Cheese-Free Queso

I would never guess that this queso had absolutely zero cheese in it. Totally amazing! Give it a try.

This recipe starts with half an egg plant. Simply slice it into rounds, salt them, and place them in a strainer to pull out some of the moisture from them.

Pat dry with a paper towel. (I do not rinse because I figure that will just put back in moisture I worked so hard to remove. )

I spray once side with oil and place that side down on my air fryer rack, which is a bit different than how Dana does it, since I have it available and spray the other side too.

I then air bake it until golden. I actually did this part the day before we were going to eat it, just because I could, no other reason.

Wrap them loosely in foil for a bit to get the skins to let loose. Then peel the skins right off.

I made a double batch this day but it was not necessary. This makes soooo much! It really does feed 6.

Add the milk, garlic, eggplant, and seasonings in blender.

Add slightly drained salsa.

Blend away.

Now, I have a Vitamix, so I use the soup setting and let it heat up. Takes just 5 minutes total. At some point, I sprinkle in a bit of glucomannan to thicken it rather than the cornstarch Dana uses. I’d say it’s probably about 1/8 teaspoon for a single batch but adjust to your liking.

Check out Dana’s site, Minimalist Baker, for the complete recipe and directions here. I’ve had this with baked Tostitos and loved it. Hubby eats it with blue corn chips.