BEST Plant-Based “Cheese” Sauce [Nacho, WFPB, Vegan, Allergy-Friendly]

The internet is full of recipes for plant-based and vegan cheese sauces. Some use cashews as a base, others cauliflower, and others, like this one, potatoes and carrots. It feels like we have tried pretty much all of them, but this is the one we keep going back to (which is saying a lot for the girl who has a thing for trying new recipes).

I know what you’re thinking. The humble potatoes and carrots could not possibly be transformed into something as magical as cheese. I mean, a whole lot of sub-par leftovers have been transformed with the addition of some melted cheese on top. And although no two foods may be identical, this sauce has happily filled the void left when we made the difficult journey to stop buying 15 lbs of cheese at Costco every month.

Sure, you can certainly buy vegan cheeses at the grocery store, but I personally never do. Generally they are expensive and made of artificial ingredients, so it’s hard to say if they are any healthier than regular cheese.

My 3 year old happily eats it plain, although I recommend that if you are new to plant-based eating, you use this sauce with other foods.It complements nachos, enchiladas, pasta and more extremely well. In fact when I’m lucky enough to have leftover cheese sauce in the fridge, it can make a meal out of whatever leftover beans, rice, quinoa, chili, etc. I happen to have hanging around.

It’s pretty amazing how cooked and blended potatoes and carrots can transform into a gooey, rich sauce with fantastic texture. You can include the optional cashews to add some fat and richness, but the sauce is also delicious without them if you need nut-free or want to keep the cost minimal.

Smoked Paprika

Costco used to have a great bottle of McCormick Smoked Paprika which lends such a great flavor to so many things. Sadly I haven’t seen it at Costco for quite some time and when I went to buy some at other stores was surprised to see it between 5.99 and 7.99 for a small bottle. But I found this smoked paprika on Amazon–I got it for under $4, so save yourself some time searching the grocery shelves and order this one.

Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast is another ingredient that a lot of people aren’t initially familiar with. My Sprouts recently started carrying it in the bulk area, which is a great way to try it out if you are new to it. Before I have bought this or this type off Amazon, and the price is only slightly higher per pound than at Sprouts.

I almost always double this recipe–my large Wildside Blendtec jar can accommodate 7 cups and this keeps well in the fridge for about a week. It can also be frozen. Freezing does change the texture, but simply blending the mixture with some water or plain-unsweetened plant-based milk will yield a nice smooth texture again. 

Print Recipe

BEST Plant-Based "Cheese" Sauce [Nacho, WFPB, Vegan, Allergy-Friendly]

A delicious, low-cost cheese sauce perfect for nachos, enchiladas, mac and cheese and more!

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Servings

cups

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 C diced peeled potatoes 13 oz, approx 1 lg, see note
• 3/4 C diced carrots 4 oz, approx 2 lg
• 1/2 cup raw cashews optional, can be omitted for nut free
• 1 cup water
• 2 TBSP nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice can use refrigerated in a pinch
• 2 cloves garlic can use 1/2 tsp garlic powder if needed
• 3/4 tsp white wine vinegar
• few shakes Tabasco Brand Chipotle Pepper Sauce to taste (add a lot for a Nacho Sauce)
• few shakes Tabasco Brand Chipotle Pepper Sauce to taste (add a lot for a Nacho Sauce)

Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Servings cups Ingredients 2 1/2 C diced peeled potatoes 13 oz, approx 1 lg, see note 3/4 C diced carrots 4 oz, approx 2 lg 1/2 cup raw cashews optional, can be omitted for nut free 1 cup water 2 TBSP nutritional yeast 1 tsp fine sea salt 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice can use refrigerated in a pinch 2 cloves garlic can use 1/2 tsp garlic powder if needed 3/4 tsp white wine vinegar few shakes Tabasco Brand Chipotle Pepper Sauce to taste (add a lot for a Nacho Sauce) few shakes Tabasco Brand Chipotle Pepper Sauce to taste (add a lot for a Nacho Sauce)

Instructions

1. Begin boiling water while you peel and dice potatoes and carrots. Add to boiling water and cook until easily pierced with a fork, or approximately 10 min.
2. Blend water and cashews while you gather and prepare other ingredients. Add remaining ingredients to blender.
3. When potatoes and carrots are tender, drain and being careful to let steam escape, blend on high until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Recipe Notes

**To avoid leftover raw potatoes, carrots can be used to reach a total of 3 1/4 cup diced vegetables. For example, if one large potato only yields 2 1/4 cups diced potatoes, simply increase carrots to 1 cup. Your sauce will have a brighter orange color but should otherwise be just fine. A few bites of leftover carrot are much easier than raw potato!

**If you omit cashews and feel the sauce needs more richness, some recipes call for 2 TBSP olive or avocado oil. I think it's fine without the oil, but if you are making this for eaters who are accustomed to regular cheese, a small amount of fat may ease the transition.

**a few shakes of Chipotle Tabasco yields a rich, full-flavor, not a spicy one. This is ideal for Macaroni and Cheese or other neutral recipes. To make nacho sauce, simply add 1 or more tablespoons Chipotle Tabasco, 1/2 cup salsa, or your preferred source of spice!

** keeps well in the fridge for about a week, or freezer for a month but texture does solidify/change somewhat. Simply warm or blend with a small amount of water to regain smooth texture. Most  frequently I stir into beans, chili, etc. that are either already warmed or will soon be warmed.