This is a vegan cheese sauce that is adaptable to suit many recipes.
I could eat this stuff with a spoon! Actually, I have eaten this stuff with a spoon…
It’s creamy and cheesy and full of smokey flavor. I’ve used this sauce on so many dishes and it never disappoints. I have friends who eat the Standard American Diet (SAD) who love this sauce and can’t believe it doesn’t have dairy products in it.
It can be used for nachos or as a drizzle on top of tacos. I add it to burrito fillings and casseroles. It is especially good as a layer in a layered bean dip. Baked potatoes with this and some broccoli….YUM!
I used to make it with all cashews, but because I want to keep my fat intake down, I replaced some of the cashews with tofu and sweet potato. I have even made it without any cashews and it still tasted delicious, but it did lose a bit of it’s creamy texture and was a little thin. Still awesome though, so if you don’t want any nuts in your sauce, use just the tofu and sweet potato.
Start by blending your cashews. If you don’t have a high powered blender like a VitaMix, then you’ll want to soak your cashews several hours until they’re soft. Otherwise, just throw them in that Vitamix and add about half the water and blend.
Once you have a smooth sauce, add the tofu and sweet potato. Blend until completely incorporated and smooth. You may need to use your tamper or a rubber spatula to push any unincorporated bits down.
Now add the nutritional yeast, red wine vinegar, and all the seasoning. I used the higher amounts of the spices, but you can start off with less and see how you like it. The lactic acid is something I keep on hand to add a little zing to recipes, but if you don’t have it, you can omit it or squeeze in a bit of lemon juice.
Blend until it is thoroughly mixed and smooth. If too thick, add some of the water you have left until it blends easily. This sauce thickens a little bit when it is chilled. I store it in a jar in the fridge and have had luck with it being good for over a week. It usually doesn’t last that long because I eat it. It does freeze and re-heat well. Just thaw and stir it well as you re-heat it.
Get your spoon ready, because you are going to be eating this stuff out of the jar. This is a great vegan cheese sauce to use for Mexican dishes, cream soups, pasta, baked potatoes...and obviously...nachos.
- 1 1/2 cups cashews soaked if you don't have a high speed blender
- 1/2 pkg tofu (about 7 oz.) I use firm
- 1/2-3/4 cup water start with the smaller amount and add more if needed to get things moving in the blender
- 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato orange fleshed type
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1-2 tsp salt optional
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or 1/2 tsp lactic or citric acid powder
- 1-2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1-2 tsp garlic powder
- 1-2 tsp onion powder
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Add cashews and water to the blender. Blend on low for a minute until the cashews have incorporated the water.
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Add the tofu and blend until it gets worked into the cashew water.
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Add all the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until completely smooth.
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Pour into jars and pour onto all things that need a cheesy sauce. Enjoy!
- You can make this without the tofu and sweet potato...increase the cashews to 3 cups and add enough water to cover them in the blender with an inch of water over them.
- You can make it without the cashews at all. Add a full package of tofu and decrease the water to about 1/2 cup.
- You can change the spices to suit whatever recipe you will be using this cheese sauce in.
do the sweet potatoes need to be cooked? thank you!!
Yes, they do.
Do you use the silken tofu or the water packed?
Hi and thank you for asking! I use water packed. I usually have firm on hand so that is what I’ve used most.
How long will this keep?
I usually use it up within a few days, but I have had it keep just fine for about a week. It will get a little liquid on the top, but that’s okay. Just stir it in. I have also successfully frozen it.
Have you tried this with any other nut? I have a food sensitivity to cashews and almonds. Do you think macadamia nuts would work?
Hi Sara! Yes, I have modified this recipe several ways. My granddaughter is allergic to cashews and other tree nuts so I make it with all tofu when I make it for her. It’s a little less thick, but still creamy and good. I have also used sunflower seeds in place of the cashews and that works too. I bet macadamia nuts would be good too! If you try it, let me know how it turns out.
How many ounces of tofu? – there are so many differently sized packages
I used 7 oz. I should have said that in the recipe…I’ll edit. Thanks for asking!
How many ounces of tofu?
I use half of the 14 oz package. So, 7 oz. This recipe is very adaptable and I’ve used all tofu, no nuts with great results. I’ve also used all nuts, no tofu. You can play around with it to suit your own dietary needs and tastes. Thanks for trying it!
If we replace nuts with all tofu how many ounces when removing cashews?
I often make it without the cashews and just use a full block of tofu. Thanks for checking it out!
I had this recipe to try out and I used your nacho cheese sauce and it was literally the best gratin potatoes I’ve ever had. I even had it with my family members and they all said it was the best they’ve ever had and these are coming from non vegans. That’s a lot and I also made your pie. Both was a hit
I’m so glad you and your family loved it! Thanks for letting me know!