato and crushed peanuts with kidney beans and corn, and finished with some crispy sauteed shallot rings, quartered cherry tomatoes, scallions and fresh cilantro. A drizzle of the gochujang queso adds a tiny smack of heat that pleasantly builds without burning out your taste buds.
More Ways To Use This Gochujang Sauce
If you love gooey vegan cheese dip and the taste of gochujang, you’ll love this! Here are a few recipes that you can use it with:
- Serve with this Tortilla Wrap. Drizzle it inside or use it as a dip!
- Make these Chickpea Tacos and swap out the buffalo sauce for this gochujang sauce.
- Make these Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas, and serve this sauce on the side.
- If you are serving a crowd, this Vegan Salsa Con Queso is another great vegan dipping option. Charred red bell pepper, onion, jalapeno and garlic all combine to make a fantastic dip!
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Gochujang Queso
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/2 cup queso
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This gochujang queso combines a vegan queso with gochujang, a spicy Korean paste. It’s delicious served with quesadillas, drizzled over nachos or as a dip. It has a rich, deep, umami flavor that super delicious and addictive!
Ingredients
for the gochujang queso
- 1 recipe vegan queso dip
- 1/4 cup gochuchang
for the quesadillas (also tastes great with tortilla chips)
- 3–4 cups cubes sweet potato
- 1 cup kidney or black beans, rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 tsp olive or canola oil
- 2 shallots, sliced into thin rings
- 4 large soft tortillas
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup crushed peanuts
- 1–2 scallions, chopped
- handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
- handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered
- lime wedges, optional
- vegan sour cream, optional
Instructions
First, prepare the vegan queso
- If you like spicy, add in 1/4 cup of the gochujang and add more as desired, whisking until smooth. If you are not sure, start by adding one tablespoon, adding more as desired. Cover and set aside or place into a small crockpot to keep warm.
To prepare the quesadillas
- Place the cubed sweet potato into a steamer basket. Add a few inches of water into the bottom. Cover and steam over medium-high heat until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Place the kidney beans and corn into a skillet and give them a little saute over medium heat until warm, then transfer to a bowl. Add the oil to the same pan and throw in the shallots. Saute until golden and slightly crispy, then remove from the heat. You can just leave them in the pan.
- Mash the sweet potato. Lay two soft tortillas onto two plates, and distribute the sweet potato evenly over the top. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, then sprinkle the crushed peanuts over the top. Next, add the kidney beans and corn, then the crispy shallots, scallions, cilantro and tomato.
- Place the remaining two tortillas over the tops, press down slightly, then cut each into four pieces using a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Serve immediately with the gochujang queso and, if desired, the vegan sour cream and lime wedges.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Steamed, Sautéed
- Cuisine: Mexican, Korean, American
