Description
This easy vegan cheese sauce recipe creates a creamy, delicious dairy-free sauce using soaked cashews and nutritional yeast. Perfect for drizzling over veggies, pasta, or as a dip, this sauce combines wholesome ingredients blended into a smooth, flavorful delight that’s ready in just 10 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegan Cheese Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews, soaked for 4 hours
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional, for color)
Instructions
- Drain and rinse soaked cashews: After soaking the cashews for at least 4 hours, drain the water and rinse them thoroughly under cool running water to remove any residue and soften them for blending.
- Add all ingredients to a blender: Place the drained cashews, nutritional yeast, water, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and optional turmeric into a high-speed blender.
- Blend until smooth and creamy: Blend the mixture on high for 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until the sauce achieves a smooth, creamy texture with no lumps.
- Taste and adjust seasonings: Sample the sauce and add more salt, lemon juice, or nutritional yeast if desired to enhance flavor and balance.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge: Use the sauce right away as a dip or drizzle, or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Re-blend before serving if it thickens.
Notes
- Soaking cashews softens them, ensuring a creamy texture; for quicker prep, soak in hot water for 1 hour.
- Turmeric is optional and used primarily to give the sauce a cheesy yellow hue.
- Adjust the water quantity to achieve your preferred sauce consistency.
- This sauce keeps well refrigerated and can be used in various dishes like pasta, nachos, and vegetable dips.
- Ensure to blend long enough for smooth consistency; a high-speed blender works best.
