Looking for great recipes to serve for the next Packers game? Lori Fredrich has rounded up some of her favorites, all of which are easy to prep and great for feeding a small crowd. Check out more recipes here.

Dairy-free Carrot Queso

This plant-based queso from Chef Mia Le Tendre of Strange Town is a crowd-pleaser, even among cheese lovers.

Unlike most vegan cheese sauces, this recipe is nut and soy-free. Even better, the starch from the russet potatoes assists in creating a gooey texture that makes the sauce nearly indecipherable from traditional nacho cheese. Keep a batch of this queso warm in a mini slow cooker and serve it up with a big bowl of tortilla chips.  The queso also makes a great sauce for nachos (or as an inclusion for a build-your-own nacho bar).

Pro-tip: Be sure to use bright orange carrots; they give the queso its cheesy color.

Find more recipes from local chefs in my new cookbook:  “Wisconsin Field to Fork: Farm Fresh Recipes from the Dairy State”

Makes: 4 cups 

Ingredients:
12 cups water
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 orange carrots, peels on, cut into 1-inch rounds
1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil, divided
1⁄4 cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
3⁄4 cup water
1⁄2 cup red onion, fine diced
1⁄2 cup poblano pepper, fine diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

Directions:
In a medium-sized saucepan, bring 12 cups of water to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots. Boil for 8–12 minutes, until both potatoes and carrots are tender. Drain. Blend cooked vegetables, 1⁄4 cup oil, nutritional yeast, vinegar, salt, and water in a high-speed blender, scraping the sides as needed. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can use a food processor, but the result will not be nearly as smooth. Set blended mixture aside.

In a heated skillet, sauté onion and poblano in 2 tablespoons of oil until soft. Add garlic, and sauté another 1–2 minutes until fragrant and everything begins to brown. Add cumin and paprika, and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and add the onion-poblano mixture to the blended carrot-potato mixture. Stir to incorporate. Taste for salt and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with tortilla chips.