A silky smooth, lusciously creamy, Vegan Cheese Sauce that is nut-free, gluten-free, low in fat, high in protein and can be whipped up in your blender in minutes! It's one of my favourite super quick dinners. Toss it through freshly cooked pasta and serve alongside some veggies or a salad. Dinner done fast!
This super easy Vegan Cheese Sauce is a gamechanger. It's seriously good and like my Cauliflower Alfredo, it's nut-free, gluten-free and really low in fat.
Recipe video
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There aren't many nut-free vegan cheese sauce recipes around. Cashews tend to be used on repeat for creamy sauces in the vegan world, like in my cashew cheese sauce recipe, and although they make a really tasty, glossy, yummy sauce that I love, hey, sometimes there are times when you could use a recipe without them.
Maybe you have guests with allergies, maybe you don't want to spend an arm and a leg on a bag of nuts (cashews aren't exactly cheap!), or maybe you are trying to be good after eating your way through an entire cookbook for the past 5 or 6 months!
Whatever the reason you want a nut-free vegan cheese sauce, I've got you covered, because this recipe is just perfect for any of the above occasions.
It's a super simple Vegan Cheese Sauce, made in seconds, and it's luscious, smooth and creamy and can be used in any recipe where you want a thick, creamy, cheesy sauce. And did I mention it's got no nuts, no gluten and no fat in it? I did but I feel the need to repeat myself.
Because it's made from silken or soft tofu, it is super, super velvety and smooth. So much more so than a nut-based sauce and it tastes lighter.
How to make vegan cheese sauce
(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).
This simple, Vegan Cheese Sauce couldn't be easier to make.
Here's what you need:
And here's how it's done:
Step 1 - Put all of the ingredients in a blender or a food processor and blend. (That is incidentally actually another good thing about this recipe. Because everything in it is super soft, you don't need a fancy pants high powered blender to make it super smooth. Any blender or food processor should be able to take care of it).
Step 2 - Warm it gently through in a pan on the stovetop or use in any recipe calling for cheese sauce.
That's it. It's the easiest sauce ever!
Nutritional yeast
Please be sure to use a good tasting nutritional yeast for this recipe. All nutritional yeasts are not created equally. Some brands taste a lot better than others.
I personally do not like Bob's Red Mill nutritional yeast, even though I love all of their other products. I do not recommend you use it in this recipe as you won't get the intended cheesy flavour. It's ok used in small amounts but in a recipe where you use a lot like this it will make a big difference to the overall result.
My personal favourite is Hoosier Farms and an added bonus is it's super cheap too. It comes in a massive tub that lasts ages. I get mine from Amazon. It looks like this (tap the pic to go right there):
Serving Suggestions
The possibilities are endless though. I'm thinking:
- easy pasta dinners
- as a dip
- cauliflower cheese
- mac and cheese
- lasagna
- pasta bakes
- cheesy soups
- loaded nachos
You get the idea.
Hungry For More?
For more vegan dairy substitutes, check out these great options:
If you tried this recipe, let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce (no nuts!)
Author:Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 grams) silken or soft tofu
- ½ cup (35 grams) nutritional yeast , make sure it's a good tasting one
- 1½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika , or chipotle powder
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120 mls) unsweetened milk of choice , soy or cashew milk gives the best result tastewise
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Warm the sauce through gently in a pan on the stove top before serving.
NOTES
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
KJ says
To be successful when switching from a standard Western diet to a vegan or plant-based diet, you need foundational recipes that can get you through the transition and also sustain you over time. For me, a cheese addict, this cheese sauce is exactly that type of foundational recipe. It is a satisfying substitute that has helped me remain plant-based for over three years now. Mac & cheese, nachos, dips… it is smooth and creamy and tastes like a good quality melted cheese. Thank you for helping me overcome my cheese addiction while continuing to enjoy my favorite foods! I recommend this to everyone, including those who eat cheese — it’s a tasty way to add protein and fiber without the extra calories and saturated fat.
Melanie McDonald says
I love this. Thank you!
Eva Gonzalez says
Do I need to press out all the water, first?
Melanie McDonald says
Follow the recipe as written. If it needs to be pressed the recipe will always say.
Hannah says
Yum!
Di says
Love it! I don’t make “cheesy“ sauces too often because of the calorie count, but this is completely and totally doable… And delish. Served on a bun over a carrot dog with chili, this makes a delightfully sloppy wonderful yummy chili cheese dog. :-)
Shellie says
This came out great. Delicious. Thanks!
Paula says
Best 'cheese' sauce I have tasted, right up there with your vegan ricotta! Thank you for this recipe!
Angie says
This is amazing! Got the nutritional yeast you recommended and seriously want to put this on everything. Definitely will be making this again and again and again.
Margaret Montoya says
Hello Mel. The packs of silken tofu I use here in the UK are 300g, so adjusted the rest of the ingredients accordingly, but used Colman's English mustard instead of Dijon. I made it for me and my omnivore husband, who ate most of it and he said he would definitely have it again!
Candace says
Such a great recipe. I'm really pleased to have one on hand that's low fat and still tastes great. I mean cashew-based sauces are lovely but the calories pile up and it can work out expensive. Thank you for the recipe.
Tam says
Just made this..exactly..and it tastes nothing like cheese sauce. I even added garlic, onion and green chilis to make it a queso and all it tastes like is tofu and nutritional yeast.
Simon says
Loved it!