This smooth and velvety vegan cheese sauce recipe is deliciously cheesy, ultra creamy, and super low in fat and calories.
You’re going to want to put this luxurious vegan cheese sauce over everything.
And the best part is that it is allergy-friendly – no dairy, no tofu, no gluten, and NO cashews!
This was one of those weeknight throw-a-bunch-of-ingredients-together-and-see-what-happens recipes.
I hadn’t prepared anything for dinner and arrived home feeling super hungry after being out all day. Pasta is one of my go-to meals on those types of days, and this quick vegan white sauce was the result of looking through my kitchen cabinets to see what could go with the pasta.
The entire meal was done in barely more time than it takes to boil water!
My favorite comfort food is comfort food that takes longer to eat than to make ♥
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Ways To Use Vegan Cheese Sauce
- Poured over steamed broccoli
- Stirred into rice or quinoa
- On top of baked potatoes or tator tots
- As a dip for these Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
- Over pasta or spaghetti squash (here’s How To Cook Spaghetti Squash)
Or you could serve yourself a giant bowl of this creamy and ultra velvety vegan cheese sauce and eat it with a spoon.
Am I the only one who does this with cheese sauce???
You know how much I love giving options in my recipes.
This vegan cheese sauce is no exception, and you have a few options here.
I developed variations both with and without nutritional yeast, because I know the ingredient isn’t always easy to find and that not everyone is a fan.
If you’ve never heard of nutritional yeast, it’s something used quite often in vegan cooking because of its addictively cheesy taste.
To be clear, nutritional yeast does not taste exactly like cheese; it just has that same umami flavor.
(Umami—or savory—is one of the five basic tastes, along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.)
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If you try this recipe, I’d love to see!
Also make this creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce or my favorite Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce.
Vegan Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked white beans, such as cannelini
- 1/2 cup milk of choice, preferably unsweetened
- 5 tbsp nutritional yeast OR 1/3 cup vegan shredded cheese
- salt – I like 1/2 tsp
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- If using nutritional yeast, add optional 1/2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
- optional 2 tsp buttery spread or olive oil – I really like the rich depth of flavor this adds, especially if not using the cheese version
- optional pinch turmeric, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, etc.
Instructions
- Drain and rinse beans if they are canned. Blend together all ingredients except cheese, either in a blender or with a hand blender. Transfer to a pot, and add the cheese, if using. Heat on low, stirring occasionally, until desired serving temperature is reached and optional cheese is melted. If serving with pasta, stir in cooked pasta at this time. Add more milk of choice if a thinner sauce is desired.Instant Pot Version: Instead of transferring to a pot on the stove, put the blended mixture in your instant pot and heat on manual for 5 minutes. Thanks to reader Emma who created this version and left a comment to let us know it can be made in an instant pot!View Nutrition Facts
Notes
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It is not vegan if it uses milk. Vegan meand no animal products
Milk of choice means whatever milk you want to use. Katie prefers almond.
I just made this for nachos. I used the nutritional yeast and added some hot sauce. Everyone LOVED it, even my anti-nutritional yeast husband. Thanks!!
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This was creamy, well seasoned and delicious. I used in I vegetable casserole recipe that called for a can of Campbells cheese soup. I also made enough to mix with pasta (Mac and cheese) Yum!
Love your idea so much!
Amazing! So nice and super easy to make!
It says there are variations with & without nutritional yeast but I can’t find how much to add for the nooch version… did I read right over it somewhere?
Wow, this was so good! I used butter beans instead of canelli and it turned out great! I also used my immersion blender. Definitely agree that the plant butter adds a perfect creaminess. MMMM
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Would canned garbanzos work for this?
We found it gives a little bit of a bean flavor if you sub garbanzo beans, but they definitely still work if you want to try, and you might like the flavor.
Your recipes sound amazing! I have IBS so can’t eat cauliflower, beans or cashews (yes, such a bummer!). Do you have any cheesy recipes that don’t call for either?
Hi! Maybe this one if you can do cornstarch? https://lett-trim.today/vegan-pasta-alfredo-recipe/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
OH YUM!!! I used the nutritional yeast option with a little bit of olive oil and apple cider vinegar, fantastic! It’s a keeper! Thank you!!
Thank you so much for making it 🙂
I have tried at least 10 cheese sauces !
This is a Winner!!! I did add dry mustard and Mexican oregano and some hatch green chiles no vinegar with the nutritional yeast for some spicy cheese sauce to go with quinoa tacos and or bean and rice enchiladas! This will be my go to cheese sauce thank you ! Going to see what else you have ! Yay!
This made us so happy 🙂