Description
A creamy, flavorful vegan cashew cheese sauce perfect for nachos or as a dip, made with raw cashews, green chilies, nutritional yeast, and spices for a smoky, zesty kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Cashew Base
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
Flavor Ingredients
- 4 oz can of green chilies
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapenos
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
Liquid
- 3 tbsp unsweetened plant-based milk (almond milk recommended)
Instructions
- Soak Cashews: Place your raw cashews in a bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to soften. For a quicker method, cover cashews with boiling water and soak for 20-30 minutes.
- Blend Ingredients: Drain the soaking water from the cashews and transfer them to a high-speed blender. Add green chilies, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, pickled jalapenos, smoked paprika, chili powder, unsweetened plant-based milk, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Blend on high until the sauce is smooth and velvety, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce and add additional salt gradually if needed, blending and tasting after each addition until you reach your preferred flavor balance. Typically, between 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of salt is ideal.
Notes
- Soaking cashews overnight ensures a smoother sauce, but hot water soaks provide a faster alternative.
- The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Use this sauce as a dip, drizzle for nachos, or a creamy cheese alternative in various dishes.
- Adjust heat level by changing the amount of pickled jalapenos.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (excluding soaking time)
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Vegan
Keywords: cashew cheese sauce, vegan cheese, nacho sauce, dairy-free cheese sauce, plant-based sauce, vegan dip
