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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This was delicious! I made mac and cheese, used it a hollandaise-type sauce on top of poached eggs and toast (to die for), on top of roasted potatoes, and added some hot sauce and dipped tortilla chips and veggies in it. I’m sure there is a thousand uses for this sauce , and it’s healthy….I will be making this lots!!! I also added a tablespoon of Dijon mustard for a nice little kick. Thanks for the recipe!
I think maybe it’s 5tsp nutritional yeast, not tbsp… it’s too much :/
Can I use butter beans? Im all out of anything else 🙁
Hi Katie, I just recently discovered your website and this recipe. Ik picked it for my first vegan mac ‘n cheese ever en it was a big success! So yummy! Even still cold, straight from the blender I could have eaten all of it. But I managed to save some for the pasta and broccoli I had cooked 😉
I put it all together in an oven dish, covered it with bread crumbs and let it broil just a little.
My non vegan husband thought he was eating cheese!
I am really gratefull for recipes like this one as it allowes us to eat vegan without compromising on flavour or the joy of eating.
Thank you so much!!!
Wow that looks absolutely amazing!
Just mad this for my husband and I, I have been recently going vegan and he has decided to go vegan recently as well, we loved it!
Oh, my. I am always on the lookout for vegan cheese sauces – without the gooey vegan shredded cheese because sadly hubby doesn’t like that. This was amazing. I was going for a nacho-type and added cumin, turmeric and chili powder. Astounding, and easy, low-fat and creamy. I’m going to try this for a Florentine next blending the spinach into the cheese as well. I might just have to keep a gallon of this in the fridge!
Amazing! I’m allergic to cashews and have issues with soy. This is so freaking delicious and easier than anything else I’ve made. Thank you!!
I added some paprika to mine. Excited to try different flavor combos each time I make it.
Do you think blackeye peas will work?
You can definitely experiment! Be sure to report back if you do.
Ahh this looks so good! I don’t have a very high powered blender, so fingers crossed it still comes out nice and smooth!
Thanks 🙂
Made this cheese sauce as a base for a queso to go on my vegan nachos. Yum! Added some onions, minced garlic, bell peppers, and jalapeno peppers, and voila! The queso was gone before I could blink. Safe to say this will be a regular recipe in our household.
Almost perfect! I would have to say though, using a hand mixer is not a wise decision. Not only does it make a bit of a mess, it is not effective in getting a nice consistency. I am going to have to purchase a food processor and try this again. Of course, I could tell this wasn’t ordinary mac n cheese, but it was still tasty. Thank you for the recipe.
How many servings does this make? The serving size says 59g is that approximately a 1/4 cup? I’m trying to figure out the nutrition label.
Looks great by the way:)
Omg – this is the best “cheese” sauce I have ever had!! I had all the ingredients on hand – did the nutritional yeast version with a pinch of smoked paprika! DELISH! Steamed broccoli, mushrooms and lentil pasta! Oh – and based on the comments I went ahead and made a batch and a half (since my beans were 1 1/2 cups) tasted it and then became very persnickety about an left on the side of the pan while stirring!!! It’s that good:)
This is now, without doubt, my new favourite sauce. Been looking for a good sauce to make Mac&Cheese for my vegan partner and this has came out top of the list for creamy, smooth, versatile deliciousness. And the pumpkin seed to top it all, is how quick and easy it is to make. Thank you Katie!
I clicked on this link while searching for recipes using cheese sauce (because I have some of mine left to use up) and I was hoping it would be another one I could use but unfortunately my husband can’t have beans so we’ll have to stick to our own but I figured I’d share it with you as well. We just made up this recipe and it can be made without the konjac and gelatin to be used as a cheese sauce and making it vegan. I like that the base is veggies.
This is amazing! I do it in the instant pot and it takes only 5 minutes on manual!