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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You are such a great help, Katie! Our son is dealing with some food allergies and we have to steer clear of nuts and soy until further testing. Cannelini beans, why didn’t I think of it? Lol. Thank you!
You are magical! No TOFU…NO CASHEWS…waaaahhh!!! Absolutely will be making this!
Just made this with a few slight variations (I didn’t have all the ingredients), and I literally had to refrain from eating the whole pot. My little brother, who normally yells at me “No! Not your vegan mac n’ cheese!!”, ate the entire bowl and asked for seconds.
So fast, so easy, SO making this again! Thank, Katie 🙂
What were your changes?
May I ask what were your variations? I tried this recipe a few months ago but I was disappointed cause the bean flavor was very obvious, which J didn’t like. Any suggestions?
Nina I am yet to try it but I plan on substituting the beans for soaked macadamias!! People normally use cashews as a base, but as I follow he low fodmap diet I can’t have them.. will post back with an update x
I made this before and I used butternut squash and nutritional yeast. It is great
Whoa, I’m in! Can’t wait to try this. Thanks for all your fabulous recipes, Katie!
Oh my gosh, I’m making this tonight! I love mac & cheese (I’m veggie, but not vegan) but my husband can’t eat dairy so I never make it. And I have all of these ingredients already at home! I often have problems with the ingredients that I can’t find where I live, so I was so happy to see nutritional yeast as an alternative to non-dairy cheese. Thanks! Lisa
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Um…what?
Oh, give it a rest, Jess. I am a vegan but your post embarrasses me. People get to it when they get to it. Trying to shame them into giving up meat is going to accomplish the exact opposite of what you want to accomplish. There’s another word for this kind of riches signaling… Arrogance.
Holy Cheese Sauce! This was wicked good! I had everything on hand – it was quick, easy, and oh so delish! The only bad part was I almost ate all of the sauce before the pasta was ready. My tip, cook the pasta first so that dilemma is solved! Katie, you rock!!
I made this with a little bit of smoked paprika and oh my god it was SO good. I’m definitely making it again!
Your photos look like Panera’s mac and cheese *heart eyes*
Hi Katie, this cheese sauce looks A-MA-ZING, I’m so excited to try it! One quick question though, would it be the same if I used a food processor instead of a blender?
Yummy!! I just made your cheese sauce for my brown rice pasta. It’s delicious!! I had extra sauce,,, steamed some broccoli… What a great fast meal. Loved it! Thanks!