Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce 🌱 The creamiest, dreamiest, tastiest cheese sauce made with healthy plant-based ingredients like cashews, carrots, potatoes and fresh lemon. Gluten-free and no added oil. Very vegan & very good!
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When my husband and I became vegan, the one food item we missed was cheese. There's just something about the bright flavor and creamy texture that cheese adds to so many recipes like mac & cheese, pasta, veggies, tacos and nachos. Who doesn't love dipping french bread into a luscious cheese fondue?
Problem was, there just weren't any great tasting vegan cheeses available in stores. There were a few products trying to be cheese, but to be honest, the taste and textures were more like plastic. We realized if we wanted to enjoy what we loved about cheese, we needed to figure out a way to make it ourselves.
Finding the best vegan cheese sauce
We tried several different recipes, but couldn't find anything quite right, so we enlisted our daughter's creative cooking skills and uncanny knack at dialing in flavors and texture. Sure enough, she found just the right combination and balance of ingredients.
This delicious sauce has the tart bite of sharp cheddar cheese with the smoothest creamy texture. It enhances anything you pour it on: pasta, potatoes, meatballs, cauliflower, asparagus, fries, veggie burgers, nachos, tacos, soft pretzels and more. Whatever you like with cheese, this is your sauce!
Why we love this recipe
- It's delicious
- Creamy, smooth and cheesy
- Made with all plant-based ingredients
- No added oil
- Only a few basic ingredients
- So easy to prepare
- One batch is enough for several dishes
- Did I mention it's delicious?
How to Make This Recipe
This recipe is so easy to make! With just a few basic ingredients, you can whip up the most luscious, tasty & healthy vegan cheese sauce.
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Ingredients
One of the key ingredients in this recipe is nutritional yeast, aka "nooch". Nutritional yeast has a cheesy, nutty, savory, umami flavor that many people enjoy sprinkled on foods like potatoes, pasta, popcorn, pizza and veggies. We also use it to make a quick & easy 4-ingredient vegan parmesan.
- Cashews - raw
- Non-dairy milk - we prefer rice milk, almond or cashew based milk
- Potato
- Carrots
- Nutritional yeast - we love this brand
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
First - soak the cashews.
Cashews need to be soaked before using if you want your cheese sauce to be super smooth and creamy. If I know I'm going to make a batch of cheese sauce the next day, I'll soak the cashews in water (refrigerated) overnight.
A faster method is to cover the cashews in boiling water and allow them to sit for a couple hours. You can also place the cashews covered in water in a saucepan and boil for about 10 minutes on the stovetop until they plump up and soften.
🥕See the printable recipe card below for complete details
Next, peel potatoes and carrots and cut into large pieces. Boil until tender.
Finally, place cashews, potatoes, carrots, and remaining ingredients into a blender or food processor. Purée at high speed until thoroughly smooth.
That's it! Easy peasy & cheesy!
Equipment
- High speed blender or food processor
- A colander or strainer
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Veggie peeler
- Citrus juicer
- Kitchen knife
- Cutting board
🥕Serving Suggestions
Here's just a few delish ways to enjoy this scrumptious vegan cheese sauce.
It's fantastic on a baked potato sprinkled with chives.
Create a festive nachos bar with a basket of fresh tortilla chips, guacamole, jalapeños, salsas, black beans, our refreshing watermelon pico de gallo, and a generous serving of this amazing vegan queso cheese!
Make the best vegan mac and cheese, like this toasty baked version with broccoli, breadcrumbs and vegan parmesan or this irresistibly yummy casserole sprinkled with smoked paprika, red pepper flakes & fresh basil.
🥕FAQ's
Nutritional yeast is the same type of yeast used for bread baking and brewing beer - with a few differences.This yeast is grown specifically to be used as a food product. The yeast cells are killed during manufacturing and not alive in the final product. It is used in cooking and has a cheesy, nutty or savory flavor.
*Reprinted from healthline.com
Yes it is! It's super nutritious. According to this article, nutritional yeast is a great source of protein, B vitamins and trace minerals. Nutritional yeast is a complete protein as it contains all nine essential amino acids that humans must get from food. One tablespoon contains 2 grams of protein, making it an easy way for vegans to add high-quality protein to meals.
I suggest heating the cheese sauce in a saucepan on a stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently until it reaches your desired temperature. You can also microwave the sauce covered in a microwave safe container in short increments of 10-15 seconds until desired temperature is reached. Be careful not to over heat it in a microwave, as the sauce may caramelize and possibly burn
Leftover cheese sauce can be stored refrigerated in a covered container up to 4 days and can be frozen up to 3 months.
🥕This easy vegan cheese sauce is perfect with these delish dishes!
- Vegan Easy Cheesy Broccoli Pot Pie
- Cuban Crushed Potatoes
- Easy Vegan Mac & Cheese
- Vegan Lemon Roasted Potatoes
- Best Vegan Homemade Soft Pretzels
very vegan 🌱 very good
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please rate it in the comments below. Sharing your experience helps others decide if they should give it a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce
Equipment
- High speed blender or food processor
- mixing bowl
- large strainer or colander
- Vegetable peeler
Ingredients
Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight - see notes below
- 1 cup non-dairy milk we use rice milk, almond or cashew based milk
- 1 large potato cut into large pieces and boiled until tender
- 2 whole carrots cut into large pieces and boiled until tender
- 1-½ tablespoon nutritional yeast this our favorite brand
- ¼ cup lemon juiced - approx one whole lemon
- 2 teaspoon salt fine
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Soak cashews covered in room temperature water overnight or cover in boiling water and allow to soak for 2 hours. Drain in strainer and rinse with fresh water.
