Easy Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce Alternative
 
Prep time
Cook time
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This recipe was shared with us back in 2006 by a reader. They recommended this sauce for making macaroni & cheese or cheesy potatoes. We have made some minor modifications the recipe and instructions to help adapt the recipe as needed and to ensure more seamless results.
Author:
Recipe type: Sauce
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup raw cashews (see the Nut Options below)
  • 2 cups water, divided
  • ¼ cup diced tomatoes (can use canned)
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes, or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons non-GMO cornstarch or arrowroot starch
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
  • 1 to 1½ teaspoons sea salt, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
  1. Grind the cashews in a spice grinder or small food processor until powdered.
  2. Pour the cashew powder into your blender. Add the 1 cup water, tomatoes, nutritional yeast, starch, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Puree until smooth. Add the remaining 1 cup water and briefly blend to combine.
  3. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan (to remove any large or small nut bits). Place the pan over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Taste test and add more salt, if needed.
  4. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The sauce will thicken as it chills, but you can whisk in more water to thin it.
Notes
Nut Option: Cashews produce the creamiest results, and we think they provide the best flavor. But you can substitute almonds (preferably blanched) or macadamia nuts, in a pinch. For nut-free, sunflower seeds work fairly well, but do lend a more pronounced taste.
Recipe by Go Dairy Free at https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/easy-dairy-free-cheese-sauce