vegan-nacho-cheese

Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

A creamy, flavorful vegan cheese sauce made from potatoes and carrots. Perfect for nachos, crunch wraps, and anywhere you need melty cheese vibes without dairy.

Why This Works

• Potatoes: Provide starch for creamy, thick texture
• Carrots: Add natural sweetness and orange-yellow color
• Nutritional yeast: Delivers that cheesy, umami flavor
• Cornstarch: Extra thickening power for perfect consistency

Ingredients

Base

• 1½ cups peeled and chopped russet potato (1 medium)
• 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots (about 2-3 carrots)
• 2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk

Flavor

• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Optional Add-ins

• 4 oz can diced green chiles, drained (for nacho cheese variation)

Steps

1. Cook the vegetables

   • Add potatoes and carrots to a medium pot
   • Cover with water and bring to a boil
   • Cook for about 10 minutes, until fork tender

2. Prepare the blend

   • While vegetables are boiling, add all other ingredients to a blender
   • Include green chiles if using

3. Blend it smooth

   • Drain the potatoes and carrots
   • Add them directly to the blender
   • Blend until completely smooth and creamy
   • Adjust consistency with extra non-dairy milk if needed

Tips

• Texture control: For thicker cheese, use less milk. For pourable queso, add more.
• Make ahead: Stores in fridge for 4-5 days. Reheats beautifully.
• Freeze it: Freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw and whisk smooth.
• Spice it up: Add jalapeños, chipotle powder, or hot sauce for kick
• Color boost: A tiny pinch of turmeric adds more yellow color

Uses

• Vegan Crunch Wrap Supreme
• Nachos
• Mac and cheese
• Veggie dip
• Burrito filling
• Quesadillas
• Potato topper

Variations

Queso Blanco

• Use white sweet potato instead of russet
• Omit smoked paprika
• Add extra lime juice

Spicy Queso

• Add 1-2 fresh jalapeños to the blender
• Use chipotle powder instead of smoked paprika
• Splash of hot sauce

Herb Cheese

• Blend in fresh cilantro or basil
• Add Italian seasoning
• Use for pasta or pizza

Related

• bean-cooking - Black beans pair perfectly with this sauce
• vegan-crunch-wrap-supreme - Main recipe using this sauce

Source

Recipe from Matt (via Signal, 2026-04-27)