This nut free vegan cheese sauce recipe is easy to make and tastes so similar to real cheese! Made without cashews for a nut free plant based snack that the whole family will LOVE. The best dairy-free cheese substitute for nachos, potatoes, veggies, etc. Also Whole30 & paleo friendly!

A hand dipping a round tortilla chip into a small bowl of velvety vegan cheese sauce, next to a shallow bowl of tortilla chips - on a light colored surface.

The best nut free cheese sauce

Are you guys ready to make the BEST dairy free cheese sauce?!

I have been playing around in the kitchen for a long time trying to nail down a dairy free cheese alternative with no cashews (for all my nut free friends out there), and all the recipe testing paid off – I finally hit the jackpot with this one!

One of my favorite parts? Because of the starch in the potatoes it gets this awesome drizzly texture – almost like real deal nacho cheese – for a very authentic vibe.

And I swear it even tastes like real cheese 🙌🏼

If you love this cheese sauce be sure to try our Nut Free Vegan Mac and Cheese and our Dairy Free Mexican Taco Pasta that feature this sauce as a base!

Why you’ll love this vegan cheese recipe

This sauce is:

Easy to make
Savory
Irresistibly creamy
Made with veggies!
Nut free – made without cashews!
Snack worthy
Versatile
SO delicious!

Overhead shot of vegan cheese sauce drizzled over bright green broccoli, sweet potato fries, and tortilla chips. On a light grey background.

Ingredients

Okay so let’s get into the delicious details of this recipe. First things first – what’s vegan cheese made of?

Different dairy free cheese recipes will be made with different ingredients. Many I’ve shared on NK rely on cashews, but this recipe is made without, and can be made completely nut free by opting for a nut free non-dairy milk that works for your dietary preferences.

Here’s exactly what I used for this version:

Carrots + potatoes – Carrots and potatoes make up the bulk of this vegan cheese. The carrots add color, volume, and a hint of sweetness, while the potatoes add volume and some starchiness to give the sauce a cheese-like texture.
Olive oil – Olive oil encourages a rich texture.
Dairy free milk – Oat milk, almond milk, and cashew milk are all delicious options. To keep this recipe nut free opt for oat milk, or another dairy free milk that works for you.
Mustard – Mustard helps add to the savory flavor of the cheese, though it can be omitted.
Spices – Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, turmeric, and salt round out the savory notes.
Lemon juice – Lemon juice brings a bit of acidity and brightness to this cheese sauce and helps contribute to the cheesy flavor.
Nutritional yeast – Nutritional yeast is what REALLY brings the cheesy flavor to this recipe. Commonly used in a lot of vegan recipes, nutritional yeast has a savory, nutty, and definite “cheesy” flavor profile.

An array of ingredients used to make vegan cheese - diced carrots and potatoes, a small bowl of olive oil, a plate with nutritional yeast and spices, lemon juice, and a small pitcher of dairy free milk. On a light colored speckled surface.

How to make vegan cheese

This sauce is made in just a few simple steps, and blended together until smooth and creamy.

Here’s the step-by-step

Add cut carrots and Yukon gold potatoes to a medium sized pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until carrots and potatoes are tender.
Drain and transfer to a blender with olive oil, non dairy milk of choice, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt.
Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Season to taste with salt if needed and serve as is or heat gently on the stove, stirring frequently, until warm.

Image of cut potatoes and carrots in a small sauce pan filled with water. On a light colored background.

Overhead view of the ingredients for vegan cheese inside a vitamix blender container.

Serving suggestions

The sky is the limit!

I think that literally any way you can imagine enjoying this dairy free cheese would be delicious.

It would be so good with:

Tortilla chips as a nacho cheese sauce alongside some guacamole <– YES PLS!
Roasted potatoes
French fries – HELLO cheesy fries!
Broccoli, cauliflower, or another veggie
Mac and cheese
Tacos
Over a full nacho spread with all the fixings
ETC! (drop a comment below if you found a super delicious way to eat this cheese to we can get some inspo from you!)

How long will it last in the refrigerator?

This plant based cheese should keep for 4-5 days in a covered container the refrigerator – if it lasts that long 😉

Image of cheese sauce drizzled over sweet potato fries on a white speckled plate.

Image of cheese sauce drizzled over round tortilla chips on a white speckled plate.

Image of a hand dipping a tortilla chip into a bowl of creamy vegan cheese sauce.

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe.

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!