Wallflower Kitchen

Vegan Recipes

Cashew Cheese Sauce

Cashew Cheese Sauce #vegan #paleoI recently bought a new dark tile and couldn’t wait to try it out for food photography, hence these unnecessarily moody shots!

I’m usually drawn to light and airy photography (as you might have noticed) but would love to practise my dark & moody shots more so expect to see a few darker shots in my upcoming posts!

This recipe has been a long time coming. I make this cashew cheese sauce all the time and have done for years – I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to blog it!

I finally got round to it as I have a few upcoming recipes that use the sauce, including a socca pizza & some stuffed peppers. It’s gonna be great, so stay tuned… (edit: recipes are now live! Use links above.)

As I said, I use this sauce all the time. On pasta, on pizzas, in risottos, drizzled over potatoes or vegetables, burritos and more. It’s SO delicious.

Cashew Cheese Sauce #vegan #paleoI remember when I first tried it years ago, before I was vegan, I wasn’t expecting to like it at all.

I was a very fussy eater and was only just starting to experiment with free-from foods so wasn’t expecting something made from cashews to be a good substitute for cheese.

But I was shocked at how delicious and cheesy it was! I remember I said “oh my god” out loud and proceeded to eat it by the spoonful.

So definitely don’t knock it before you try it! And don’t be put off if you’ve not heard of a couple of these ingredients because I promise you they’re not that expensive or hard to find.

Your local health food shop will more than likely stock nutritional yeast and you can find miso paste in your local Asian supermarket or the world food aisle at the general supermarket. The rest can be found at any supermarket!

I recommend soaking the cashews overnight or a few hours before hand but if you have a high powered blender, such as The Optimum G2.1, then you can get away with using them without soaking first.

This cheesy sauce is:

  • Dairy-free & vegan
  • Gluten-free & paleo-friendly
  • Healthy
  • Versatile (can be used for so many different recipes)
  • Easy to make (you just need a blender!) 

Use this cheese sauce on your pasta, on your toast or on a pizza! 

Cashew Cheese Sauce #vegan #paleo

Yield: 1 cup

Cashew Cheese Sauce

Cashew Cheese Sauce

A delicious dairy-free cheese sauce, perfect for pastas, pizzas and more! Feel free to halve the recipe if you want a smaller portion.

Prep Time 8 minutes
Total Time 8 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Drain the cashews and discard the water they were soaked in.
  2. Add to a high-powered blender along with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Add more almond milk, if needed to create the desired consistency. I like it when it's thick but runs off the spoon.
  3. Use straight away or add to a container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

*Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast with a natural cheesy flavour. You can find it in most health food shops or online and it's not expensive.

**White miso paste really helps give that fermented cheese flavour. It can be found in health food shops or Asian supermarkets. I buy mine from my local supermarket in the Asian food aisle. You can use brown miso instead, if you wish.

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Nutrition Information

Yield

1

Serving Size

tbsp
Amount Per Serving Calories 73Saturated Fat 1gCarbohydrates 5gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 5g
© Aimee
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Cashew Cheese Sauce

Reader Interactions

Comments

All commentsReviewsQuestions

    • Aimee says

      I don't think it would make a difference in taste, you can even use water too (which i've done before when I'm out of vegan milk).
      Reply

  5. Liz says

    So so so delicious smilier to Alfredo Sauce but so much more healthier . The miso made things sauce really delicious
    Reply

  6. Janine Miller says

    This was so easy. You just have to remember to soak the cashews. Once I remembered, I made the sauce. I adjusted all the seasonings, but I have been cooking for many years (even in a professional kitchen). It was really good on my pasta. You really should make it. I think I'll be using this is a lot of dishes from now on.
    Reply

  7. Elizabeth says

    This sauce is great. Miso really did add something to the flavour. Im excited that theres a small amount of probiotics in it.
    Reply

    • Rachel says

      Hi, thanks for the recipe. would it be ok to use cashew butter from a tub? (meridian brand) the only ingredients listed on the back is cashews so i assume it’d be the same right? Also not sure how much to use when it’s already blended..
      Reply

      • Aimee says

        Hi Rachel, unfortunately it doesn't work with cashew butter (it is usually roasted or salted which gives a strong flavour). I'm sure it would still make a delicious sauce but more cashew-flavoured.
        Reply

  9. Wendy Levesque says

    This recipe is so awesome. Made it just like the recipe except miso. I have actually made this four times!! SO GOOD!!
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Hi Kim, unfortunately not as it is a much thicker mixture than shop-bought cashew milk. It's like double cream vs skimmed milk. You can speed it up by soaking them in boiled water for at least 10 minutes.
      Reply

