THE PERFECT VEGAN NACHO "CHEESE" SAUCE
Purely subjectively, this is THE best vegan nacho “cheese” sauce. If you’ve ever loved that classic yellow nacho cheese (the slightly questionable one you somehow can’t stop eating), this version will likely win you over. After trying an impressive number of recipes over the years, this one checks every box: creamy, salty, tangy, and just a little spicy. Serve with corn chips. In summer, in winter, on a random Tuesday night for no particular reason.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup diced potatoes (about 170 g)
- ½ cup diced carrots (about 70 g)
- ¼ cup neutral vegetable oil
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp Cashew Butter Sea Salt (about 18 g)
- 6 slices pickled jalapeños (we like this brand)
- 3 tbsp jalapeño brine
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Boil the potatoes and carrots for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Drain.
- Add the cooked vegetables to a blender along with all the remaining ingredients.
- Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy.
- Transfer to a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent sticking.
- Serve warm with plenty of corn chips.
NOTES
The sauce keeps for several days in the refrigerator. It will thicken slightly as it cools (because of the potatoes and cashew butter). Simply add a little water when reheating to loosen the texture. It also freezes very well.
If you have a few extra minutes, we highly recommend making your own corn chips: Cut corn tortillas into quarters, lightly brush with oil, and bake for 8–10 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until crispy. Salt them right when they come out of the oven. We prefer them this way: less salty, still warm, and most importantly whole — because we all dread the crumbs at the bottom of the chip bag.
