Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Serves 2 20 minute prep time By on

Not so average nachos are on our menu tonight. With not one, but three variations of vegan cheese sauce, these nachos are a crowd pleaser (even for your non-vegan friends).

How to serve

1. Use as a dip.

2. Serve on nacho chips! Layer chips with nacho cheese sauce, green onions, jalapenos, and olives. Warm in oven at 350°F for a few minutes. Serve with salsa and guacamole.

3. Get adventurous and pour over vegetables, pasta or anything you like. Nacho Broccoli?!?! Mac and Cheese? The possibilities are endless.

Three bowls of vegan nacho cheese sauce with cashews, cauliflower, and roasted red peppers in front of them.

Nacho toppings

  • Chips
  • Cilantro
  • Scallions
  • Black olives
  • Pickled jalapeño
  • Salsa
  • Guacamole
  • Cheese variation of choice:

Ingredients

  • Option 1: Eazy Cheezy
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1½ Tbsp non-GMO corn starch
  • ¼ cup roasted red peppers, chopped
  • 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • Salt, as desired
  • ½ cup salsa, drained of any excess liquid
  • Option 2: Right in the Middle
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 2 cups water
  • 5 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ Tbsp miso paste
  • ½ Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • ⅛ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
  • Option 3: Hard Cheddah
  • 1 long purple eggplant, cut in halves
  • Olive oil, as needed
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 8 hours and drained (or in a bowl of boiled water for 1 hour)
  • 1½ cups water
  • ¼ cup roasted red peppers, chopped
  • 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ Tbsp miso paste
  • ½ Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup salsa, drained
  • 1 tsp sea salt, to taste

Preparation

  • Option 1: Cheese Dip

    1. In a blender, combine all ingredients except salsa. Blend until very smooth.
    2. Add into a saucepan and warm until sauce thickens about 5 minutes.
    3. Once thick stir in salsa. Serve warm.

  • Option 2: Cheese Sauce

    1. Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook until soft.
    2. Transfer cauliflower and cooking liquid to a blender and blend with remaining ingredients.
    3. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve warm.

  • Option 3: Hard Cheddar Sauce

    1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle eggplants with olive oil and bake on a cookie sheet for 8 to 12 minutes or until soft.
    2. Peel skin off of backed eggplant.
    3. Combine all remaining ingredients, except salsa, with eggplant.  Blend on high until very smooth.
    4. Warm the sauce on medium heat until hot about 5 minutes. Stirring often.
    5. Fold sauce in with drained salsa.
    6. Enjoy warm.

Recipes