If you need the perfect vegan nacho cheese sauce to dip into, look no further! This sauce has the perfect combination of flavors and is oil and nut free!
I adapted this recipe from Hot For Food. It's amazing but I prefer to cook oil free and I increased the amount of potatoes and carrots, because mo' veggies, mo' better. Am I right?
What is Vegan Nacho Cheese Made Out of?
The base of this particular recipe is potatoes and carrots. They are cooked and blended to make the sauce. Don't worry it won't taste like vegetables! They're the perfect base because their mild flavors allow for the additional ingredients to really shine and give it the nacho taste we're looking for.
Ingredients needed:
- Yukon potatoes
- carrots
- pickled jalapeño slices + liquid
- nutritional yeast
- tomato paste
- lemon juice
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt
What is nutritional yeast?
It's deactivated yeast so it won't make your bread rise like baker's yeast. It provides a cheesy, nutty flavor. Sometimes it also has the added benefit of being fortified with vitamin B12 but not always. And it boasts 8 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons!
This is a great additive for anyone looking to replace cheese on a vegan diet, however it's recommended to avoid for those with Crohn's Disease as yeast can make symptoms of the disease worse. For everyone else, it is perfectly safe to eat.
RELATED: Learn more about nutritional yeast, its benefits, best ways to use it, and more!
Don't have nutritional yeast or can't find it? Here are the best ways to substitute depending on what you're making (including this cheese sauce!).
What equipment do you need?
You're going to need a large soup pot to boil the carrots and potatoes, as well as a blender to blend everything together. A high-speed blender will work best. Right now I use this Ninja blender which is more affordable but I've heard good things about Vitamix blenders as well.
What to Serve With it?
This would go great with this Southwestern Breakfast Hash or on top of my famous Three-Bean Chili. Better yet, dip these Baked Zucchini Chips into it for a satisfying snack. Or simply use your favorite chip or vegetable and dig in!
How long will it keep?
I've stored this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer, store in the freezer. Thaw and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
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Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb Yukon potatoes
- 2 large carrots
- ½ cup water, used to boil the potatoes
- 6 pickled jalapeño slices
- 3 tbsp jalapeño pickling liquid
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Wash and scrub both the potatoes and carrots and peel if desired. I peeled the carrots but left the skin on the potatoes. Chop into uniform pieces and boil for 10 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes and then with a slotted spoon, transfer the veggies to your blender.
- Add ½ cup of the boiled potato water and pulse to mix.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Can be served cold or hot.
Notes
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