Vegan Cheese Sauce & Dip

This rich and creamy, sharp cheddar-style Vegan Cheese Sauce is gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free and soy-free. Pour this dairy-free cheese sauce on all your favorite veggies, tacos, nachos or even French fries. You can also use it as a dip for your favorite chips!

First, I’d like to share a little ditty I call The Day I Gave Up Cheese (sung to the tune of "American Pie" by Don McLean).

♪ Not so long long ago
I can still remember how
That che-ese used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my cheese
It would make me feel at ease
And then I would be happy for a while

But Veganuary made me consider
Giving up dairy cheese forever
I knew that as I wept
I’d just take it step by step

I tried and tried and tried and tried
To let it go with all my might
Something brought me to my knees
The day I gave up cheese

So…

Bye, bye cheddar cheese-laden fries
Now my cheese is made from carrots and potatoes, oh my!
And those good ole cows are letting out a big sigh
Singin’, “this is a cheese you gotta try…
This is a cheese you gotta try.” ♫

Prize winning song parody?

Maybe.

A winning vegan cheese sauce recipe?

Heck yeah!

So instead of enjoying “cheddar cheese-laden” fries, how about enjoying some vegan cheese-laden fries instead?

So, let's get to some cheese making, shall we?

Ingredients you'll need

• Raw Pumpkin Seeds - I opted to use pumpkin seeds instead of cashews since they worked so well in my Vegan Parmesan Cheese and allowed this sauce to be nut-free, so those with nut allergies can enjoy it. Personally, I think they make the sauce a little more tangy, along the lines of a sharp cheddar.
• Carrots
• Potatoes - I find yellow or gold to work best, but have also used Russets before successfully.
• Nutritional Yeast
• Lemon Juice
• Water
• Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Turmeric

How to make nut-free vegan cheese sauce - step by step

Step 1 - Soften the pumpkin seeds

Cover the pumpkin seeds with boiling water and set them aside for 20 minutes.

I like to use an electric kettle to boil water because it does the job much faster than on the stovetop.

Step 2 - Prepare the potatoes and carrots

While the pumpkin seeds are soaking, peel and cut the potatoes and carrots into small chunks.

Add the potatoes and carrots to a 2-quart pot.

Cover with water, and bring to a boil and cook until very soft (approximately 15 minutes).

Step 3 - Blend the ingredients

Add nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, lemon juice and water to a high-powered blender.

Drain pumpkin seeds along with the potatoes and carrots in a mesh strainer and add to the blender.

Secure the lid and blend on high.

Stop to scrape down the sides as needed, and keep blending until the ingredients are well-incorporated and the sauce is smooth and creamy (approximately 2 minutes).

Please note that this recipe makes a pretty thick sauce.

Therefore, if you like your cheese sauce a little thinner, you can add 1-3 tablespoons more water.

What can this "cheese" be used for?

This creamy cheese sauce is perfect to serve over veggies such as broccoli or cauliflower or as a dip for tortilla chips, French fries or these air fryer frozen sweet potato fries.

It's also great on our pinto bean tacos and sweet potato black bean burgers.

Whether you pour it on or dip into it, the options are endless!

And if you like mac and cheese, I've also got a plant-based mac and cheese using a modified version of this sauce.

Can I use sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin seeds?

Yes, but the overall flavor of the cheese sauce will be a little more mild.

Can I use sweet potatoes?

Yes, but doing so will result in a sweeter taste.

And, the measurements will be a little different. Instead of 1 ¾ cups chopped Yukon Gold potatoes, use 1 ½ cups chopped sweet potatoes.

You will also have to add more water. Start with ¾ cup water and add more as needed in 1-tablespoon increments.

Can I use cauliflower instead of potatoes?

Yes, but you will be able to taste the cauliflower in it and the final product will be a little more sharp.

If using cauliflower, replace the potatoes with the same amount of chopped cauliflower (1 ¾ cups). Boil the cauliflower along with the carrots just as the directions note for the potatoes.

Instead of ½ cup water, start with ¾ cup and add 1-2 more tablespoons after blending if needed to thin out.

Storing and reheating

Cheese sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Reheat leftovers in a microwave safe dish in 15-second intervals, stirring in between.

You can also reheat in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until heated throughout.

For a nacho version of this recipe, check out our Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce next.

If you're not nut-free, you might also enjoy our Cashew Cheese Sauce.

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