Creamy gooey cheesy goodness without the actual cheese! You will be amazed at how this combination of veggies and spices create this out of this world creamy vegan cheese sauce!
A good cheese sauce is a must have staple in any diet, vegan or not. I mean, what’s better than sitting down with a bag of tortilla chips and some gooey creamy salty cheesy dip? When that dip is no other than a vegan cheese sauce made out of whole foods. That’s what. Don’t think it’s possible? Plants really are magic friends.
Ingredients for vegan cheese sauce
Two years. That’s how long I wasted my money trying vegan cheese sauces. Some were decent, some straight up didn’t even deserve the trash. My biggest complaint? Nutritional yeast. Sorry friends, but it just does not taste cheesy to me. Which is why no yeast was harmed in the making of this vegan cheese sauce.
So what did I harm? Veggies. My goal was to create a sauce that didn’t make you bloated, puffy or gross. Basically like every dairy filled processed cheese sauce out there made me feel. But I so wanted that flavor again, so I stuck to my guns and didn’t quit until I had a cheesy like deliciousness I couldn’t stop eating.
I came across my idea for this through a mistake I made when trying to puree some potatoes for the pizza crust for my Thai Chickpea and Veggies Pizza. I put the potatoes into my Vitamix at full speed instead of the food processor, because frankly I was just too lazy to get it out, and the result was a gooey, stretchy, sticky mess. Which of course reminds me of cheese and the rest is history!
So veggies became the base of this crazy idea of mine, and of course my key to creaminess, the heavenly…cashew. Now if you’re reading this and think, DANG I CAN’T HAVE NUTS! I’m so very sorry. But we can, and I needed to pull all the stops to get that ultimate vegan cheese flavor. I have had a few people make this without the cashews, and they still gave it a thumbs up.
Substitution ideas
I tried a variety of combinations for this, I did after all spend years of trial and error, and cashews were what hit the nail on the head for me. Feel free to try another nut (if you can’t have cashews, I’d try macadamias or walnuts. Maybe pine nuts.)
You can try the sunflower seed idea that others use to create nut free cheese sauces, but in all honesty it wasn’t for me. But if you try something different, please make sure to let me know what worked and didn’t so others can learn as well!
Tips and tricks
When it comes to creating magic, there are few key things to remember:
- Follow the darn recipe. Please. Unless you are trying this nut free or subbing white miso for the chickpea variety, please please try this the way it is written. And if you don’t, and it turns out awful, for the love please don’t rate this as a bad recipe when you didn’t follow directions.
- You do not need a high speed blender, like a Vitamix, to make this. If you have a regular good blender you can still get creamy awesomeness by grinding the cashews with a coffee grinder. I have had to do this and it actually works! Grind them dry and simply add to the blender with everything else. You can also soak them overnight before boiling with the veggies, but this still may not give as creamy of a result as the grinding.
- When you measure the veggies, measure them packed in not just loosely scooped up.
- You can freeze this so you can have vegan cheese sauce at your fingertips any time! When you defrost, leave it on the counter all day so it can slowly come to room temp. Then slowly heat it in the microwave and stir well. Don’t be weirded out be the firm consistency, it will become saucy again! You can heat it up on the stove if you want, but you may need a drizzle of milk to help it thin out.
How to use vegan cheese sauce
The question really should be, how do you NOT use it! SO many things you can do, so little time. Here are some of my top faves:
- Mac and cheese of course, SO good.
- Drizzle it over veggies, okay maybe it’s more of a drench than a drizzle.
- Nacho cheese dip, I add chopped nacho jalapeño slices.
- 7 Layer Taco Dip
- Roasted Poblano Mac and Cheese
- Mexican Nacho Burger
- Eat it with a spoon…Don’t judge, just try it.
Ultimate Creamy Vegan Cheese Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked potato (about 3-4 potatoes, see note)
- 2 tablespoons cooked red pepper (about 1/3 of a medium sized pepper)
- 3 tablespoons cooked orange carrot (about 4-5 baby carrots or one medium sized)
- 5 tablespoons cooked sweet or yellow onion (about 1/2 a small)
- 1/2 cup raw cashews (see note)
- 1 teaspoon roasted garlic (about 2-4 cloves, depending on size)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon chickpea miso (see note)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard seed
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (can use less or more depending on taste preference)
- Your favorite pasta if making Mac and Cheese
Instructions
- Roast the garlic by peeling and wrapping it in tin foil with a splash of veggie broth. Roast at 400 F (205 C), in a regular or toaster oven, while you cook the veggies.
