Vegan White Cheese Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.This creamy Vegan White Cheese Sauce has a rich, sharp flavor that’s perfect for anyone who, like me, loves a strong, cheesy taste. Made with cashews, potatoes, and roasted garlic, it blends into a smooth, velvety sauce in just 40 minutes. It’s easy, healthy, and great for pasta, veggies, or dipping.
Dipping is always a favorite when I’m gathering with friends, but I often felt left out since I can’t eat dairy-based sauces. So, that inspired me to create a creamy, flavorful alternative that everyone could enjoy. After perfecting my original vegan cheese sauce, I knew I could create another version with a sharper, bolder flavor.
Cashews became the key to achieving the smooth, velvety texture I was looking for. They blend beautifully with potatoes and roasted garlic to create a sauce that’s thick, creamy, and flavorful. If you’re a fan of homemade dairy-free cheese alternatives, you’ll also love my creamy vegan queso for even more plant-based cheesy goodness.
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
I’m obsessed with this recipe because it gives me all the creamy cheesy goodness I love without the dairy! It’s thick, velvety, and has just the right sharp bite that keeps me coming back for more. And it’s not just me, my non vegan friends devour it and always ask for the recipe. So here I am, finally sharing it with you! 😉
This white cheese sauce works so well because it relies on real food instead of processed dairy substitutes. Many vegan cheese sauces use nutritional yeast and dairy-free milk, but I have found that veggies, chickpea miso, and apple cider vinegar create a naturally sharp and complex flavor. The cashews add creaminess, the potatoes give it a smooth and thick consistency, and the roasted garlic brings depth and richness. Everything blends together into a sauce that is completely customizable, so I can adjust the sharpness and texture depending on how I plan to use it.
I have served it to my family, my picky eaters, my gluten-free best friend, and even at my kids’ school events, and everyone has loved it. It is not a processed store-bought alternative but a homemade, nourishing, and flavorful sauce that fits into so many meals. Plus, it stores beautifully, so I can make a batch and use it throughout the week. Whether I am pouring it over pasta, dipping veggies, or spreading it on a sandwich, this sauce always delivers on taste, texture, and pure comfort. So I highly recommend making it and getting your dairy-loving friends to give it a try!
🥘 Ingredients
I use simple, wholesome ingredients to create this creamy plant-based cheese sauce. Here is what I used:
Base Ingredients: I used potatoes to create the thick, starchy foundation that makes this sauce creamy without any dairy. Yellow carrots and yellow bell pepper add a touch of natural sweetness while enhancing the light golden color. Yellow onion brings a subtle umami depth that makes the flavor more complex.
For the Creaminess: Raw cashews are my favorite for plant-based cheese sauces because they add richness, and a mild nuttiness that blends great. Roasted garlic enhances the depth of flavor, giving the sauce a slightly sweet, earthy, and caramelized taste that mimics cheesy umami notes.
Tangy & Flavor-Boosting Ingredients: Apple cider vinegar provides the sharp, tangy bite that helps replicate the acidity found in dairy-based cheese. Mustard seed powder brings in a sharp, cheddar-like flavor, while sea salt ties everything together. Instead of nutritional yeast, I use chickpea miso for a more complex, salty depth that enhances the overall cheesiness.
🔪 How To Make
Making your own vegan white cheese sauce is easier than it looks. Follow my recipe as written for the best results:
Roast and Cook: I roast the garlic at 400 degrees Fahrenheit by peeling and wrapping it in tin foil with a splash of veggie broth. Then, I add the potatoes, yellow pepper, carrots, onion, and cashews to a pot, cover them with water, and cook until the veggies are tender.
Blend: I drain the water, separate the veggies from the cashews, and place the cashews in the blender first. Then, I measure out the needed amount of each veggie, add them to the blender, and mix in the rest of the ingredients.
Blend: I blend on high until I have a creamy gooey consistency. Note: if you have a tamper tool, I recommend using it it to help mix the sauce as it blends. If you don’t have one, then you will need to stop and push down the ingredients every once in a while.
Pour Over Noodles: After blending the sauce, I taste and adjust the seasonings to make sure the flavor is just right. I check the consistency, then pour it over freshly cooked pasta and mix until everything is perfectly coated.
💭 Expert Tips
My Top Tip for this vegan white cheese sauce recipe is to use a high speed blender! The key to a rich, velvety cheese sauce is fully blending all the ingredients until completely smooth. A high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, creates the creamiest texture. If using a regular blender, I recommend soaking the cashews beforehand or grinding them into a fine powder first to prevent grittiness.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Adjusting Consistency: If you need to change the consistency of the sauce, I’ve found success by thinning it out with the veggie cooking water or even just plain water.
- Measuring: I always pack the cooked veggies into the measuring cup instead of loosely scooping them to ensure accuracy.
- Peel Your Potatoes and Cook Properly: Undercooked potatoes leave a grainy texture, so I boil them until they are fork-tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Leaving the skin on can also make the sauce look speckled and slightly grainy.
- Save Some Cooking Water: I always set aside some of the veggie cooking water because it helps thin out the sauce if needed.
- Getting the Veggies and Cashews Out of the Pot: I use a fork to remove the veggies first, then drain the cashews through a pasta strainer.
📖 Variations
I have tested many variations, and this recipe always turns out best when followed exactly as it is. However, if you are missing an ingredient, there are a few substitutions that still work well.
Nut-Free or Cashew-Free Option: If cashews aren’t an option, I use sunflower seeds, peeled white beans, or other nuts like macadamias, walnuts, or pine nuts. The texture and flavor will be slightly different, and without nuts, the sauce won’t be as thick and creamy, but it still works well.
Potato Options: Red potatoes work best, but any starchy potato will give the sauce a smooth, creamy texture. I avoid sweet potatoes or other root vegetables since they change the flavor and consistency.
