• kelly@noshandnourish.com
  • Denver, CO
Orange
Creamy Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Creamy Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

So those of you who know me, know we are “mostly” vegan now. My hubby, 100%. Babycakes and I, about 97%. So when Chef D Malfi, YouTube extraordinaire, plant-based chef, and genuinely such a sweet soul, invited me onto her cooking show, it was an easy “yes.”

And when she mentioned vegan cheese sauce, it was a “HECK YES!!”

I knew her creamy vegan cheese sauce would:

a) be amazeballs.

b) be such a great recipe for those looking to eat more plant-based meals / limit dairy

c) be great nutritionally for kids (helllllllllo healthy fats + protein)

d) be a perfect fit for #OrangeWeek, which we are currently in the middle of!

OrangeWeek at eattherainbow_kids

You can check out the full episode / cooking show here. Chef D does live shows 2 – 3 times a week and has built such an amazing community. Whether you’re new to plant-based cooking or an old pro, you will love her upbeat personality, helpful tips and tricks, and easy-to-follow recipes!

One of the things we talked about in the show is how to adapt recipes to make them more kid-friendly. I think parents often believe kid-food should be spice-less. And when it comes to heat, that totally makes sense. But having some spices (different from spicy) can add a delicious flavor that kids actually love! That’s also why we love FreshBellies freeze-dried fruits and veggies so much! They always pair everything with a spice: strawberries + balsamic, beets + thyme, mango + basil, etc…

In this vegan cheese sauce, we add:

  • garlic powder
  • cumin
  • miso
  • turmeric
  • and even some mild canned green chiles

My daughter happily gobbled this up as-is. But you could use more or less of the green chiles, depending on your preference.

TODDLER TIP: serve the nacho sauce with soft tortillas cut into triangles rather than tortilla chips because they are easier for little ones to chew. I also served it with crinkle cut carrots and FreshBellies’ freeze-dried beets for dipping.

This recipe is from Chef D Malfi’s Plant-based Made Easy Cookbook, volume 6. Here’s where you can grab a copy of the book which has 24 delicious vegan recipes! And be sure to watch her weekly on FB or YouTube.

vegan nacho cheese sauce

Creamy Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cashew Soaking Time 1 hour
Servings 6

Equipment

  • high speed blender

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup raw cashews soaked for at least one hour
  • 1/2 cup filtered water
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 Tbsp canned mild green chiles chopped
  • 2 tsp mellow white miso paste
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric optional
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 piece roasted red pepper optional, for a more orange-y color

Instructions
 

  • Combine the nacho cheese ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. I thought it tasted amazing, warmed up. But you can also serve it room temperature.
    Use this nacho cheese sauce on everything from nachos, to tacos, burritos, wraps, salads, or even as a dipping sauce.

Notes

*This recipe (with the exception of the roasted red pepper) is from @chefdmalfi’s Plant-Based Made Easy Cookbook Issue 6, shown here with her permission.

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