This oozy, gooey vegan cheese sauce is just as good as the real thing! Versatile and easy to make, it's delicious on pasta, nachos, and more.
You don’t have to be vegan to fall for this vegan cheese recipe! It’s creamy, tangy, and rich, with a crave-worthy oozy texture just like that of dairy-based cheese sauce. Even Jack – the biggest real cheese lover I know – adores this recipe. Last time I made it, we stood at the counter, scooping it up with tortilla chips. We only got halfway through the first batch before we decided to make a second. Yep, it’s that good!
Serve this vegan cheese as a dip with tortilla chips or fresh veggies, toss it with pasta to make vegan mac and cheese, top it onto a baked potato, or drizzle it over chips to make a vegan nacho platter. Once you have it on hand, you’ll find endless ways to use it, and you won’t be able to get enough!
Vegan Cheese Recipe Ingredients
This dairy-free cheese is not only delicious – it’s good for you, too! Unlike processed vegan cheese that you might find at grocery stores, it’s made of a short list of whole foods ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Yukon gold potatoes and cashews – They’re the key ingredients for giving vegan cheese recipes oozy, creamy texture.
- Sweet potatoes – You couldn’t make a cheddar-style cheese sauce without an orange ingredient! Sweet potato gives this recipe its vibrant color, and it adds a light sweetness that’s delicious with the rich, tangy flavors here.
- Nutritional yeast – It gives this dairy-free cheese the nutty, savory flavor of the real thing!
- Garlic and onion powder – They add delicious depth of flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar – It gives this vegan cheese a bright, tangy finish. Yum!
To make this cashew cheese recipe, start by boiling the potatoes. When they’re tender, transfer them to a high-speed blender. Add the nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, cashews, and vinegar, along with water, extra-virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, adding more liquid as needed. Then, enjoy!
Best Vegan Cheese Variations
Though I love this recipe as written, I also like to change it up from time to time. Here are a few of my favorite variations:
- Change the veggies. If you don’t have sweet potato on hand, swap in carrots or butternut squash.
- Make it smoky. Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, to taste. I love to serve this variation as a loaded queso dip with guac, pico de gallo, and black beans!
- Spice it up. For extra heat, blend a tablespoon of pickled jalapeños or a chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo into the cheese.
Let me know what variations you try!
More Plant-Based Basics
If you love this vegan cheese recipe, try one of these plant-based basics next:
- Cashew Sour Cream
- Sriracha Baked Tofu
- Coconut Whipped Cream
- Vegan Bacon
- Homemade Oat Milk
- Marinated Tempeh
Then, check out this post for more of my favorite vegan recipes!
Vegan Cheese
Ingredients
- ¾ cup peeled and diced Yukon gold potato
- ¾ cup peeled and diced sweet potato
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup water
To make your cheese spicy or smoky, try adding:
- ½ to 1 chipotle pepper from canned chipotles in adobo
- 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeños
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Add a few pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until fork-tender, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Drain and transfer to a high-speed blender with the garlic, cashews, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, olive oil, and water. Blend until smooth.
- For spicy vegan cheese, add the chipotle pepper or pickled jalapeños. If you’d like a smoky flavor, add the smoked paprika.
- Serve with tortilla chips for dipping or over pasta to make vegan mac & cheese.
If I’m subbing the sweet potatoes with butternut how much do I add? Also can I use my food processor or do I need a blender? I wasn’t to surprise my mom with this because she can’t have cheese anymore (allergies) and I want to surprise her.
Hi Le, you can use the same amount of butternut squash (3/4 cup peeled and diced). It’s really necessary to blend it in a blender, the food processor won’t get it creamy enough.
If I didn’t want to use oil in the recipe, what would you recommend?
Hi Tammy, you could skip it and add more water so that it blends.
Any substitute for cashews? (Allergy).
Thanks!
I used chickpeas and it was fine. A bit less smooth maybe but the taste was great.
I baked sweet potatoes for dinner last night could I simply scoop out the flesh and use that instead of boiling a fresh new batch?
Excited to try this recipe
Hi Tanya, yes you can!
I tried this recipe and liked everything except it did have a strong apple cider vinegar taste. What does the vinegar do? Can I leave it out or substitute something else? Otherwise, it looks just like cheese!
Hi Ann, we like the tangy flavor it adds but if you think it’s too much, you can just reduce it. You could also start without it and add it to taste if it seems bland without.
Just found your recipe site,can’t wait to make your vegan cream.
This is so good. I used red potatoes because that’s what I had on hand. It’s a little sweet so next time I will use less sweet potato but it’s definitely going to be a staple at my house.
Hi Jenelle, I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Made this tonight and it was delicious! Wouldn’t change a thing. . .though I may try the carrot trick for added nutrition. My 18mo loved the “cheese” so it could be a great way to sneak that in.
If you have a powerful blender like a Vitamix you won’t have tiny pieces of cashews!
I just made this. I really didn’t like apple cider vinegar in this at all. The texture was great, the creaminess as well. Next time I am going to substitute cashew sour cream in place of the vinegar.
This sounds so good! Do you have to use cashews? I’m not a fan of bits of nuts in my food, hence my question.
Thanks!
Yep! It’s what makes this rich and creamy. You use raw cashews so it doesn’t taste like nuts.
Approximately how many cups or Tablespoons does this make? What constitutes a serving? Thanks.
Hi Danielle, the recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups total.
Hello, looking forward to trying this recipe, one question – can it be made a few days ahead and stored in the fridge? Thank you!
Yep, it’ll keep in the fridge for a few days. It’ll just get a little thicker, but it’s still yummy.
Hi! Can this be frozen and de-thawed later for use?
Hi Julie, I don’t think this one will freeze well, potatoes and cashew creams become gritty when thawed.
I had to finally comment …as I’ve been using this recipe for months, this is my “go to” cheese sauce. I usually add in 1 carrot extra for added nutrition. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, love it!
Does this faux cheese freeze well?
Hi Katherine, it doesn’t freeze all that well, the texture becomes more gritty.
Hi, I love your recipes and always look forward to your emails. I had trouble with this recipe…Mine came out tasting odd- very strongly like sweet potato and garlic, and not at all cheesy. The only differences was I nuked the potatoes instead of boiling them. Could this be why? Also, the packaging on my cashews did not specify raw or cooked. I don’t eat many cashews, and don’t know the difference. Any tips?
Hi, did you use yukon gold potatoes as well as the sweet potatoes? I haven’t tried microwaving the potatoes for this recipe, so I can’t say if that would make a difference. Your package of cashews should say if they’re roasted or not… roasted cashews would offer a funny taste where raw cashews are totally neutral.
Is it critical to use yukon gold potatoes? I always have russets on hand, but would have to make a special trip for those…
Hi Ruth, you if you use russets, you may have to increase the liquids in the recipe since they’re less waxy and more dry.
I have never tried making anything like this and I was blown away…so, so good! Goodbye, old cheese dips. Hello, healthy dip!
Hi Kristie, I’m so glad you loved it!
New vegan here.
What are the calories in the recipe?
So delicious! This was simple, easy, and by far the best vegan cheese recipe I have tried. I used the water from the potatoes and the sweet potatoes for extra flavor instead of plain water and it came out soooo good!
I’m so glad you loved it! So clever to use the potato water.