- Put potatoes (peel if you don't want specks of skin), red pepper, carrots, onion and cashews in a pot and cover with water. If you don't have a high speed blender and are grinding the cashews, then don't boil but grind them dry and place them in the blender.
- Cook over high heat until water boils, about 15 minutes if uncovered. Turn heat to medium and boil another 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
- When done, drain water (keeping some to thin out sauce if prefer a thinner sauce), separate veggies and put the cashews in the blender. I use a fork to fish out the veggies, then drain the cashews over a pasta strainer.
- Measure out the needed amount of each veggie and place each in the blender. Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend on high until you get a creamy gooey consistency. If you have a tamper tool use it to help mix the sauce as it blends. If you don’t have one, then you will need to stop and push down the ingredients every once in a while.
- If you want to thin it out, add some of the reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency. Use nice and hot!
To make the ultimate Mac and Cheese:
- Cook your pasta according to package directions.
- Drain pasta reserving about 1 cup pasta water.
- Add the pasta back into the pot and add desired amount of cheese sauce.
- Then add pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well in between additions, until you get the desired consistency for your Mac and Cheese. If your pasta is too starchy (as some gluten free pastas are) you can also use regular water or even non dairy milk to do this. Add salt if needed, it most likely will since the sauce is no longer as concentrated. Devour!
Notes
- Makes 3 1/2 cups sauce. Serving size for nutrition info is 1/2 cup.
- Nutrition info is for cheese sauce only.
- I used red potatoes but any starchy potato will work, just don’t use sweet. It also won't work to substitute with something that is not an actual potato (such as another root vegetable).
- If you are not using a high speed blender, you can grind the dry cashews into a fine powder using a coffee grinder (do not boil them for this method). You can also soak them overnight prior to boiling with the veggies or just boil them with the veggies.
- You can make this nut free by eliminating the nuts, however you will lose some of the thickness and creaminess. It will still be pretty good in taste, but just lacking some of those elements. You can also try subbing with another nut if you are allergic to cashews, I suggest walnuts or macadamias, however the flavor will be different. I did try it with multiple nuts and liked the taste of the cashews best.
- If you don’t have chickpea miso, you can try using a white miso although it will be a little more mild in flavor so you may need more. See the comments for others that have tried using white miso.
- I did not add any liquid to this when I made it, but depending on what you use it for, you may want to thin it out with some water, water from the boiled veggies or pasta water if making mac and cheese.
- You can reheat this in the microwave or in a pot with a splash of nondairy milk (I use cashew) and mix well. Add splashes of milk and mix until you have the right consistency. It may need more salt depending on how much milk you add.
- You can also freeze leftovers in a freezer safe container as it freezes great. Defrost slowly when ready to eat. You may think it didn't freeze well, but as you heat it up the consistency comes back!
- Cook the veggies and roast the garlic. Store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to use.
- This can be mixed into any baby food or be used for a toddler as a dip. You could also just blend the veggies on their own for baby.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Gloria says
Hello, may I know if I could substitute ground mustard seed with yellow mustard (bottled), thanks!!
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Gloria! You can give it a try. I haven’t done that yet but it may work. I’d start with less and taste first.
Annie says
THIS MAC AND CHEESE IS BOMB!!!!! seriously, it was so so creamy and delicious, tasted just like creamiest mac and cheese you’ve ever tasted. I added more salt than the recipe stated (just a person preference) and that made it so good. THANK YOU!!
veggiesdontbite says
Yay! So happy you love it Annie! Thank you so much!
Christine says
My husband put on half a stone at Christmas and wants to cut back. He baulked at my idea of cauliflower and broccoli bake because of the cheese sauce.
I suggested a plant based cheese flavour sauce, only problem is I couldn’t use nutritional yeast as he is intolerant to yeast and didn’t want to risk it.
Thank you so much for your recipe. I made X3 so we would have lots for the bake and some to freeze. My husband kept asking what if it is awful?
‘You like everything in it… don’t you?’
He agrees it isn’t cheese but you have won him over. I had everything in the house to make it.
One thing, can you use peanut butter that is simply made up of peanuts instead of cashews. My husband bought a huge tub and it tastes awful on stuff. I’m desperately trying to find recipes to get shot of it in.
Any suggestions welcome.
Thanks for the amazing sauce!😃
veggiesdontbite says
I am so thrilled you guys liked it!! I would not use peanut butter, it has a very strong taste and it would not taste right in this recipe. Cashews have a neutral creamy flavor here and are what you need.
