This oil-free and dairy-free 6 ingredient vegan cheddar cheese sauce is made with healthy whole foods and is so good on nachos, or mixed with macaroni noodles for a classic mac ‘n’ cheese.
This thick and creamy cashew cheddar sauce is a great alternative to cheese.
It has the texture and the flavor of cheese, without the cholesterol and saturated fat.
Not only is it great on noodles or nachos, you can also dip your fries, veggies, pretzels, or anything that you want into this golden sauce.
Excited to try it? We thought so.
How to Make It
STEP ONE
Soak the cashews overnight, or to save time, boil them in water for approximately 15 minutes, or until they’re soft and puffy.
You’ll also need to bake the sweet potato until it’s nice and soft.
To save time, bake it the day before or you can buy cooked sweet potato at the grocery store.
STEP TWO
Drain and rinse the cashews and put them in a high-powered blender.
Scoop the flesh of the sweet potato from the skin and put it in the blender with the cashews.
Add the spices, apple cider vinegar, and water and blend until the texture of the mixture is smooth and creamy consistency, like a classic cheese sauce.
You shouldn’t detect and solids from the cashews. If you do, scrape the sides and keep blending.
Tips for Success
Make sure the cashews are soaked or boiled until they’re soft and puffy. This will ensure that they break down and become creamy.
Bake the potato until you can easily pierce it with a fork. The softer the potato, the creamier the sauce will get.
Don’t skip the apple cider vinegar and mustard, these are the ingredients that give the sauce the tangy flavor that you find in cheddar cheese.
Scrape the sides of the blender and keep blending until you can’t detect any solids from the cashews. It could take a few minutes if the cashews weren’t soft enough.
How to Store It
Keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
Cashew cheese can thicken quite a bit as it sits, just put it back in the blender and add a tablespoon of water at a time and blend until you get the consistency that you like.
You can freeze this in a freezer safe container for up to three months.
Thaw it in the refrigerator and blend it with a tablespoon of water at a time until it thins out a bit.
How to Eat It
- Pour it over pasta.
- Use it as a dip.
- Make nachos with it.
- Smear it on a burger.
- Pour it over a baked potato.
- Use it as a salad dressing.
More Vegan Cheese Recipes You’ll Love
The Ultimate 5 Ingredient White Cheese Sauce
Make our healthy vegan cheese sauce recipe and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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6 Ingredient Vegan Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Oven
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in water for at least 4 hours or boiled in water for 15 minutes, or until they’re soft and puffy.
- ½ cup cooked sweet potato
- 1 teaspoon dry yellow mustard
- 3 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt you can adjust the amount of salt according to your dietary needs but it will taste different.
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ to ¾ cup unsweetened plant-based milk coconut milk is not suggested.
- 2 tsp yellow miso paste
Instructions
- Soak or boil the cashews then drain and rinse well.
- Bake the sweet potato for an hour or it’s easily pierced with a fork. When it’s cool enough to handle, peel it and measure out one cup of the potato. You can also peel it and cut it into cubes and microwave until soft to the touch, approximately 15 minutes.
- Put the cashews, ½ cup sweet potato, 1 teaspoon dry yellow mustard, 3 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 2 teaspoon miso paste, and ½ to ¾ cups (start with a ½ and add more until you get the desired consistency you’re looking for) milk in the blender and blend on a high speed until the sauce is thick and creamy. You shouldn’t be able to see or feel any pieces of the cashews. If you do, scrape the sides and keep blending until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Note: I use the “whole foods > soup” setting on my Blendtec blender to get the desired consistency.
- Enjoy!
The Vegan 8 says
Wow, it's like a yellow dream of cheese sauce, haha! I love cashews, they really are the most perfect thing for us vegans! I could eat a tub of this Linda and I love that it's oil-free! Whoop!
Linda Meyer says
Thanks, Brandi! Cashews are the best, so versatile and healthy. I could have eaten the entire jar, but my husband made me share. 😉
Ruth says
Linda, I WILL make this, although raw cashews are kinda pricey, they are WAY better for us
than the cheese we buy on the market. By-the-way....( remember that you asked, okay ?)
BUT, I live in southern middle Tennessee and it's gorgeous, sunny most days, except it is
springtime & " April showers bring May flowers." We are having one of those winters that I
never can get straight, but maybe it's locust, so the high today is only 58, but this last week
it was ten degrees warmer than that. Yeah, ' ya'll ' come on down 'cause we can use some
more vegans. I am the only one. LOL
Linda Meyer says
Hi Ruth! Yes, cashews are expensive, but health care costs more, right? 😉 You'll love this cheese sauce. Let me know what you think.
Yes, I'd love to move to the South. My son goes to school in Alabama and he sends me snapchats of the magnolia, azaleas, and other flowers that are in bloom. And he's always in shorts. Time for a visit.
