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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Cheese

    Published: Nov 11, 2018 · Modified: Jun 21, 2022 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 77 Comments

    Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce (with no nuts!)

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN WATCH VIDEO
    4.88 from 87 votes
    A silky smooth, lusciously creamy, Vegan Cheese Sauce that is nut free, gluten free and really low in fat. Whip it up in minutes in your blender!

    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!

    Vegan Cheese Sauce in a small stainless steel pan

    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.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • How to make vegan cheese sauce
    • Nutritional yeast
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Recipe Video
    • Recipe
    • Comments & Reviews

    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!

    vegan cheese sauce being poured from a jug onto pasta

    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.

    a bowl of vegan cheese sauce covered pasta

    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

    This simple, Vegan Cheese Sauce couldn't be easier to make.

    Here's what you need:

    Ingredients for vegan cheese sauce

    And here's how it's done:

    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).
    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.

    Vegan cheese sauce covered pasta twisted around a fork in a bowl

    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.

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Recipe Video

    Recipe

    easy vegan cheese sauce

    Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce (no nuts!)

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    4.88 from 87 votes
    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!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 5 minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
    Servings: 450 mls

    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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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

    Unused sauce will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. 
    Every single ingredient in this recipe plays a part in giving the best flavour possible, so I do not recommend omitting any of them or subbing them. 
    Please see my notes in the post above the recipe about the brand of nutritional yeast I recommend to make this recipe. They are not all created equally!

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 112ml serving (about ¼ of entire recipe)Calories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 6.9gProtein: 12gFat: 2gSodium: 410mgFiber: 2.3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 150IUVitamin C: 0.8mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 1.6mg

    Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.

    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

    Hungry For More?

    • Vegan Parmesan Cheese
    • Cashew Cheese Sauce
    • Vegan Cream Cheese
    • Vegan Ricotta
    22.2K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jenna says

      January 19, 2023 at 3:03 pm

      5 stars
      Hands down the best vegan cheese sauce I’ve tried yet!!!

      Reply
    2. Marcy says

      December 03, 2022 at 2:15 pm

      5 stars
      This was the first recipe I made in my new Vitamix. It took a little adjustment to vegan cheese sauce as I am still evolving into vegan recipes, but it only took a few dips to be fully on board. I soon found myself dipping veggies and corn chips in it. I'm realizing more and more these wonderful recipes are making the conversion to vegan an easy move.

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        December 04, 2022 at 9:13 pm

        That's so good to hear Marcy. Best of luck with your vegan transition!

        Reply
    3. Krista says

      October 19, 2022 at 8:54 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is literal perfection!! Thank you SO MUCH

      Reply
    4. Gail Holm says

      September 27, 2022 at 5:34 pm

      5 stars
      Just had it on gluten free sea shell macaroni and it was delicious. I used honey dijon mustard since that was all I had and it tasted great.
      Really quick to make as well, stored it in a glass jar in the fridge and when I needed it, I just heated it in the microwave.

      Reply
    5. KJ says

      July 24, 2022 at 1:18 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        July 25, 2022 at 12:09 pm

        I love this. Thank you!

        Reply
      • Eva Gonzalez says

        August 10, 2022 at 9:50 am

        Do I need to press out all the water, first?

        Reply
        • Melanie McDonald says

          August 10, 2022 at 10:20 am

          Follow the recipe as written. If it needs to be pressed the recipe will always say.

          Reply
    6. Hannah says

      July 08, 2022 at 11:29 pm

      5 stars
      Yum!

      Reply
    7. Di says

      May 28, 2022 at 1:31 pm

      5 stars
      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. :-)

      Reply
    8. Shellie says

      May 24, 2022 at 5:24 pm

      5 stars
      This came out great. Delicious. Thanks!

      Reply
    9. Paula says

      May 02, 2022 at 10:48 am

      5 stars
      Best 'cheese' sauce I have tasted, right up there with your vegan ricotta! Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
    10. Angie says

      March 26, 2022 at 7:44 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    11. Margaret Montoya says

      February 15, 2022 at 10:24 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
    12. Candace says

      October 16, 2021 at 3:52 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    13. Tam says

      October 16, 2021 at 2:10 pm

      2 stars
      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.

      Reply
    14. Simon says

      July 01, 2021 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      Loved it!

      Reply
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