This homemade Vegan Cheese Sauce is the perfect party food and recipe booster. Whether you're following Whole 30, AIP, or Paleo, this nut free recipe is a healthy crowd pleaser. Hidden veggies boost the nutrient factor of this easy vegan queso while nutritional yeast lends a bold umami flavor! Drizzle this oil free cheese dip over pasta, nachos, or veggies.
I wanted to create a go to recipe that can be used to satisfy my mac and cheese/nachos/taco cravings, while catering to my family's personal dietary choices.
Spoiler: I succeeded!
I sought out to create this dairy free cheese sauce to be used as a component in my Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet (Whole30 & AIP). What I didn't realize is how much I'd love it all on it's own (with chips, of course).
After tinkering around with the recipe for a few weeks, I finally perfected it. This cheese sauce reheats well, stays thick and creamy, and is nearly impossible to mess up.
What should you eat with this cheese sauce:
- Turn it into a dairy free queso topped with caramelized onions, cilantro, and bacon. Serve with your favorite chips to dip (tostones for Whole30 & AIP compliance!)
- Drizzled on shredded chicken, steamed broccoli, and white rice.
- Loaded with spinach and artichokes with Jackson's Honest corn chips on the side.
- Melted on top of plantain chips or tostones along with bacon, hamburger, onions, and avocado… see these Bacon Cheeseburger Nachos.
- As a dressing on top of your favorite salad. I love topping my Big Mac Salad with this sauce.
- As a cheesy sauce or base for a casserole dish. This vegan cheese sauce is the perfect match for my Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole!
How to make vegan cheese sauce
Luckily, this vegan cheese sauce is quick and easy to make. You can have dairy free nachos on the table in less than 30 minutes! You’ll need a steamer basket or microwave safe bowl, a high speed blender, and all your ingredients.
First, begin by steaming your sweet potatoes. Chop your sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces and place in a steamer basket on the stovetop. This method will take about 15-20 minutes. You want your sweet potatoes to be fully cooked, but not mushy. A fork should pierce easily, but the pieces should not fall apart.
If you don’t have a steamer basket or you need your cheese sauce stat, no worries! You can easily steam them in a microwave. Place chopped sweet potatoes in a large microwave safe bowl, toss a little splash of water in with them, and microwave until softened. I’ve found success microwaving in 30 second increments for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once you have your sweet potatoes steamed, add to your blender. Now, shake your can of coconut cream to ensure the cream and water is blended. Add 1/2 cup to the blender.
Add your nutritional yeast and sea salt to your blender and blend until the mixture is smooth.
And that’s it! Heat your cheese sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave and serve with chips, tostones, or as a sauce or dressing for other recipes.
Can you freeze vegan cheese sauce?
Totally! This recipe is amazing to make in large batches. While it will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days, you can freeze any leftovers for up to one month.
Simply allow your cheese sauce to come to room temperature, then store in airtight containers (Stasher bags work great for sauces like this!) When you’re ready for a vegan queso fix, simply thaw in the refrigerator and warm on the stovetop or in the microwave. I don’t recommend submerging in warm water to thaw, as that may make the consistency uneven.
Pro tips
- Test your sweet potatoes for doneness with a fork. A fork should pierce the sweet potato easily without causing it to fall apart.
- Coconut cream won’t combine? Coconut cream solidifies at cooler temperatures. Try submerging the can in a bowl of warm water while you prep your sweet potatoes until it’s able to be combined.
- Top your vegan cheese sauce with caramelized onions, cilantro, and bacon for a treat!
Other recipes you might like:
- Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole (AIP, W30)
- Dairy Free Ranch Dressing (AIP, W30)
- Cilantro Avocado Egg-Free Mayo (AIP, W30)
Vegan Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut cream, (you may need 1/4 cup additional cream based on your thickness preferences)
- 1/2 cup sweet potato, steamed
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast flakes
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Start by steaming your sweet potatoes. They should be fully cooked, but not mushy. I steam my potatoes on the stovetop using a steamer basket, but you can also put a bit of water into a large microwave safe bowl, add the chopped potato and microwave in 30 second increments until softened.
- Before opening your can of coconut cream, shake it well to combine the cream with any coconut water in the can.
- Pour 1/2 a cup into a blender, add the remaining ½ cup sweet potato, nutritional yeast and sea salt. Blend to combine.
- Heat the sauce completely over the stovetop or covered in a microwave safe dish, and serve.
