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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Cheeses

    Vegan Cheese Sauce (Oil-Free; No-Cook)

    Posted: Jun 23, 2020 by Lori Modified: Mar 23, 2022 · This post contains affiliate links.

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    This easy vegan cheese sauce is a go-to! It's tangy, lusciously creamy, and requires no cooking. Pair this cashew sauce with everything from veggie bowls and potatoes, to nachos, burritos, and pasta. Free from oil, gluten, coconut, and soy.

    hand dipping a tortilla chip in cheesy sauce.

    What Makes This Cheese Sauce Different

    I have a favorite low-calorie vegan queso recipe that I whip up when I'm in the mood for maximum cheesy vibes with a lighter feel.

    But recently I decided the blog really needs an all-purpose vegan cheese sauce, one that gets its flavor from other cheesy ingredients and omits the Mexican-inspired spices of the queso recipe.

    This cashew cheese sauce is also oil-free, and to make it no-cook, we're ditching the tapioca starch and increasing the cashews for added richness and creaminess.

    We also have a secret ingredient! A small amount of rolled oats lends even more creaminess to this no-cook vegan cheese sauce.

    pouring creamy vegan cheese sauce into a bowl.

    Ingredient Notes

    Raw cashews - the naturally occurring starch in cashews helps thicken this cheese sauce and gives it a velvety smooth consistency.

    Nutritional yeast - even if you think you don't like cheeses made with nutritional yeast, I encourage you to give this a try. Also, I highly recommend this non-fortified nutritional yeast by Sari. Its flavor is much better than the ones fortified with B12 and folate.

    Roasted red peppers - you want roasted red peppers in a jar similar to the product in that link. The ingredients should be red peppers, water, salt, and citric acid. Avoid ones that contain sugar because the sweetness interferes with the cheese flavor.

    Rolled oats - as mentioned above, oats help make the sauce extra creamy since we're not using any additional starch like tapioca.

    Miso - miso, or fermented soybean paste, gives the cheese sauce a subtle, cheesy, fermented quality. I really like chickpea miso for vegan cheese recipes, but white miso also works.

    Hot sauce - this is totally optional and you'll probably want to omit it for most uses. Include hot sauce only if you want more of a nacho cheese vibe.

    spaghetti and broccoli in a pot coated with creamy sauce.

    Can I make it without cashews?

    If you're looking for a nut-free cheese sauce, this recipe may not be your best starting point.

    UPDATE: Check out this new Nut-Free Vegan Mac and Cheese. It uses raw sunflower seeds, is based off of this cheese sauce recipe, and it's amazing!

    I often make my Oil-Free Vegan Queso with soaked, raw sunflower seeds instead of cashews, and it works really well!

    The extra flavor from chipotle, cumin, salsa, etc, covers up the mild sunflower seed taste. And since that recipe is written to use a smaller amount of cashews, it's easier to replace them. But as I always say, feel free to experiment! 

    Flavor Options

    It's easy to slightly tweak the ingredients so that this sauce suits your needs. For example:

    • By slightly adjusting the amount of cashews you can make the sauce milder and thicker or tangier and thinner.
    • Adjust the amount of roasted red pepper and hot sauce (if using) for a nacho cheese flavor.
    • Adjust the amount of salt and miso to get the saltiness juuuuuuust right for your palate. 
    • Tweak the lemon juice and rice vinegar for the desired level of tanginess.
    pouring sauce showing the thick and creamy texture.

    Ways to Use Cashew Cheese Sauce

    Potatoes - Pour this velvety sauce on baked potatoes, and dip fries and wedges in it. And don't forget cheesy mashed potatoes!

    Pasta - Cheesy orzo? Vegan mac and cheese? Lasagna? Enough said. 

    Tofu - Fold this sauce into your next tofu scramble for an epic vegan brunch, or simply drizzle it onto baked tofu steaks.

    Vegetables - From steamed broccoli and cauliflower to sautés and roasted veggies, this cheese sauce never met a vegetable it didn't like!

    And of course, there's always nachos!

    I hope you enjoy its flavor and versatility as much as we do. If you try the recipe I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment and star rating below to let us know how you enjoyed this easy cashew cheese!

    More vegan cheese recipes:

    Vegan Feta Cheese
    Almond Queso Blanco
    Vegan Parm 3 Ways
    Vegan Pimento Cheese (a reader favorite!)
    Vegan Quesadillas (easy meltable cheese)
    2-Ingredient Almond Ricotta

    Recipe Video

    close up shot of pouring creamy cashew cheese sauce

    Vegan Cheese Sauce (Oil-Free; No-Cook)

    Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
    An easy, oil-free vegan cheese sauce that tastes amazing on everything from steamed veggies and potatoes, to pasta and nachos. No-cook, ready in 5 minutes, and free from gluten, oil, and coconut; can be soy-free, as well.
    Yield: makes about 2 cups
    Servings: 8 servings
    5 from 19 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 5 mins

