Fall in love with this dairy free and nut free cheese sauce! Not only is it super easy to make but is also incredibly healthy and delicious.
Made with nutritional yeast, peppers, and a variety of spices, this vegan cheese recipe is perfect for those looking for a dairy-free alternative to traditional cheese dips. Plus, it is totally free from all nuts and safe for those with nut allergies. No cashews, almonds, or coconut milk around here!
Free from: Wheat, gluten, dairy, casein, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mollusks, celery, corn, sesame, mustard, lupin, sulfites, nightshades, tomatoes, and more
Perfect for making it a dip for taco night or game night, quesadillas, grilled cheese, topping on nachos and so much more.
The next time you’re looking for a tasty and healthy dip, give this easy vegan cheese sauce recipe a try!
In the mood for more dips? Check out my olive oil bread drip or a tomato free salsa which is also perfect for taco night!
Why You’ll Love this Cheese Sauce
- Totally dairy free and nut free, not even coconut!
- Easy to make with simple ingredients from the grocery store
- Make it as spicy as you like
- Great option for a whole foods vegan diet
- Soy free, Gluten free, Top 9 allergy friendly
Ingredients
Here is a quick rundown of what you’ll need to make this cheese sauce.
- Potatoes: This is the base of our vegan cheese sauce. For a more creamy consistency, use all gold potatoes. For a more stretchy sauce, use all russet potatoes. As for me, I tend to use 2 russet and 2 gold potatoes for the perfect blend and velvety texture.
- Onions: This brings a good flavor to the sauce.
- Carrots: Adds some color to the sauce as well as a touch of sweetness.
- Red Pepper: Similar to carrots, this adds some color to the sauce, as well as a bit of heartiness to the sauce.
- Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt are the main spices for this dish. You can make it spicy by adding some chili powder or even jalapeno peppers!
- Nutritional Yeast: This is what brings the cheesy flavor. It is a type of yeast but not the kind that makes bread dough rise.
- Lemon juice: Just a splash adds a bit of brightness to the sauce that mimics the tang from cheese.
- Reserved cooking water: Full of starch from the potatoes, the water helps to give this sauce the right texture.
Allergy Substitutions & Variations
It is recommended that those with Crohn's disease use nutritional yeast with caution as it can aggravate symptoms.
If you are allergic to or avoiding corn, please avoid this product as nutritional yeast is grown on a corn base. In place of the nutritional yeast, add 1 teaspoon of white miso paste for a similar taste.
If you don't have lemon juice, you can swap it out for apple cider vinegar in the same amount to get a similar tang and brightness.
Want to make this more of a vegan queso sauce? Add some chopped jalapeños!
Recommended Equipment
For the best results, I recommend using a high-speed blender. However, it also will work in a normal blender or even a food processor. You just want to be able to really blend the ingredients together to make a smooth and creamy sauce.
Instructions
For the full instructions, complete with recipe measurements, please see the recipe card below.
In a large pot on the stove, add the chopped potatoes, chopped carrot, and chopped onion. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 to 30 minutes depending on how small you chopped the potatoes.
When you are done cooking, make sure you reserve this cooking water! This water is full of starch and helps to keep the sauce together.
Transfer the cooked vegetables to your blender. Add the rest of the ingredients including the chopped red pepper, nutritional yeast, spices, lemon juice, and a cup of the reserved cooking water. Blend on medium, adding more water as needed.
Give it a taste and adjust for any seasoning. And you are done!
FAQs
No, I don't recommend this. Brewer's yeast is a similar but different ingredient.
Of course! Add in some jalapeno peppers along with the red pepper when making. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper. This is such a great recipe to customize to your liking.
Yes! I think it is super healthy. With only 65 calories per serving, you can pour on as much “cheese” as you like. It’s a great source of hidden veggies and packed full of vitamins and minerals thanks to the vegetables and nutritional yeast.
This cheese sauce is so delicious on so many things! Try it out with vegan black bean enchiladas, on top of burrito bowls, as a dip for tortilla chips and veggies, or to top a baked potato!
How to Store
Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend placing this in the freezer.
More Dairy Free Recipes to Try
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Recipe
Equipment
- Sauce pot
- blender or food processor
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes
- 2 gold potatoes
- 2 carrots
- ½ onion
- 1 cup water reserved cooking water
- 1 red pepper
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the vegetables. In a large pot on the stove, bring the peeled and diced russet potatoes, gold potatoes, carrots, and onion to a boil over medium heat. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the stove. Reserve the vegetables and the cooking water.
- Blend and season. In a blender or food processor, combine the cooked vegetables with red pepper, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, spices, and 1 cup of the reserved cooking water. Blend on high until all the ingredients are combined and the sauce is smooth.
- Serve. Pour the cheese sauce into a bowl and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- How to Store
- Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend placing this in the freezer.
- Allergy Substitutions & Variations
- It is recommended that those with Crohn's disease use nutritional yeast with caution as it can aggravate symptoms.
- If you are allergic to or avoiding corn, please avoid this product as nutritional yeast is grown on a corn base. In place of the nutritional yeast, add 1 teaspoon of white miso paste for a similar taste.
- If you don't have lemon juice, you can swap it out for apple cider vinegar in the same amount to get a similar tang and brightness.
- Want to make this more of a vegan queso sauce? Add some chopped jalapeños while blending.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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