Vegan Cheese Sauce (No-Cook)

Name: Vegan Cheese Sauce (No-Cook)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: ¾ cup water; 1 cup raw cashews; ¼ cup rolled oats; ¼ cup nutritional yeast; 2 ounces roasted red pepper from a jar (about 1 small pepper); 3 Tablespoons lemon juice; 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon onion powder; 2 teaspoons chickpea or white miso (I'm a fan of Miso Masters brand); ¾ to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce, optional

User Reviews

5.0

99 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
Servings
8 servings
Calories
115 kcal
Course
Condiments
Cuisine
American

Vegan Cheese Sauce (No-Cook)

Finn Russell

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This vegan cheese sauce is the real deal! It comes together in just 5 minutes without any cooking! This is the best dairy-free cheese sauce to use on everything from veggies and baked potatoes, to nachos, pasta, and more! Oil-free, gluten-free, and made without coconut or soy.Yield: makes about 2 cups

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Ingredients

Servings

¾ cup water
1 cup raw cashews Decrease to ¾ cup for a tangier, slightly less rich sauce; see Notes
¼ cup rolled oats Certified gluten-free, if needed
¼ cup nutritional yeast
2 ounces roasted red pepper from a jar (about 1 small pepper) Make sure it does not contain sugar; sweetness interferes with the cheesy flavor.
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons chickpea or white miso (I'm a fan of Miso Masters brand) Chickpea miso is soy-free, if needed. If you don't have miso, increase salt to taste.
¾ to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce, optional

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Instructions

If using a standard blender, about 1 hour before you plan to make cheese sauce, place cashews in a bowl, cover with boiling water, soak for an hour, then drain and proceed.Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender, and blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until completely smooth.
After blending, taste and adjust salt/acid balance, as desired. Even the slightest tweaks in salt, lemon, rice vinegar, cashews, or water can "fix" the flavor if it's too tangy or salty for your preference.
The sauce will get warm during blending. It can be used right away, or refrigerated until ready to use. The cheese sauce will thicken as it cools.

Notes

Store leftover cheese sauce in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can also be frozen. Thaw and briefly heat the sauce to restore to its original creamy consistency.
Soaking cashews - a high-speed blender like a Vitamix produces the best texture in this sauce because it fully breaks down the nuts and oats. If using a regular blender, follow the standard method for soaking cashews, either overnight at room temperature or in hot water for 1 to 2 hours.