Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (2024)

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4.93 from 426 votes

Easy vegan cheese sauce with minimal ingredients and ready in 3 minutes! A super simple and nut-free plant-based recipe which requires only a handful of ingredients. This vegan queso is perfect for pizza, nachos, Mac and Cheese, burgers, pasta bake, toast, and more savory recipes. The sauce doesn’t contain cashews!

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (1)Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Without Cashews!

This is probably the easiest homemade vegan cheese sauce ever! It might change your life, it changed mine, I am not kidding. Coconut milk, tapioca flour, nutritional yeast flakes, water, and salt – these are the ingredients which you will need to make this delicious sauce.

Since most people have water and salt at home, all you need to buy is coconut milk, tapioca flour, and nutritional yeast flakes. But maybe you already have these ingredients at home as well. So let’s start to make this easy recipe, it will be done in 3 minutes!

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (2)Only A Few Ingredients

I know there are tons of vegan cheese sauce recipes out there, but most of them contain cashews + many more ingredients and require longer preparation time. This cashew-free cheese sauce contains only a handful of ingredients and is ready in 3 minutes.

How To Make Vegan Cheese Sauce

You just need to put all the ingredients into a saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil and that’s it! You don’t even need a blender or food processor. No cooking of veggies, no soaking of cashews. It seriously couldn’t be easier than that.

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (3)Not Only For Vegans

This recipe is not only amazing for vegans. I served it also to vegetarians and meat eaters and everyone loved the taste AND texture of this vegan cheese sauce. The tapioca flour (which is also called tapioca starch) makes this recipe so special because it adds the amazing elasticity to the sauce. It makes the sauce stretchy and even reminds of real cheese. Nutritional yeast is an important ingredient for the taste because it adds a cheesy flavor. The spices are up to you, but I love to add some garlic and onion powder, and also a pinch of smoked paprika.

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (4)Perfect For Nachos, Pizza, Gratin And More

You can use this vegan sauce for any savory recipe which requires cheese. Whether it is pizza, nachos, gratin, pasta, or any other plant-based recipe. Sometimes when I am too lazy to make my Mac and Cheese recipe I will simply make this 3-minute cheese sauce and pour it over my cooked pasta and my dinner is served in just a few minutes. I have included some pictures of different dishes which I made using this cheese sauce recipe.

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (5)This easy vegan cheese sauce is:

  • Plant-based
  • Gluten free
  • Oil-free
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free (no Cashews!)
  • Paleo-friendly
  • Easy to make in a few minutes

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (6)Make This Vegan Cheese Sauce Today

I made this cheeze sauce probably 100 times already because I use it in almost all of my savory recipes lol. I just love simple recipes which require only a few ingredients and this easy sauce recipe is one of them. So don’t wait any longer and make it NOW. I am sure you will love it as well.

Tapioca flour can be bought in every Asia shop or big supermarkets or simply ordered online. Same goes for nutritional yeast flakes. Check the Recipe Notes for a tapioca flour substitute.

Should you recreate this vegan nacho cheese sauce, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elaveganand #elavegan because I love to see your recreations.

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (7)

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (9)

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce

Author: Michaela Vais

Easy vegan cheese sauce, ready in 3 minutes! A super simple and nut-free plant-based recipe which requires only a handful of ingredients. This vegan queso is perfect for pizza, nachos, Mac and Cheese, burgers, pasta bake, toast, and more savory recipes. The sauce doesn't contain cashews!

4.93 from 426 votes

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Course Side Dish

Cuisine vegan

Servings 3

Calories 148 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Put all ingredients into a saucepan and stir with a whisk. Once everything is combined, turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly.

  • Let simmer on low to medium heat for about one minute until the sauce is stretchy.

  • Enjoy this vegan cheese sauce with nachos, on pizza, over pasta, and many other savory dishes! Please read the recipe notes below.

Notes

Video Of The Recipe

  • Thickness: If the cheese sauce turns out too thick, just add more coconut milk or any other plant-based milk (or water), up to 1 cup.
  • Coconut milk: I use coconut milk that contains 17% fat. In case you don't like the taste of coconut milk, you can use a different plant-based milk instead, e.g. almond milk, cashew milk, etc. The higher the fat content of the milk, the better will be the taste of the vegan cheese sauce.
  • Tapioca flour: Tapioca flour/starch can be bought in every Asia store or larger grocery stores or simply ordered online.
  • Tapioca substitute: Two readers (thanks, Brooklyn and Nichola) commented that arrowroot flour (also known as arrowroot powder or arrowroot starch) is a great substitute for tapioca flour/starch.
  • Cornstarch: You could use cornstarch instead of tapioca flour, but the result won’t be as good (stretchy) as with tapioca flour. It will still taste ok!
  • How to store: You can store the sauce in the fridge for up to 2 days, but it will change the texture. Reheat with a splash of dairy-free milk. It tastes best freshly made.
  • FAQ: "My cheese sauce didn't turn out yellow. What did I do wrong...?" Answer: Some nutritional yeast brands enrich their products with lots of B-vitamins. The nutritional yeast flakeswhich I ordered from Amazon contain B-vitamins and are therefore yellow. When I use 3 tbsp, the cheese sauce turns out pretty yellow, but when I use less (e.g. just 1 tbsp) the color is just light yellowish." You can also add a pinch of turmeric powder.

