Make Vegan Cheese at Home. (Perfect for Dips)

• Food: Vegan Cheese
• Writer: Nicolas Wilson
• Content-Type: Food Blog

This oozy, gooey vegan cheese sauce tastes exactly like the genuine deal! It’s excellent on spaghetti, nachos, and more, and it’s versatile and easy to create.

This vegan cheese recipe isn’t just for vegans! It’s creamy, tangy, and rich, with an oozy texture that’s reminiscent of dairy-based cheese sauce.

This dish is so good that it even appeals to Jack, the biggest fan of actual cheese I’ve ever met. We stood at the counter the last time I prepared it, scooping it up with tortilla chips. We decided to create a second batch after barely halfway through the first. That’s right, it’s that good!

Serve this vegan cheese as a dip with tortilla chips or fresh vegetables, combine it with pasta for vegan mac and cheese, smother it on a baked potato, or drizzle it over chips for a vegan nacho platter.

You’ll find limitless ways to use it once you have it, and you won’t be able to get enough of it!

Ingredients for a Vegan Cheese Recipe

This dairy-free cheese is not only tasty, but it’s also healthy! It’s constructed of a small list of whole foods ingredients, unlike manufactured vegan cheese found in supermarket shops. Here’s what you’ll need to put it together:

• Yukon gold potatoes and cashews are the main ingredients in vegan cheese recipes that give them an oozy, creamy texture.
• Sweet potatoes — A cheddar-style cheese sauce would be incomplete without an orange component! This recipe’s brilliant color comes from sweet potato, which also contributes a mild sweetness that pairs well with the rich, sour ingredients.
• Nutritional yeast — It adds the nutty, savory flavor of real cheese to this dairy-free version!
• Garlic and onion powder are great flavor enhancers.
• Apple cider vinegar adds a bright, acidic finish to this vegan cheese. Yum!

Begin by cooking the potatoes for this cashew cheese dish. Transfer them to a high-powered blender after they’re soft.

Along with water, extra-virgin olive oil, and a teaspoon of salt, combine the nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, cashews, and vinegar. Add extra liquid as needed, and blend until the mixture is perfectly smooth and creamy. Then have fun!

Vegan Cheese Variations

Though I enjoy this dish exactly as described, I like to experiment with it from time to time. Here are a couple of my personal favorites:

• Alter the vegetables. If you don’t have any sweet potatoes, use carrots or butternut squash instead.
• Make it a smokey dish. To taste, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika. This variation is fantastic as a loaded queso dip with guacamole, pico de gallo, and black beans!
• Make it more interesting. Blend a tablespoon of pickled jalapenos or a chipotle pepper from a chipotle in an adobo can into the cheese for added heat.

Vegan Cheese

The most delicious vegan cheese recipe! It has a cheesy flavor and a delightful oozy texture. I like to serve it as a dip, combine it with spaghetti, or drizzle it over nachos. Gluten-free.

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

1. Fill a saucepan halfway with cold water and place the potatoes in it. Season with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cook, uncovered, for 8 to 12 minutes, or until fork-tender.
2. Drain and combine with the garlic, cashews, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, olive oil, and water in a high-powered blender. Blend until completely smooth.
3. Add the chipotle pepper or pickled jalapenos for spicy vegan cheese. Add the smoked paprika if you like a smoky flavor.
4. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping or vegan mac & cheese over spaghetti.

Notes

• It’s not necessary to soak the cashews if you’re using a high-power blender like a Vitamix. You can soak them for 2 hours if you’re using a less powerful mixer. Drain the beans before using them in the recipe.