JG says
Hi, add salt to the peanut butter, that’s probably the reason and mix in the peanut oil. Also add it to smoothies and porridge.
Noelle says
Also I just used regular red miso and Dijon mustard and it was phennnoommmmenal!! I have no idea how u figured this out!!!
veggiesdontbite says
Haha! Awe thank you again!!
Noelle says
THIS IS THE MOST INNNNNNCREDIBLE NACHO CHEESE RECIPE !!! This tasted better than aaaaaannnyyyy vegan cheese that I’ve EVER HAD?!! I am so shocked that the texture is perfect , the flavor, the color. ITS DELICIOUS! I can’t wait to put this on evvverything!!!
veggiesdontbite says
Wow!!! Thank you so so much Noelle! I am thrilled you love it!
Amy says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I don’t like nutritional yeast either and I was so hesitant to try any of those other recipes. Then I found yours and now there is no need to try the others. This is so good. Yum!!
veggiesdontbite says
Wow! Thank you so much Amy!! I am so happy you like it!
Anaelisa Cornejo says
Can I substitute the potato with squash? 🙂
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Anaelisa! Unfortunately you can’t sub squash if you want the same flavor and texture. Potato contributes to the creamy gooey texture and the creamy flavor.
Michelle Connor says
I do not like to use nutritional yeast. This recipe is amazing. I am shocked at how much it taste like cheese sauce. Excellent!
veggiesdontbite says
Yay!!! So so happy you liked it! Thank you so much for the great review!
Kellie says
I followed the recipe and made this last night and let it marinate until this morning, SO DELICIOUS! Because of COVID we are having a simple family dinner for my sons first birthday instead of a party. I plan to serve it as Mac n Cheese inside roasted buttercup squashes! Thank you for a great recipe!
veggiesdontbite says
Yay! So thrilled you like it!!! That all sounds delicious!!!
MD says
What if you don’t use miso at all?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi! I have had people not use miso, it works but the flavor won’t be as cheesy. You will also need more salt so play around with it until you get the taste you like! I have also had a few people add a tiny bit of soy sauce too.
Nakela hernandez says
Perfect. I just transitioned over to WFPB lifestyle and I cannot stand nutritional yeast. It taste great! Even my husband was confused. Thank you so much.
veggiesdontbite says
Yes for no nutritional yeast! I am not a fan, and so happy to reach others that aren’t either! Thank you so much for the great review!
Lynn says
I’m giving 5 stars just based on your honesty and personality. 😄 I just started going plant based in June, and have a baby on the way- due in September. For a momma whose favorite food is fettuccine Alfredo, finding plant based “cheeses” has been difficult. The cravings for Mac n cheese have been REAL the last few weeks, and I’m desperate to find a solution! I’ll be giving this a go this weekend! Thank you even if only for the boost of hope I have that I can satisfy my palate and my wellness goals for me and baby at the same time!
veggiesdontbite says
Hahaha!! Love this!! I hope you like it! Also, I am working on an easy Alfredo recipe so stay tuned!
Ivybelle says
You are absolutely right! This is the best cheese sauce I have made. And I’ve made a lot of cheese sauces looking for the best recipe. I had yet to find one until now. Thank you so much!!!
veggiesdontbite says
I am so happy you loved it!! Thank you so much for the great review!
Gabe says
I just made this today, Prepped a serving for 6. I was short 1 cup of potatoes. I only had white miso and was running short on bell pepper so I used a red jalapeño to make the difference up. Even with the shortage of ingredients it was hands down the best Mac and Cheese vegan recipe we have tried. The carrot was coming though a bit strong but that was probably the missing potato, nothing a little salt couldn’t fix. This will be my go to from now on.
As an extra bonus, we had about two cups extra cheese and made some nachos for the kids, absolutely devoured them. I saved a little extra for tomorrow’s vegan burger, I can’t wait.
veggiesdontbite says
I am so happy you like it Gabe! Thank you so much for the great review!
Tami says
This was amazing! Two meat and dairy eaters, but working towards plant based. I made this as is, but without the miso (didn’t have it on hand). I even goofed up and just cooked my potatoes in the Instant pot and put everything else in my high speed blender, without roasting the garlic, and it was still FANTASTIC! We were both shocked it tasted good and looked like cheese say we. It’s amazingly good!! Thanks for the recipe! Yum!
veggiesdontbite says
Yay! What an awesome review! Thank you so so much!!