Vegan Chipotle Nacho Cheese Sauce

Friends, this vegan nacho cheese sauce is so incredibly delicious and satisfying! We have some serious, feel-good comfort food here. Add the ingredients to your grocery list for this weekend and get on it! I really think you’re going to love it. It’s amazing for nachos (especially if you throw on some quick pickled jalapeños), on baked potatoes, poured over steamed broccoli, drizzled over tacos, burritos and enchiladas, and even stirred into macaroni. Anywhere that you need nacho-cheesey deliciousness, this Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce has got you covered.

I first came across the idea for a vegan nacho cheese sauce in an Angela Lidden cookbook. (My mind was blow that something as decidedly un-cheesy as carrots and potatoes could provide the foundation for a silky, creamy, delectable cheese sauce. Inspired by her recipe, I made it bigger, got rid of the oil, and incorporated miso paste to add richness, fermented food magic, and umami flavour. I also brought in one of my all-time favorite ingredients: chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. (See photo and description below if you’re not familiar with these delicious peppers!)

Sometimes people call vegan foods “fake,” but I would argue that this sauce is 100 times more natural and “real” than whatever that CRAP (calorie rich and processed) is that they serve you at the movie theater or the ball park. This is made from whole, plant foods. As such, it’s naturally low in fat, high in fiber, high in vitamins and minerals, and generally pretty dang good for you. This is a feel-good food that you can feel good about enjoying. I hope you like it as much as I do!

By the way: Sorry to keep saying “vegan nacho cheese sauce” over and over. It’s that kind of annoying repetition that makes posts like these searchable. (insert shrug emoji)

Vegan Chipotle Nacho Cheese Sauce

Yield: Approximately 5 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups russet potatoes
• 1 cup carrots
• 1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews*
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp miso paste
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 to 2 chipotle peppers from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. You could also use just the adobo sauce itself **
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
• 2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar

METHOD – Step by Step Instructions for maximum efficiency

1. Fill a small, lidded sauce pan with about 4 inches of water, cover with the lid, and put it on high heat to bring it to a boil.
2. While the water is heating, peel and cube two cups worth of white potatoes, and 1 cup of carrots. As soon as they’re cubed, add them to the water. Bring it to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender.
3. While the carrots and potatoes cook, place the remaining ingredients in a high speed blender* and process until smooth.
4. When the carrots and potatoes have finished cooking, add them to the blender with the rest of the ingredients and process everything until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. That’s it!

This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week. If you find it’s too thick when you’re heating it up, use a bit of water or unsweetened soy milk to thin as you’re heating.

*If you don’t have a high speed blender, soak the cashews for 3-4 hours before making this recipe, then they’ll be soft enough to blend up well in a regular blender.

** Meal prep tip: Freeze the remaining chipotle peppers for future use. Portion them into silicone baking cups for easy freezing (then pop them out and store them in a bag) or freeze them on a sheet pan lined with a baking sheet (then peel off and pop into a bag).