Your New Go-To Vegan Cheese

What do you call cheese that not yours?  That’s right, nacho cheese!  Growing up my dad would make his special cheese dip for the holidays.  The main ingredient was Velveeta Cheese.  I longed for the holidays just for this treat.  As I grew older and changed my lifestyle, I chose to stop eating cheese made with dairy.  Candidly, nacho cheese sauce was at the top of my non-vegan favorites.  But that was not-my-cheese anymore!  I am delighted to share this recipe with you, it’s full of cashews, carrots and nutritional yeast.  This my friends is your new nacho cheese.

Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

My quest continues to prove a plant-based diet can have it all. This nacho cheese sauce warrants that fact. I use carrots in this recipe to give it that appealing orange color which so many cheeses have. Please dive right in and give this recipe a try.

Author: Bekah Rife

Category: Sauce, Dip, Cheese

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan

Serves: 1 cup

Ingredients

• ¾ cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours or overnight*
• ¼ cup peeled carrots, medium diced, soaked for 4 hours or overnight*
• 1 tablespoon white, yellow or chickpea miso paste
• 2.5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ½ cup hot water (you may need more depending on your desired consistency)

Instructions

1. First, gather your mise en place. (mi ˑ zɑ̃ ˑ plas)
2. Drain and rinse your cashews and carrots well in a strainer.
3. Place all the ingredients in a high speed blender.
4. Start the blender on a low setting and gradually increase to full power. Scrape the sides with a spatula. If you wish for a thinner sauce, add a bit more hot water. Blend again.
5. Taste your cheese and adjust seasoning if need.
6. Pour into a serving bowl or gravy boat. The cheese will be a perfect serving temperature from the hot water.
7. Enjoy as a dip, pizza sauce, pasta sauce, or with nachos.

Notes

*I soak my cashews and carrots in the same bowl.
**Prep time does not include soaking timel

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