Best Vegan Cheese Sauce
I use this cheese sauce for everything--nachos, tacos, pizza, baked potato and steamed veggie topping, and so much more!
Servings: 10
Calories: 57kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup potatoes peeled & diced
- 1/4 cup carrots diced
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup broth from veggies
- 1/2 cup raw cashews (or 1/2 c white beans)
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. Place potatoes, carrots, and onion in the pot and allow to cook until veggies are tender--approximately 15 minutes. Cooking time will vary based on how small the veggies are diced.
- When veggies are tender, drain and place them in a blender. NOTE: reserve 1 cup of the broth, and add to blender. Add all the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.
- I have a Vitamix blender and so don't take the time to soak my cashews. That thing is powerful and everything that goes into it comes out creamy. However, if your blender isn't jet engine speed, soaking the cashews in warm water for at least 30-minutes before adding to this recipe will help this recipe come out more creamy.
- If you prefer, white beans such as northern or navy beans can be used in place of the cashews for those avoiding nuts. Or, even use a combination of 1/4 cashews and 1/4 cup white beans to lower the fat content but keep the rich creamy texture and flavor.
- Now, it's ready to use in nacho cheese dip, mac-n-cheese, topping for steamed broccoli, or anything else you need a creamy, cheesy sauce in. Many of those recipes are linked above.
- This makes approximately 1 quart and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Video
Notes
Instant Pot Instruction:
Simply add the potatoes, carrots, onion, and one cup of water to your Instant Pot. Set on MANUAL for 10 minutes. Once finished, use a spoon, dishcloth, or potholder to turn the VENT knob for a quick release to allow the pressure to come down. Then add all other ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Easy-Peasy!
Tips & Substitutions:
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- Soaking cashews or not. I have a Vitamix blender and so don't take the time to soak my cashews. That thing is powerful and everything that goes into it comes out creamy. However, if your blender isn't jet engine speed, soaking the cashews in warm water for at least 30 minutes will help this recipe come out more creamy.
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- Potatoes to use. You really can use almost any variety of potato. I love to use russets, red potatoes, or even sweet potatoes. Just make sure they are cooked until soft.
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- Save that broth. One of the steps of this recipe is to boil the potatoes, onions, and carrots on the stove. Remember to save some of that broth for adding to the blender.
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- Tweaking to your taste preference. Most likely this cheese sauce will come out amazing as soon as you dip that spoon into the blender (after it has stopped, of course) to give it a taste. However, if it needs a little tweaking, first try adding a little more salt or nutritional yeast, as those two ingredients can make a big difference, in my opinion.
- Nut-free option. Substitute white beans--like navy beans or cannellini--to lower the fat content even more and make it compatible for those with nut allergies.
- Storage and freezing. This sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about 7-10 days in an airtight container. I love to use quart mason jars. Freezing is also an option. Simply defrost and place in a blender for a freshen-up spin and it will be back to its original creamy texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 3tablespoons | Calories: 57kcal | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2.3g | Fiber: 2g