- Peel potatoes and carrots and cut into large pieces. Place in 4 qt or larger stovetop pot, cover with water (about 2" over veggies) and cover with lid. Bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat for 10-15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and drain in colander or strainer.
- Place cashews, potatoes, carrots, and remaining ingredients into blender or food processor. Run at high speed until thoroughly pureed and creamy.
- Sauce can be used heated or cold, depending on how you like it. To heat, pour amount needed into a stove top pan over low heat, stirring frequently until desired temperature.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please rate it in the comments below. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sharing your experience helps others decide if they should give it a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
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Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Cheryl
Can I just ask about measurements? is it one cup of potato and 1 cup of carrot or is it just however much your veg measures out to?
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Hi Cheryl, we don't use an exact measurement with the potato & carrots. I think a large russet potato may be closer to 1-1/2 cups, but you don't have to be precise. This recipe has some wiggle room.😊 Hope that helps! Please let me know how it turns out!
Cheryl
Hi, your sauce s I understand amazing, I WILL try it as written, I came up with a similar one, but I also use some extra veg. However my question is kinda odd, do you ever sub vegan lactic acid for part of the lemon juice? Lso do you not use a pinch of nutmeg at the end? I'm excited to hear your reply! You have many lovely recipes!
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Hi Cheryl, thank you for your kind comments! We (my daughter and I) experimented with this recipe a lot before we found the right combo of ingredients to create a delicious cheddary flavor and smooth texture. We have not tried lactic acid. I do sometimes like to add a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg when I use this sauce as a base for a cheesy cream of broccoli soup. We have also adapted this recipe for a fabulous vegan cheese fondue https://thecarrotunderground.com/main-dish/easy-vegan-cheese-fondue-recipe/ Love to hear what you think when you give the cheese sauce a try!💚🥕
Brandy
This is my second time making this recipe, and I made a triple batch. I use it for your pot pie recipe (but I make a full sized pie) and it will be the sauce for my chickpea pasta Mac and cheese for Christmas. Thanks for a great recipe! I'm excited to have some for the freezer.
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Wow Brandy, a triple batch! That's awesome! Thanks so much for sharing & have a very Merry Christmas!❤️
Amanda
This was delicious! I'm wondering if you know if it freezes well?
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Hi Amanda! I haven’t tried freezing the sauce but imagine it would work well. If I did, I would put it in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and then reheat over low heat in a saucepan on the stovetop, stirring so it doesn’t burn. Please let me know if you try freezing it. I’d love to hear how it turns out. Thanks so much for sharing. I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe!🥕
TONY HANSON
I love this stuff! its quick and easy. I made it late tonight so I will pour it over some brown rice pasta in the morning and let my lady friend's 10 year old try it. Thank you for making this recipe available! I will send an update on how he likes it.
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Thanks Tony! I’m happy you love the cheese sauce. Waiting on pins & needles to hear the review from the young foodie!😊
mike Lewis
My main concern is how much do it cost to make I would love to use it in some of my dishes
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Hi Mike! That is a good question. The cost of ingredients vary greatly depending on where you are located. Where I live, raw cashews are the highest priced item in this recipe. The rest of the ingredients are relatively inexpensive, including the nutritional yeast, since the recipe only requires 1.5 tbsp. I would say that on average, I spend about $10 US to make a batch of cheese sauce. This recipe yields at least 1-1/2 pints of sauce (depending on the size of your potatoes & carrots), enough to make a mac & cheese casserole, a big plate of nachos and extra for whatever else you might want with cheese sauce. Love to hear what you think if you decide to give it a try!🥕
Crystal
I watch for raw cashews to go on sale at Sprouts and then buy a LOT of them…they’re usually $5.99 a pound when on sale. I’ve also found big containers of raw cashews at Costco for a fairly reasonable price.
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Thanks a bunch for the great tip Crystal! 💚🥕
Coe lewis
Love the cheesy sauce!!!!!! Cheese makes everything better😃
Connie Edwards McGaughy
You said it Sister! So glad you love the sauce - it's a staple in our kitchen! 💚🥕 Thank you Coe!
Marti
Both taste and texture are excellent! Make sure to follow the measurements carefully,,. when I changed them a bit the result didn’t turn out as perfect as the original.
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Marti - I'm so happy you enjoy the cheese sauce recipe. It took us awhile to dial in the ingredients & proportions to achieve just the right balance in flavor & texture, so thanks for the reminder about careful measuring. Some recipes just aren't as flexible as others. Thanks for sharing your comments!💚🥕
Rylin Hansen
A point to note here: yeast is not naturally a source of B12. Nutritional yeast is sometimes fortified with b12, but it's best to be sure of that before one might start relying on it as a source. Unfortunately, we vegans must get our B12 from supplementation.
Connie Edwards McGaughy
You make a good point Rylin. As vegans, many of us are avid label-readers on the lookout for animal-derived ingredients, but may not be as careful to watch for essential nutrients, including B12.
Connie Edwards McGaughy
This simply delicious and nutritious plant-based cheese sauce has become a staple in our kitchen. It's quick & easy to prepare & even easier to devour! Try it on veggies, potatoes, pasta, nachos - it's so good!