If you’re searching for a show-stopping vegan cheese sauce to put on everything, try this incredibly silky, smooth recipe. It uses soaked raw cashews, sweet potato puree, nutritional yeast, plenty of garlic-friendly flavor, and a touch of apple cider vinegar for brightness. This dairy-free sauce is rich, creamy, and versatile—ideal for plant-based mac and cheese, nachos, baked potatoes, or as a dip.
Best Vegan Cheese Sauce
This easy vegan cheese sauce is designed to be nutrient-dense and full of flavor without any dairy. The base combines soaked raw cashews with sweet potato puree and nutritional yeast to recreate the color, creaminess, and umami of traditional cheese. Vegetable broth and apple cider vinegar round out the taste, while nutritional yeast delivers that classic cheesy note. It’s a great staple for anyone who avoids animal products but still loves comfort-food flavors.
What You Need
- Raw cashews: Use raw cashews (not roasted). When soaked they become soft and blend into a creamy base.
- Sweet potato puree: Adds color, natural sweetness, and body; pumpkin puree can work as a substitute.
- Nutritional yeast: Provides a savory, cheesy flavor without dairy.
- Vegetable broth (or water): Adds flavor and helps create a smooth consistency.
- Apple cider vinegar: A small amount brightens and balances the flavors.
- Salt: Adjust to taste; it enhances the cheesy profile.
Why raw cashews? Soaked raw cashews soften and blend into a velvety texture that mimics dairy-based cheese sauces. Their mild flavor lets the other ingredients—like nutritional yeast and sweet potato—shine.
Top Tips
- Soak the cashews: For the creamiest result, soak cashews overnight or for at least 12 hours. If short on time, pour boiling water over them and let sit for 30 minutes (flash boil method).
- Choose your potato: Sweet potatoes add a pleasant sweetness and vibrant color, but any fully cooked potato or pumpkin puree will work.
- Adjust thickness with broth: Start with 1/2 cup of vegetable broth and add more by the tablespoon if the sauce is too thick.
- Use a powerful blender or food processor: A high-speed blender or strong food processor yields the smoothest, creamiest sauce. Stop and scrape sides as needed.
- Make it your own: Add roasted veggies, a pinch of smoked paprika for smokiness, or hot sauce for heat. Taste and tweak salt, acidity, and liquid until it suits you.
Serve It Hot or Cold
This vegan cheese sauce can be enjoyed cold or gently warmed. To serve hot, transfer to a medium saucepan and heat over low to medium-low heat until warmed through. Stir regularly and add a little broth if it thickens too much during heating.
Serving Suggestions
- Vegan mac and cheese: Toss cooked pasta with a generous amount of the sauce for a creamy plant-based mac.
- Dip for chips or nachos: Use warm or room-temperature sauce as a dip for tortilla chips, nachos, or vegetable crudités.
- Drizzle on steamed vegetables: Steam broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans and finish with this sauce for an easy side.
- On baked potatoes: Spoon the sauce over a baked potato with vegan butter and chives for a comforting meal.
Recipe: Vegan Cheese Sauce
This recipe yields about 1.5 cups of sauce—enough for roughly 6–8 servings depending on use.
Ingredients
- 1 cup soaked raw cashews*
- 1 cup sweet potato puree (pumpkin puree works too)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or water), plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Place 1 cup raw cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight or at least 12 hours. For a quick option, pour 2 cups boiling water over cashews and let sit 30 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the softened cashews. Add them to a high-speed blender or food processor.
- Add sweet potato puree, nutritional yeast, salt, vegetable broth, and apple cider vinegar.
- Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add additional broth a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- If serving warm, transfer to a saucepan and heat over low to medium-low heat, stirring often. Add a splash of broth if it thickens too much while warming.
- Serve over pasta, steamed vegetables, nachos, or baked potatoes. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days and reheat gently.
Tips & Notes
- *Soaking cashews overnight yields the creamiest texture. The flash-boil shortcut works in a pinch.
- Adjust the salt and vinegar to taste. Nutritional yeast brands vary in intensity, so you may want to increase or decrease the amount slightly.
- To thin the sauce without adding more salt, use water or unsalted vegetable broth by the tablespoon.
- This recipe makes about 1.5 cups of sauce.
Nutrition (approximate per serving)
Calories: 169 kcal • Carbohydrates: 17 g • Protein: 7 g • Fat: 8 g • Fiber: 2 g • Sugar: 7 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.