Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce
This is the quickest and easiest way to make a vegan cheese sauce with just a few basic ingredients. No cashews and no nutritional yeast required.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get more amazing vegan recipes that will satisfy your cravings!
Why make this recipe
If you don’t want to fuss with soaking cashews, blending, or measuring a bunch of ingredients, but still want an amazingly creamy and delicious vegan cheese sauce, this is what you have been looking for. Plus, it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free.
I have many recipes for vegan cheese on my site, and many variations of vegan cheese sauce like veggie cheese sauce, vegan cheddar cheese sauce, coconut cheese sauce, and vegan beer cheese, but this is the quickest and easiest way that I have ever made it.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Vegan Cheese – you will need 1 (8 oz) bag of store-bought vegan cheese. I like Violife vegan cheddar, but you can use any brand or flavor that you wish.
- Plain Flavored Plant-Based Milk – I usually use oat milk or soy milk since they are the creamiest, but you can use any type of vegan milk. Just be sure to use plain and not vanilla.
- Salt – I like to add a little extra salt since the plant milk waters down the flavor a bit. You can also add a dash of garlic powder, onion powder, or nutritional yeast for more flavor, but I find that it’s not necessary.
Helpful tools
- A small saucepan – to warm the sauce in.
- A whisk or large spoon to stir the sauce.
How to make easy vegan cheese sauce
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Add 2 cups (a full 8 oz bag) of shredded vegan cheese, 1 cup of plant-based milk, and 1/8 tsp of salt to a saucepan.
Step 2 -Turn the heat to low and heat, stirring slowly every minute or two. Continue heating and stirring the cheese sauce until it has a smooth and creamy texture.
Use this cheese sauce on vegetables like steamed broccoli or over pasta, tacos, baked potatoes, vegan nachos, vegan cheesesteaks, vegan cheese fries, and more. You can also use it as a simple cheese dip for chips or soft pretzels.
Easily turn this cheese sauce into a vegan queso dip by adding salsa and some extra spices.
Pro Tips
- Add a little less milk for a thicker sauce or a little more for a thinner sauce.
- Heat the sauce slowly and stir frequently to prevent burning.
Is this cheese sauce gluten-free?
As long as you use a gluten-free vegan cheese as the base, your cheese sauce will be gluten-free. Be sure to check the packaging; some vegan cheeses contain wheat.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate: Leftover vegan cheese sauce will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: Reheat the cheese sauce by adding a tablespoon of water, then heating it in a saucepan over low heat. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one.
More vegan cheeses
I have a ton of vegan cheese recipes on my site, plus a free vegan cheese mini guide for subscribers. You can find my full collection in my cookbook, The Ultimate Guide to Easy Vegan Cheese Making.
Vegan cheese sauce recipe
Easy Vegan Queso Dip
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegan shredded cheese
- 3/4 cup oat milk, or soy milk (plain)
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add 2 cups (a full 8-oz bag) of shredded vegan cheese, 3/4 cup of plant-based milk, 1/2 cup of salsa, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 1/8 tsp of salt to a saucepan.
- Turn the heat to low and heat, stirring slowly every minute or two. Continue heating and stirring the queso dip until it is smooth and creamy.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add 2 cups (a full 8-oz bag) of shredded vegan cheese, 3/4 cup of plant-based milk, 1/2 cup of salsa, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 1/8 tsp of salt to a saucepan.
- Turn the slow cooker to low for 1 hour. Stir well, then set the slow cooker to warm. Keep warm until served.
Notes
- Add a little less milk for a thicker sauce or a little more for a thinner sauce.
- Heat the sauce slowly and stir frequently to prevent burning.
- If using a slow cooker, turn to warm after one hour on low to avoid overheating.
- Add chopped fresh green chiles or fresh or pickled jalapeños for more spice.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
