All Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce
Creamy, versatile, and packed with flavor, this All Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce is your new go-to recipe for plant-based comfort food. Made with raw cashews, nutritional yeast, and a blend of spices like garlic, onion, and paprika, this sauce delivers a luscious, cheesy texture without any dairy. Ready in just 15 minutes (after soaking the cashews), it’s effortless and perfect for a variety of dishes—think drizzled over pasta, smothered on nachos, or served as a dip with veggies. The addition of tahini and turmeric doesn’t just enhance the flavor but also adds a boost of nutrients. Dairy-free, gluten-free, and customizable, this vegan cheese sauce checks all the boxes for a quick, healthy, and delicious alternative to traditional cheese sauces.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 0.25 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon paprika
- 0.25 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water (for soaking cashews)
Instructions
Place the raw cashews in a bowl and cover them with 2 cups of water. Allow them to soak for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results. If short on time, you can soak them in boiling water for 20 minutes.
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews thoroughly.
In a blender, combine the soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, plant-based milk, lemon juice, tahini, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, turmeric powder, and salt.
Blend the mixture on high speed until completely smooth and creamy. This may take 1-2 minutes depending on the power of your blender. Add a little extra plant-based milk if the sauce is too thick.
Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more salt for flavor or lemon juice for tanginess.
Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and heat it over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for about 3-5 minutes. This will slightly thicken the sauce and enhance its flavor.
Remove from heat and serve immediately over pasta, nachos, steamed vegetables, or as a dip. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
804 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 61.1 g | 78% | |
| Saturated Fat | 10.5 g | 52% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 2547 mg | 111% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 48.3 g | 18% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 7.1 g | 25% | |
| Total Sugars | 7.7 g | ||
| Protein | 28.4 g | 57% | |
| Vitamin D | 2.5 mcg | 12% | |
| Calcium | 1516 mg | 117% | |
| Iron | 5366.0 mg | 29811% | |
| Potassium | 1293 mg | 28% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