    Equipment

    • high-speed blender

    Ingredients 

    • ¾ cup water
    • 1 cup raw cashews - Decrease to ¾ cup for a tangier, slightly less rich sauce. See Notes re: soaking.
    • ¼ cup rolled oats - Ensure certified gluten-free, if needed.
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • 2 ounces roasted red pepper from a jar (about 1 small pepper)
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
    • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 teaspoons chickpea or white miso (I'm a fan of Miso Masters brand) - Chickpea miso is soy-free, if needed. If you don't have miso, increase salt to taste.
    • ¾ to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce, optional - This creates more of a nacho cheese flavor.
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    Instructions
     

    • Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender, and blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until completely smooth.
      *If using a standard blender: about 1 hour before you plan to make cheese sauce, place cashews in a bowl, cover with boiling water, soak for an hour, then drain and proceed.
    • After blending, taste and adjust salt/acid balance, as desired. Even the slightest tweaks in salt, lemon, rice vinegar, cashews, or water can "fix" the flavor if it's too tangy or salty for your preference.
    • The sauce will get warm during blending. It can be used right away, or refrigerated until ready to use. The cheese sauce will thicken as it cools.

    Notes

    Storage
    Store leftover cheese sauce in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can also be frozen. Thaw and briefly heat the sauce to restore to its original creamy consistency.
    Soaking cashews
    A high-speed blender will produce the best texture in this sauce because it breaks down the nuts and oats with ease. But if you don't have one, just follow the standard method for soaking cashews, either overnight at room temperature or in hot water for 1 to 2 hours. 

    Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

    Calories: 115kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 5gFat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 305mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1g

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.

    Did you try the recipe?I LOVE hearing from you! Comment below to let us know.
    « Carrot Ginger Hummus (Oil-Free)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Glenn Schentag

      March 27, 2022 at 2:42 pm

      I love this recipe!
      I've made twice so far and agree it can see how it can be taken in sooo many directions. My second batch had a few drops of liquid smoke and a 1/4tsp of strong horse radish.

      After 2min in the vita-mix on high the oats thicken like they do in oatmeal, giving this sauce a great texture. I put it in a squeeze bottle and put it on whatever.

      Next I'm going to try a Lemon based version.
      Like an earlier comment, I'll have no problem serving this to anyone.
      And I would not tell people it is a substitute anything, it's a creation.
      Thanks Lori.

      Reply
    2. Laura

      July 27, 2021 at 11:24 am

      Superb. Thanks not big enough.

      Reply
      • Cindy

        September 16, 2021 at 7:57 am

        Can this cheese be frozen? Thanks!

        Reply
        • Lori

          September 16, 2021 at 8:01 am

          Yes, definitely!

          Reply
    3. Heidi

      March 31, 2021 at 3:30 pm

      I was a little skeptical about trying this cheese sauce but then I made it and it is wonderful. I have been looking for this recipe for a while now!! I like that it can used in so many different ways. I was wondering if used white beans in the place of cashews and kept the other ingredients the same if the recipe would still work? This recipe is definitely a keeper and one of the best vegan cheese recipes that I have tried so far! Thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
    4. Karen Ricketts

      January 31, 2021 at 3:33 pm

      Excited to discover this perfect sauce, first time we've made macaroni and "cheese" in over a year. Love all the different flavors you used, so tasty! It was easy to make too. It thickened up in the fridge; itwas easy to make a runnier consistency with a bit more water.

      Reply
      • Lori

        February 03, 2021 at 6:49 am

        Awesome! Thanks for the feedback, Karen. And that cheese sauce pour shot you shared on insta looked soooooo good!

        Reply
    5. Theresa Sam Houghton

      July 31, 2020 at 2:34 pm

      I had no idea this recipe existed until this moment, but I’ve clearly needed it MY WHOLE VEGAN LIFE. 😋

      Reply
    6. Bob in Tennessee

      July 04, 2020 at 11:12 am

      Finally got around to making this simple sauce and it is delicious! I'm steaming some rice and green beans and will use this sauce when eating! Yum. I also plan to try your sunflower based cheese sauce in order to cut back on the fat from the cashews. Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Lori

        July 04, 2020 at 1:30 pm

        Well, that just makes my day, Bob. So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    7. Kim Giovacco

      July 03, 2020 at 11:50 am

      This sauce is a game changer and couldn't be easier. I've tried many other recipes that were okay but not great. I wouldn't hesitate to give this to a non-vegan. I'm so happy to have one spectacular sauce now, instead of having to rifle through all the other recipes trying to remember if they were passable. Not only is it delicious, but all the ingredients should be found in any vegan kitchen. Thanks Lori!

      Reply
      • Lori

        July 04, 2020 at 1:29 pm

        Wow! 😀 Thank you, Kim! What a lovely review.

        Reply

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    Lori Rasmussen, Owner/Creator

    Hi, I'm Lori. Welcome to My Quiet Kitchen where I share easy vegan recipes with a healthier twist. Many are special diet-friendly or easily adapted. I also have a passion for veganizing classic desserts, and sometimes even those get a healthy-ish makeover.

    Learn more about me →

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