Sarah | Well and Full says
This cheddar cheeze sauce looks perfect! I love that it's made with sweet potato 😀
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Sarah. The sweet potato is what gives it that beautiful color. 🙂
Eileen xo says
I live in New York and yes snow too and more this weekend. My daughter has been asking for a new mac and cheese so I can't wait to make this for her! I love the color of the cheese sauce. This will be a great sauce for so many dishes! Thanks for a great recipe!
Linda Meyer says
Oh, how I loathe springtime in this type of climate. It's literally snowing as I type this. My son keeps sending me pictures of the azalea and magnolia trees that are in full bloom in Alabama right now and he's killing me. Time for a college visit from mom. 😉 Thanks, Eileen, I hope you and your daughter enjoy the cheese sauce. Please let me know what you think.
Donna says
Ooh yum, I have been trying out some vegan cheeses lately - and I have to say, I am a big fan! Love the ingredients in this one. I have to say, I was a bit dubious about that brilliant yellow colour you have going on there when I came across this - but no food colour in sight, and that great colour is all natural - yay 🙂 Will be trying this out for sure
Linda Meyer says
Hi Donna! You'll never find artificial food coloring in any of our recipes. Yuck! The gorgeous color in this cheese sauce comes from the sweet potato and the nutritional yeast. Please let me know what you think of it when you try it. Thanks!
kristine says
Do you think I could use rice wine vinegar? it's what I've got if I want to make it RIGHT NOW.
Linda Meyer says
You can try it, I can't guarantee that it will taste exactly like this recipe. You could also try lemon juice, I have used that before. Please let me know how it turns out if you use the rice wine vinegar. 🙂
pragati says
It has been 105 F here for a while and I have melted numerous times :)..this golden color looks sensational..i don't have nutritional yeast but the rest can be managed...Glorious!
Linda Meyer says
Oh my, that's HOT! Thank goodness you don't need to turn on a stove to make this cheese sauce. 🙂
Kristy @ Southern In Law says
I don't follow a vegan or dairy free diet but I am SO making this as it sounds incredible!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Kristy! Please let me know how you like it. 🙂
Christine (Run Plant Based) says
This looks wonderful, love the simple list of ingredients and color. Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Christine! And you're welcome. 🙂
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
looks so creamy & flufffy! i want to make nachos with this.
Linda Meyer says
Thanks! Nachos would be perfect with this. 🙂
Mel @ avirtualvegan.com says
That colour! It looks so rich and thick. My mouth is watering. I have such a weakness for thick delicious sauces. Bring on the pasta!
Linda Meyer says
The sweet potato makes it so gorgeous! Thanks, Melanie. 🙂
Kelly Page (@TastingPage) says
Oooooo that color is inviting, not to mention all the great healthy ingredients in this cheese sauce. I love it!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Kelly. The sweet potato gives it the best color.
Uma Srinivas says
Looks awesome, color is amazing. I know this will be very tasty!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Uma!
Hedi Hearts says
Wow wow wow!!! This looks amazing!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Hedi! 🙂
Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes says
This sauce could seriously fool anyone. It totally looks like the real thing except that your version isn't loaded with any food coloring or other junk noone should consume. Props on this recipe. Looks really good, Linda! Sharing because I'm obsessed!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Vanessa! I have to admit that it looked so much like Velveeta that I almost didn't want to try it-haha! Once I did I couldn't stop sneaking spoonfuls of it. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Jenn S. says
Well, you know my answer to the snow thing. UGH! And this sauce is gorgeous...that color! You also know my thing for tortilla chips and my mouth is telling me that I need to make this and get to dippin'!
Linda Meyer says
This weather is crazy! I should be used to it by now, but it just gets harder every year. Thank you! It's so good, I'll be making it regularly. 🙂
Patricia Conte says
Love the ingredients for this sauce! It looks so decadent, and love that it can be eaten w/out feeling icky (like the "real" stuff can make you feel)! Nice!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Patricia! It's so much better for you than the boxed and jarred stuff, and it tastes better.
Natalie says
I know I already freaked out and explained my sauce-covered dream meal on FB, but I just gotta say I'm still freaking out a little inside over this saucy golden deliciousness! And how easy it is! And how pretty it is <3
Linda Meyer says
Hahaha! Thanks, Natalie. 🙂 I've made so many versions of this sauce but never posted them because I wasn't in love with them. This one was the golden ticket. Pun totally intended.
Letty Flatt says
I bet this is delicious. Pinning it for later!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Letty. Please let me know what you think if you try it. 🙂
Strength and Sunshine says
It's so yellow <3
So....it was SO sunny yesterday BUT Saturday into Sunday night, it hailed, the wind was so bad it almost blew my house down (no joke). It did break a massive pine tree which fell on our wires, destroyed our mailbox, but somehow only caused the power to go out for like 5 minutes....needless to say though it was scary!
Linda Meyer says
I saw your picture on FB, so scary! It's been incredibly windy here too. After the snow on Saturday it reached 72 degrees on Sunday, and now it's back to the 30s. UGH! This cheese sauce made it tolerable. 🙂