Learn how to make vegan cashew cheese sauce easily at home with just a few ingredients and enjoy it guilt-free. This vegan cheese sauce recipe is very versatile, and you can use it in many ways - as a dip, pasta sauce, top it over nachos and tacos.
You can even use this as a salad dressing. Make this vegan cheese sauce once, even if you are not dairy-free, and you will make it often.
Ingredients
Cashews: Raw cashews are the base of this recipe, and cashews give a creamy texture to the sauce. Though soaking cashews is optional, soaking the cashews for 3 to 4 hours will make the cheese sauce creamy. And if you do not have a high-speed blender, soaking is a must.
Lime juice: Lemon juice provides that tanginess to the sauce. And you can use apple cider vinegar to make this vegan cashew cheese sauce. I prefer apple cider vinegar as it will ferment the sauce and provide the sauce's unique taste. But apple cider vinegar will impart its flavor, and some people may not like it. So, in that case, use lime or lemon juice.
Nutritional yeast: As we are making vegan cheese dip, nutritional yeast will give that cheesy flavor to the dip. This is optional, and the taste will vary if you omit it.
Water: I used water in this recipe, but you can use any plant-based milk. Almond milk works best and without adding any flavor to the sauce.
Spices: For plain cheese sauce, use freshly ground black pepper and salt. You can use red chili flakes, smoked paprika powder, red chili powder to make it spicier. Fresh jalapeno also goes well in this sauce recipe.
Instructions
- Soak the cashews for a couple of hours. If you are soaking for more than 4 hours, soak them in the refrigerator. Though soaking is optional, it will help make a creamy and smooth sauce.
- Discard the water from soaked cashews and wash them once.
- Take a blender or Nutri bullet jar and add cashews, nutritional yeast, salt, red chili flakes(if using), ground black pepper, lemon juice, and water.
- Blend everything into a smooth sauce. Add water little by little.
- Empty the sauce from the blender jar and store it in the glass container. Refrigerate the creamy vegan cashew sauce and use it within five days.
Recipe Notes
- Soaking the cashews will make the nutrients more bioavailable and yields creamy sauce. And if you are making this cheese sauce in a regular mixer grinder or food processor, soaking is a must.
- If you are not soaking cashews, you might need additional water to grind the sauce into a smooth paste.
- This recipe uses black pepper and salt to flavor the sauce. You can use dried herbs like oregano, thyme, parsley to flavor the sauce.
- You can use dried onion powder or dried garlic powder to flavor this cheese sauce.
Storage tips
We need to refrigerate this cashew cheese sauce, and it keeps well for 5 to 6 days in the fridge. Store the sauce in airtight containers, and glass jars work best.
You can freeze the sauce for up to six months. However, I prefer to freeze the sauce in portion sizes to thaw the required amount and use it off.
Serving the sauce
I love the versatility of this sauce and will serve this in many ways. Some of the exciting ways to serve this vegan cheese sauce are
- Mac and cheese: Boil your favorite pasta and stir in this cashew sauce. Creamy and delicious vegan mac and cheese is ready to enjoy. Add in some boiled or steamed veggies and chickpeas to make it a complete meal. Use gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free and dairy-free meal.
- This cashew sauce makes the best sandwich spread. Make an open sandwich or grill it, the addition of this cheese sauce will level up your sandwich for sure.
- Do you love burrito bowls? Thin out this cashew sauce and drizzle it over the burrito bowl.
- This cashew dip tastes equally great with raw veggies or baked potatoes.
- You can use this sauce to make vegan lasagna. Add this cashew sauce in between pasta layers and bake it.
- I also use this cashew cheese sauce as the salad dressing. Stir in boiled or baked potatoes and steamed beetroot with this sauce, and the delicious salad is ready in no time.
- Add red chili flakes and mustard paste while blending this sauce, and you can serve it over nacho chips.
FAQs
Soaking is optional, but it will yield creamy cheese sauce.
Yes, we can skip nutritional yeast, and still, this cashew sauce tastes amazing.
Yes, absolutely. But it has high calories, so adjust your diet accordingly.
As you are here, you will like my other dip recipes
Have you tried this recipe? Provide your feedback by giving a star rating and/or leaving comments. And don't forget to share the recipe with others on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.
Recipe
Vegan cashew cheese sauce and dip
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews preferably raw
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 4 tablespoon Water
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soak the cashews for a couple of hours. If you are soaking for more than 4 hours, soak them in the refrigerator. Though soaking is optional, it will help make a creamy and smooth sauce.
- Discard the water from soaked cashews and wash them once.
- Take a blender or Nutri bullet jar and add cashews, nutritional yeast, salt, red chili flakes(if using), ground black pepper, lemon juice, and water.
- Blend everything into a smooth sauce. Add water little by little.
- Empty the sauce from the blender jar and store it in the glass container. Refrigerate the creamy vegan cashew sauce and use it within five days.
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