This is the best vegan cheese sauce! It's thick, and creamy and has the most amazing flavour. This recipe is made without nuts, but is plant based and made with cauliflower, nutritional yeast and coconut milk. It's perfect for making pasta or Mac and cheese!
I love sneaking cauliflower into unexpected recipes like my cauliflower Alfredo sauce, cilantro lime caulirice and cherry cheesecake smoothie, and the hidden veggie sauce I am sharing with you today is another example of a sneaky cauliflower recipe that I can't wait for you to try.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- The flavour! This is the best vegan cheese sauce recipe!
- It's quick and easy to make and is ready in under 30 minutes, just like my vegan sour cream recipe.
- This sauce is great for meal prep because it stores really well and can be frozen to use at a later date.
- It can be used in so many ways!
- This healthy cheese sauce is dairy-free, gluten free, Whole30 compliant, paleo, vegetarian, plant based, low carb and keto, and is made with no tofu, no yogurt, no beans, no cashews, no nuts, no butternut squash and no potatoes.
If you love vegan sauces and dips you need to try my vegan buffalo sauce, vegan sriracha mayo and vegan walnut pesto.
Ingredients and substitutions:
For the full ingredient list and exact measurements refer to the recipe card later in this post.
Jump to the Recipe Card.
- Cauliflower - steamed cauliflower forms the base of this rich and creamy veggie cheese sauce.
- Carrots - these are what add the orange colour to this sauce.
- Coconut milk - this is what makes this sauce so thick and creamy. I recommend using full fat coconut milk, rather than low fat coconut milk which is too watery. If you can't have coconut milk, I recommend using cashew milk instead.
- Avocado oil - this helps make this dairy-free cheese sauce even more creamy!
- Apple cider vinegar - to add just the perfect amount of tartness to balance out the sweetness of the carrots. You can swap this for lemon juice.
- Nutritional yeast - the secret to making dairy free cheese sauce with no cheese and no dairy. I don't recommend trying to make this recipe without nutritional yeast.
- Seasonings and spices - garlic powder, mustard powder, and salt blend perfectly to add depth and flavour to this cheesy sauce.
Recipe variations and add ins:
- To make this sauce oil free, omit the avocado oil and replace it with more water.
- This dairy free cheese sauce freezes really well so feel free to make a double or triple batch and freeze some for later.
- If you want the sauce to be even thicker, reduce the amount of coconut milk or water that you add, or add more cauliflower.
How to make vegan cheese sauce:
Step 1
Peel the carrots and rinse the cauliflower, then cut all the vegetables into pieces. Next, steam both the carrots and cauliflower until they are tender.
Step 2
Transfer the steamed vegetables to a blender and add the remaining ingredients.
Step 3
Blend everything well until you have a smooth sauce.
Top tip:
You will need a high speed blender to blend the sauce. If you don't have one you can use a food processor instead.
How to serve:
You can use this homemade lactose free cheese sauce in so many ways including:
- For topping cooked vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower or baked potatoes.
- As a dip for nachos, chips, crackers, or raw vegetables.
- For making pasta or macaroni and cheese.
- For topping enchiladas or for making vegan pizza.
Vegan cheese sauce FAQs:
No this cheese sauce is not low fat. It has approximately 19 grams of fat per serving, from both coconut milk and avocado oil.
Compared to cheese sauce made with dairy or nuts, this sauce is lower in calories since it is vegetable based.
What a plant based cheese sauce tastes like will depend on the ingredients used to make it. This homemade cheese sauce recipe is thick, creamy and has a cheesy flavour from the nutritional yeast.
Store any leftover vegan cheese sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Yes. This cheese sauce freezes really well in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Other vegan recipes you will love:
Recipe
Nut Free Vegan Cheese Sauce with Cauliflower
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets (approximately 500 grams)
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into pieces (approximately 2 cups chopped carrots)
- 2 cups full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Wash and cut the carrots and cauliflower and then cut them into pieces.
- Steam the cauliflower and carrots for approximately 10 minutes (until tender).
- Transfer the vegetables to a blender and add the remaining ingredients.
- Blend everything well until you have a smooth sauce.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- I like this sauce to be pretty thick. If you want it to be a bit thinner feel free to add a bit more water or avocado oil.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Brian
Isn't there a concern about this much nutritional yeast?
Erin Carter
I have no concerns... you aren't eating the whole batch in one sitting (the recipe yields multiple servings) so you aren't actually eating that much nutritional yeast at one time.
Easy Prep Ahead Meal Plans @ 20 Dishes
Looks great!
Erin Carter
Thanks ladies!
Pearl
Can I freeze this? It looks amazing,....
Erin Carter
Hey Pearl! I've honestly never tried frozen this. I imagine it would be okay. If anything when you re-heat it you might just have to blend it again. Let us know if you try it!