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    Home » Vegan Cheese Recipes

    Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce & Dip

    Published: May 10, 2020 by Sherri Hall · This post may contain affiliate links.

    This vegan nacho cheese sauce is rich, velvety and easy to make with no gluten or oil! Made with a base of potatoes, carrots and pumpkin seeds, this plant-based cheese sauce is nut-free and soy-free too. This flavorful vegan sauce is perfect for vegan nachos, tacos, and more! 

    Jump to Recipe
    vegan nacho cheese sauce in a white serving bowl with tortilla chips around it on a white platter

    I hope you have a stash of tortilla chips handy because you're gonna need 'em.

    Why?

    Because this nacho cheese sauce is seriously addictive.

    Seriously.

    It's actually based off my basic vegan cheese sauce recipe but with a bit of a kick to it.

    nacho sauce in a white bowl with chips around it

    So, what's in it?

    So glad you asked!

    Ingredients you'll need

    • Raw Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)
    • Yukon Gold Potatoes
    • Carrots
    • Nutritional Yeast
    • Water
    • Lemon Juice
    • Salt
    • Garlic Powder
    • Onion Powder
    • Smoked Paprika
    • Red Pepper Hot Sauce
    • Chopped Jalapeno
    dipping a tortilla chip into the sauce in a white bowl

    How to make vegan nacho cheese sauce

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

    Pouring boiling water on pumpkin seeds

    While the pumpkin seeds are soaking, peel and cut the potatoes and carrots into very small chunks. Add the potatoes and carrots to a 2-quart pot.

    Chopped carrots and potatoes in a pot

    Cover with water, and bring to a boil and cook until tender (approximately 10 minutes).

    Add nutritional yeast, water, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and hot sauce to a high-powered blender.

    nutritional yeast, water, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and hot sauce added to blender

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

    pumpkin seeds, potatoes and carrots added to 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).

    ingredients blended into sauce in blender

    If you prefer the sauce a little thinner, you can add 1-2 tablespoons more water.

    Transfer to a serving bowl and top with chopped jalapeno.

    Now, grab those chips and dig dip in!

    holding a chip dipped in the sauce over the bowl of sauce with chips on a white plate

    Or...

    If you're using for nachos or tacos, stir in the chopped jalapeno...

    jalapeno stirred into the sauce in a white bowl

    and pour on...generously. 😉

    Serving suggestions

    Not only is this vegan cheese perfect for nachos, but it's great for tacos too!

    We love it with our smashed pinto bean tacos.

    You can also use the sauce to jazz up a baked potato, sweet potato or even French fries.

    Storing and reheating the sauce

    Leftover 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.

    tortilla chip sitting in bowl of sauce on a white platter with more chips

    For more veganized cheese recipes, check out these next:

    • Vegan Parmesan
    • Sunflower Seed Vegan Ricotta
    • Almond Ricotta
    • Cashew Ricotta

    You might also enjoy:

    • Easy Guacamole
    • Restaurant-Style Salsa.
    vegan nacho cheese sauce in a white serving bowl with tortilla chips around it on a white platter
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    5 from 2 votes

    Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

    This vegan nacho cheese sauce is rich, velvety and easy to make with no gluten or oil! Made with a base of potatoes, carrots and pumpkin seeds, this plant-based cheese sauce is nut-free and soy-free too. This flavorful vegan sauce is perfect for vegan nachos, tacos, and more! 
    Course Condiment, Dip, Snack
    Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
    Keyword gluten free, nut free, oil free, soy-free, vegan, vegan cheese
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 8 (makes approximately 2 cups)
    Calories 70kcal
    Author Sherri Hall

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
    • 1 ¾ cup peeled and chopped yellow or gold potatoes (chopped into small pieces of similar size)
    • 1 cup peeled and diced carrots
    • ½ cup filtered water (plus more if needed)
    • ½ cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ tsp onion powder
    • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
    • 1 ½ teaspoon red pepper hot sauce (I used Cholula)
    • 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and chopped

    Instructions

    • Cover pumpkin seeds with boiling water and set aside for 20 minutes
    • While the pumpkin seeds are soaking, add the potatoes and carrots to a 2-quart pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until very soft (approximately 10-15 minutes).
    • Add ½ cup water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and red pepper hot sauce to a high-powered blender. 
    • Drain pumpkin seeds along with the potatoes and carrots in a mesh strainer (5 ½" or 7 ⅞" size) and add to the blender.
    • Secure the lid and blend on high, scraping down the sides as needed, until the ingredients are well-incorporated and the sauce is smooth and creamy (approximately 2 minutes). If the sauce is too thick for your liking after you've used ½ cup water, you can add 1-2 tablespoons more water and blend again.

    (Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

    Suggested Equipment/Tools

    Electric Kettle
    Vegetable Peeler
    High-Powered Blender
    Mesh Strainer

    Notes

    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.
    The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
    This recipe was adapted from my vegan cheese sauce.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fiber: 2g
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    ©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christie

      May 13, 2020 at 8:27 pm

      5 stars
      Yum I love vegan nacho cheese sauce and this sound sounds so good with that hot sauce incorporated right into it!

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        May 15, 2020 at 11:52 am

        Thanks so much, Christie! Gotta have the hot sauce! 😉

        Reply
      • Svenja

        May 18, 2021 at 2:04 pm

        5 stars
        WOW I’ve just made this recipe and tried a spoonful and I can really say it’s amazing!! Even better than “normal” cheese dip! I added a red onion to the boiling potatoes and carrots and I mixed pumpkin seeds with cashew nuts. I can’t wait to see peoples reactions when they try this dip and I’m sure they’ll ask for the recipe 🙂 Thank you so much! Can’t wait to try more from your blog!

        Reply
        • Sherri Hall

          May 19, 2021 at 10:05 am

          Thank you so much, Svenja! I really appreciate that! 🙂 Love the idea of adding a red onion...will definitely have to try it out. Hope you have an awesome day!

          Reply

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    Sherri

    About Sherri

    Founder, Author, Recipe Developer, & Photographer

    With a lifelong passion for cooking, I specialize in creating easy meatless meals that are omnivore-approved!

    Learn more about me

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