This creamy cashew cheese sauce and dip is easy to make in minutes with just 7 ingredients! It's also vegan, gluten-free, oil-free and soy-free too. Extremely versatile, you'll want to use it on all your favorite foods.
"Who knew eatin' vegan could taste so good?"
That was the slogan someone suggested I use if I ever decide to open a stand at the local farmers' market after trying this vegan cheese.
I had actually given a sample to a friend who sells jams and salsa for his wife to try who is looking to make some dietary changes for health reasons.
He loved it so much, he just had to share it with the vendor next to his stand.
The two devoured just enough to be sure my friend's wife got her fair share too.
He texted me later to tell me "the dip was the best she had in a long time."
I have to admit, I was over the moon because all three of them are non-vegans.
*Insert rejoicing hands emoji here*
Anyway, after making my cashew mac and cheese, I decided it only made sense to make a sauce/dip version of it.
So, I made some slight modifications to the cashew cheese in the mac and cheese recipe, mainly taking out the mustard and changing a few of the other measurements.
And boom...this "cheesy" goodness was born!
How to make cashew cheese sauce - step by step
Cover raw cashews in boiling water and allow to soak for 10 minutes. I find the easiest and quickest way to heat water is with an electric kettle.
You can also soak the cashews in cold water for 4-6 hours if you prefer.
Add nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and turmeric to a high-powered blender.
When the cashews are done soaking, drain them and add them to the blender followed by water and lemon juice.
Blend on high until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Ideas for serving
Some things this cashew cheese is perfect for are:
- Topping veggies, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes and veggie burgers...try it on our sweet potato black bean burgers.
- Drizzling on grain bowls, burrito bowls or wraps
- And of course, dipping all the things into! We love it with our air fryer frozen sweet potato fries and crispy corn tortilla chips.
How long will it keep?
You can store this sauce/dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Enjoy the leftovers cold, room temperature or warm.
Personally, I think it tastes best at room temperature or cold after being refrigerated.
However, if you'd like to warm up the leftovers, place the desired amount in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 10-second intervals until warm throughout, stirring in between.
If the sauce seems too thick, you can mix in a splash of water when reheating it.
You might also enjoy:
Cashew Cheese Sauce and Dip
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews
- 6 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ⅜ tsp garlic powder
- ⅜ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 cup *filtered water, plus more if needed
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Cover cashews in boiling water and allow to **soak for 10 minutes.
- While the cashews are soaking, add nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and turmeric to a high-powered blender.
- When the cashews are done soaking, drain them and add them to the blender followed by water and lemon juice. Blend on high until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add 1-2 tablespoons more water to thin out if needed.
(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs for this recipe)
Suggested Equipment/Tools
Notes
Nutrition
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Christie
You come up with the best cheese sauces with so many different varieties! It's great because people can come to you for other options using different nuts! Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe Sherri!
Sherri Hall
Thanks Christie! It's definitely a lot of fun experimenting with making different vegan cheeses. 🙂