Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
Smooth, creamy, vegan "cheesy" deliciousness is what this recipe for Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce is all about! It has the perfect pourable texture with just a hint of spice that takes a simple cashew cheese to the next level using one of my favorite secret ingredients.
Servings: 10 2.5 cups total
Ingredients
- 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ¾ to 1 cup of reserved potato cooking water (add a little at a time)
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon chipotle puree or 1 whole chipotle pepper canned in adobo sauce (how to make chipotle puree)
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- Salt to taste (about 1 to 2 teaspoon of sea salt)
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in water overnight. If you forgot to do this step or you are in a hurry, you can cover the cashews with boiling water and then allow them to sit for about 20 minutes to soften up. I recommend soaking them overnight. Either way when you are ready to make the recipe, drain the cashews and set aside.
- Boil the peeled and cubed yukon gold potatoes in salted water until good and done. About 10 minutes. Then drain, but DO NOT discard the cooking water.
- Place the cooked potatoes along with ¼ cup of the reserved potato cooking water into your blender or food processor. Now, add all the other ingredients except the salt and blend until the mixture is nice and creamy. Add more of the reserved potato water ¼ cup at a time as needed. I used 1 cup of the reserved potato water in total. A blender will produce a creamy texture faster. You have to let the food processor run longer to achieve the same texture. It should be velvety smooth when you have finished blending.
- Once you reach the desired consistency, season the nacho cheese to taste with salt. How much salt you add is dependent on how salty your potato water and chili powder are. If it tastes bland keep adding salt. Start with ½ teaspoon and go from there. I typically add between 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons. It sounds like a lot, but remember you are using unsalted cashews and potatoes have little to no real flavor without salt. Also, keep in mind all cheese has a lot of salt added to it to bring out the flavor. Your goal is to season your nacho cheese well without it tasting salty. You can also add more chipotle puree or a dash of cayenne if you want it to have more spice.
- Eat with chips, on enchiladas, as a taco topper, with veggie burgers, or even just straight out of the blender!
- The nacho cheese will store in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Notes
*The cashew soaking time is not taken into account when estimating the time it takes to make this recipe.
*The time to make chipotle puree has not been taken into account in the time to make the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 3.7g | Fat: 6.8g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 0.3g | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
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