No Miso Alternative: If I don’t have chickpea miso, I use white miso or a small amount of extra salt.
For Babies Or Toddlers: My sauce can be mixed into any baby food or be used for a toddler as a dip. You could also just blend the veggies on their own for baby. I recommend cutting the sharpness by reducing the amount of mustard for younger kids.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
While this sauce is perfect for mac and cheese, I love using it in so many different ways. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
I love drizzling it over a baked potato or using it as a dip for crispy eggplant fries for an extra creamy bite. It also tastes amazing poured over my vegan cheesesteak sandwich or loaded onto my high protein veggie burger for cheesy finish.
My kids’ favorite way to enjoy this white cheese sauce is poured all over their tofu scramble. They always ask for extra, and honestly, I can’t blame them, it’s that good. Ha!
🧊 Storage Directions
Refrigerating: I store this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days to keep it fresh and creamy.
Freezing: This sauce freezes beautifully in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. It may look different when frozen, but once heated, the creamy consistency comes right back.
Reheating: If frozen, I defrost it slowly in the fridge overnight, then let it sit at room temperature before reheating. I warm it in a pot or microwave with a splash of non-dairy milk, stirring until smooth.
❓Recipe FAQs
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! When I want to make this sauce in advance, I cook the veggies and roast the garlic the day before. Then I keep those ingredients in the fridge in an airtight container, and blend everything the day I plan to serve the sauce.
How do I adjust the sharpness of the sauce?
The mustard seed powder and apple cider vinegar create the sharp, cheesy bite in this sauce. For more sharpness, I just add ¼ teaspoon more mustard powder at a time and taste in between. For less sharpness, I reduce the mustard and vinegar slightly or I’ll add a tiny pinch of coconut sugar to balance acidity.
How do I thin out the sauce if it is too thick?
I add small amounts of veggie cooking water or non-dairy milk, stirring until I reach the consistency I want.
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📋 Recipe Card
Vegan White Cheese Sauce
My creamy Vegan White Cheese Sauce has a rich, sharp flavor that’s perfect for anyone who, like me, loves a strong, cheesy taste. Made with cashews, potatoes, and roasted garlic, it blends into a smooth, velvety sauce in just 40 minutes. It’s easy, healthy, and great for pasta, veggies, or dipping.
Servings: 7
Calories: 76kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked potato (about 3-4 potatoes, see note)
- 2 tablespoons cooked yellow pepper (about 1/3 of a medium sized pepper)
- 3 tablespoons cooked yellow carrots (about 4-5 yellow baby carrots or one medium sized)
- 5 tablespoons cooked sweet or yellow onion (about 1/2 a small)
- 1/2 cup raw cashews (see note)
- 1 teaspoon roasted garlic (about 2-4 cloves, depending on size)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ – 1 ½ teaspoons mustard seed powder (use less or more according to how sharp you like the flavor, start with 1/2 and work up)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons chickpea miso (see note)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (can use less or more depending on taste preference)
- Your favorite pasta if making Mac and Cheese
Instructions
- Roast the garlic by peeling and wrapping it in tin foil with a splash of veggie broth. Roast at 400 F (205 C), in a regular or toaster oven, while you cook the veggies.
- Put potatoes (peel if you don’t want specks of skin), yellow pepper, carrots, onion and cashews in a pot and cover with water. If you don’t have a high speed blender and are grinding the cashews, then don’t boil but grind them dry and place them in the blender.
- Cook over high heat until water boils, about 15 minutes if uncovered. Turn heat to medium and boil another 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
- When done, drain water (keeping some to thin out sauce if prefer a thinner sauce), separate veggies and put the cashews in the blender. I use a fork to fish out the veggies, then drain the cashews over a pasta strainer.
- Measure out the needed amount of each veggie and place each in the blender. Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend on high until you get a creamy gooey consistency. If you have a tamper tool use it to help mix the sauce as it blends. If you don’t have one, then you will need to stop and push down the ingredients every once in a while.
- Taste and adjust ground mustard seed for a sharper flavor if desired.
- If you want to thin it out, add some of the reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency. Use it while it’s nice and hot!
To use this sauce for a sharp flavored white Mac and Cheese:
- Cook your pasta according to package directions.
- Drain pasta reserving about 1 cup pasta water in case you want your mac and cheese a little thinner.
- Add the pasta back into the pot and add desired amount of cheese sauce. Mix well. Try and add a touch more salt if needed.
- Then add pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well in between additions, until you get the desired consistency for your Mac and Cheese. If your pasta is too starchy (as some gluten free pastas are) you can also use regular water or even non dairy milk to do this. Add salt if needed, it most likely will since the sauce is no longer as concentrated. Devour!
Notes
- My Top Tip for this vegan white cheese sauce recipe is to use a high speed blender! The key to a rich, velvety cheese sauce is fully blending all the ingredients until completely smooth. A high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, creates the creamiest texture. If using a regular blender, I recommend soaking the cashews beforehand or grinding them into a fine powder first to prevent grittiness.
- Adjusting Consistency: If you need to change the consistency of the sauce, I’ve found success by thinning it out with the veggie cooking water or even just plain water.
- Measuring: I always pack the cooked veggies into the measuring cup instead of loosely scooping them to ensure accuracy.
- Peel Your Potatoes and Cook Properly: Undercooked potatoes leave a grainy texture, so I boil them until they are fork-tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Leaving the skin on can also make the sauce look speckled and slightly grainy.
- Save Some Cooking Water: I always set aside some of the veggie cooking water because it helps thin out the sauce if needed.
- Getting the Veggies and Cashews Out of the Pot: I use a fork to remove the veggies first, then drain the cashews through a pasta strainer.
Nutrition
Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1082IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
