Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce & Dip [Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Oil-Free, Soy-Free]

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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! 

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.

So, what’s in it?

So glad you asked!

Ingredients

• 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

How to make vegan cheese sauce

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

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.

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.

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).

If you prefer the sauce a little thinner, you can add more water in 1-tablespoon increments up to 4 tablespoons, blending in between, until desired consistency is reached.

Transfer to a serving bowl and top with chopped jalapeno.

Now, grab those chips and dig dip in!

Or…

If you’re using for nachos or tacos, stir in the chopped jalapeno…

and pour on…generously. 😉

Serving suggestions

Make it nacho night and try it with our sheet pan vegan nachos.

Or, make it taco night and try this vegan nacho sauce/dip with our smashed pinto bean tacos.

Either way, it’s perfect for both nachos and tacos along with our our easy guacamole and restaurant-style salsa. 

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.

For more veganized cheese recipes, check out these next:

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

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5 from 1 vote

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

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

• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1 3/4 cup peeled and chopped yukon gold potatoes
• 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup filtered water plus more if needed *See instructions below
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp 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, peel and cut potatoes and carrots into very small chunks.
• Add the potatoes and carrots to a 2-quart pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender (approximately 10 minutes).
• Add 1/2 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 1/2" or 7 7/8" 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 1/2 cup water, you can add more water. I suggest adding water in 1-tablespoon increments (up to 4 additional tablespoons), re-blending in between, until you've reached desired consistency. 

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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