Nacho Cashew Cheese Sauce Recipe
This Nacho Cashew Cheese Sauce is a creamy, flavorful, and dairy-free alternative to traditional cheese sauce, perfect for vegans and those seeking a plant-based option. Made with soaked cashews blended with green chilies, nutritional yeast, and spices, it delivers a rich and smoky taste that pairs wonderfully with nachos or as a dip.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes (including soaking time, shorter if quick soak is used)
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes (excluding long soaking)
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Sauce / Dip
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Vegan / Plant-Based
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Cashew Cheese Sauce
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 4 oz can of green chilies
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapenos
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 3 tbsp unsweetened plant-based milk (almond milk recommended)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Soak the Cashews: Place your cashews in a bowl and cover with water for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to soften. For a quicker method, cover the raw cashews with boiling water and let them soak for 20-30 minutes.
- Blend the Ingredients: Drain and discard the soaking water. Add the cashews to a high-speed blender along with green chilies, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, pickled jalapenos, smoked paprika, chili powder, plant-based milk, and kosher salt. Blend on high until the sauce is velvety smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce after blending and add additional salt incrementally (up to 1 tsp) if desired. Blend and taste again until the seasoning is perfectly balanced according to your preference.
Notes
- Soaking the cashews properly is essential to achieve a smooth, creamy texture in the sauce.
- This sauce is best used immediately but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of jalapenos for your desired heat level.
- Use a high-speed blender for the smoothest consistency.
- Serve warm or at room temperature over nachos, vegetables, or as a dip.
Keywords: vegan cheese sauce, cashew cheese, dairy-free cheese, nacho cheese sauce, plant-based sauce, vegan nacho dip
Find it online: https://reemcook.com/nacho-cashew-cheese-sauce-recipe/