Other recipes: Check out my other "cheesy" recipes that I made with this sauce:

  • Vegan Quesadillas
  • Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
  • Vegan Pasta Bake

You might also like this Vegan Fondue. And if you prefer a firm cheese, make sure to check out my sliceable Vegan Cheese Recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce

Serving Size

72 g

Amount per Serving

Calories

148

% Daily Value*

Fat

10.8

g

17

%

Saturated Fat

9.3

g

47

%

Carbohydrates

10.4

g

3

%

Fiber

2.2

g

9

%

Sugar

2.3

g

3

%

Protein

3.9

g

8

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (10) Simple and Delicious Vegan Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!

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Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (11)

Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan (2024)

FAQs

How to make cheese sauce that doesn t harden? ›

For Smooth, Stable Cheese Sauces, Cornstarch and Evaporated Milk Are Your Friends. How to make a stable emulsion of melted cheese using two basic pantry staples.

What are the ingredients in vegan cheese? ›

What Ingredients Are in Vegan Cheese? Vegan cheeses are 100% animal-free and made using vegetable proteins. Usually, they're made from soy; nuts, such as cashews and macadamias; and vegetable oils, such as coconut oil. You can also find cheeses that derive from agar, tapioca, peas and arrowroot.

How to make vegan cheese taste better? ›

Sauerkraut Juice: Will add the familiar flavor and tang of dairy cheese. Alternatively, use other pickling brine, olive brine (then reduce the salt), or water combined with 2 tsp lemon juice/ apple cider vinegar – though I've found sauerkraut juice is the best flavor, in my opinion!

How do you keep cheese sauce creamy? ›

Remove the saucepan from heat and slowly incorporate the cheese, whisking constantly. According to AlSawwaf, adding the cheese over heat can cause the fats and milk solids to separate, resulting in a lumpy sauce with a curdled texture — so always take the pan off the burner first.

What thickens cheese sauce? ›

Egg yolk. Grated cheese. Grated cheese, such as cheddar or parmesan, can also act as a thickener in a cheese sauce and becomes a great binding agent in the cooking process. Try, for example, incorporating it into crustless quiches and cauli-pizza dough.

What are three dominant ingredients in vegan cheese? ›

Ingredients of hard or firm vegan cheeses includes natural agents such as agar, carrageenan, tapioca flour, and xanthan gum. The manufacturing process of fermentation is often used to replicate dairy cheese texture and flavor.

What is the difference between vegan cheese and plant-based cheese? ›

Vegan cheese, which is alternately referred to as dairy-free cheese or plant-based cheese, is a product that mimics some of the properties of cheese. These include its texture, its flavor, and to some extent its melting ability, even though vegan cheese is made without using any animal-based ingredients whatsoever.

What cheese is vegan but real? ›

Real Vegan Cheese (RVC) is a grassroots, non-profit research project working to produce real cheese using cellular agriculture. We add the genes for cheese proteins to yeast and other microflora, and turn them into little protein factories, then make real cheese by adding plant-based fats and sugars.

Is there any non-dairy cheese that tastes good? ›

Miyoko's Mozzarella

If you're making a caprese salad or pizza, Miyoko's mozzarella is a must. Both the original and smoked flavors mimic the texture of dairy-based mozz so well; she's even got the melting thing down. Of all the dairy-free cheeses, this might be the most addictive. It's so good.

What is the best vegan cheese to melt? ›

Violife Just Like Mature Cheddar Slices

This Violife's vegan cheddar cheese boasts a rich flavor and melts beautifully, acting as one of the best alternatives to dairy cheese in sandwiches or burgers. It is a non-GMO option with a taste similar to mature cheddar.

What replaces milk in vegan cheese? ›

Soy-Based Cheese: Soy-based cheese is made from soybeans and is a popular alternative to dairy cheese. Soy-based cheese has a more firm texture than nut-based cheese, making it suitable for slicing and grating. Tofu-Based Cheese: This is made from tofu and is a popular choice for vegans due to its versatility.

Why is vegan cheese so expensive? ›

The production of vegan cheese can be costlier than that of traditional dairy cheese due to the higher prices of plant-based ingredients and the additional processing steps involved.

How do you keep cheese sauce from coagulating? ›

Sodium citrate isn't just a fancy name. It's a culinary superhero, playing the dual role of emulsifier and stabilizer in our cheese sauce. This dynamic duo works wonders by preventing proteins from coagulating, ensuring our sauce stays smooth and velvety even at high temperatures.

How to make cheese sauce without clumping? ›

Warm milk is slowly incorporated into the roux, creating a smooth mixture. If you add the milk too quickly, use cold milk or simply don't whisk fast enough, you could get lumps in your sauce as bits of roux will cook and turn into small balls before they've had a chance to be smoothly blended into the milk.

Why did my cheese sauce congeal? ›

But when heat is introduced, the protein structure falls apart and the emulsion breaks—the fat globules come together into a greasy pool and the proteins congeal to form a stringy mess.

How to stop mac and cheese from solidifying? ›

Here are a few tips to keep in mind: Avoid adding cold pasta to a hot cheese sauce, as this can cause the sauce to solidify and the emulsion of the cheese to weaken. Instead, make sure to keep the pasta hot while preparing the cheese sauce and add it to the sauce while it's still warm.

References

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