  12. Mary says

    Made this last night and it's already gone! My non-vegan family loved it too. I didn't have miso or mustard powder, so I just did a little bit of spicy brown mustard and it tasted awesome. Making more today for baked potatoes and vegan chili :)
    Reply

  13. Leanne Makris~Rothe says

    I made this I just tweaked the recipe a little bit.. I didn't use Miss and I used garlic salt with dehydrated garlic granules in it good karma plus flax seed milk and it really ramped up the protein delicious..!!
    Reply

  15. Tammy Peterson says

    LOVED this. My sister-in-law and niece made this for me when I was at their house for dinner and it was AMAZING. I couldn't stop eating. Can't wait to make this again.
    Reply

  16. Brittany says

    I think I already commented here, but I just made this for the second time, and it was somehow even better than the first time. I heated up the almond milk and added 1tsp of mushroom base (better than bullion) for the sauce. I left out the nutmeg (because I didn’t have any), but I otherwise followed the recipe. I sautéed half a yellow onion with 8oz carton of chopped baby Bella mushrooms and a few cloves of garlic. I cooked this mixture down for about 15 minutes. I cooked 1lb of fettucini (linguine preferred!) and reserved about 1/3 cup of the pasta water. I added the mushroom mixture to the cooked noodles and added the sauce. I added the reserved pasta water which helped to keep it from drying out (like it did before) and it turned out SO creamy. Best meal I’ve made to date. Thank you for this sauce! It’s a staple in our vegan home.
    Reply

  17. Jacque says

    Tried this tonight and put it on a moussaka I loved it. Next time I will add more fluid, but the taste was amazing.
    Reply

  18. Lindsay says

    Is this freezable, or will it separate or be bitter, like you mentioned it would be after too long in the fridge?
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Unfortunately, because of the soaked cashews, it will separate and become bitter after that time. I tend to make smaller batches now because of this.
      Reply

  20. Kim says

    I love how versatile this sauce is! One time, I added rotel and made it a Queso. The next, it was an amazing Alfredo! I didn’t have miso and added a little extra nutritional yeast just because! Love it!!
    Reply

  21. Teia says

    Is there a way to make this "cheese" more of a shredded mozzerrella consistency for pizza and lasagna? Does it "brown" well in the oven? Thanks!
    Reply

  22. Lynae says

    This is super yummy!! I did have miso, so didn't add it it. Added a squeeze of lemon juice and it was beautiful!!
    Reply

  23. Stephanie says

    I used this as a Mac n Cheese sauce...and it was amazing my toddler had 2 helpings and so did my father-in-law. I will definitely be making this again and again. I didn't have mustard powder so I just used regular mustard instead. I used coconut milk and added a little bit of Daiya Mozzarella Cheese and it was awesome for Mac n Cheese. I have passed this recipe on to another friend that can't have dairy, they are excited to try it. Thanks so much for posting this!
    Reply

  24. Em says

    I don't have a scale to weigh the ingredients (I can't be the only one?!), could someone tell me what quantity this would be in ml or cups?
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Hi Em, there is an option to convert to US (underneath the ingredient list) do you see it? If not, I will post it here in case: 1 cup raw cashew nuts soaked overnight in water 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes if using powder, you can use slightly less* 1 tbsp white miso (Optional)** 1 tsp garlic powder or fresh minced garlic 1 tsp onion powder or fresh minced onion 0.5 tsp mustard powder 0.18 tsp ground nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup dairy-free milk (unsweetened)
      Reply

  25. Stacy says

    Very good and "cheesy" I added some smoked paprika and I had regular mustard on hand, no powdered,so I added it instead. I look forward to using this for the next few days. :)
    Reply

  26. Pam says

    I attempted to replicate the old velvetta/rotel dip and it tasted great with the texture gained by having the tomatoes in it. This whole recipe tastes great in general regardless of what additions you make I am very sure. I strained 2 cans of rotel to get the fluid instead of milk. I strained it well so that I could add the tomatoes and chili’s back in after it was blended and I didn’t want too much fluid still left in the tomatoes when I added them. The only other changes I made was that I used chickpea miso instead of white miso because we are trying to not eat soy where we can. Also, I only had the powdered granulated nutritional yeast and not the flakes so I lowered it to 1/3 cup since she said to put a little less since I wasn’t sure what a “little less” was. I do think the miso is probably a must in my opinion in order to give it that “cheesy” taste. My Whole Foods has all the various types. But honestly I have not tried it without. Furthermore, I haven’t tasted it yet with the milk like the recipe calls but I know I will eventually when I happen to not have any canned rotel on hand. But either way, my son, who is now 90% vegan, loved this and ate a single recipe in one day so next time I will double it lol.
    Reply

  27. Rhonda says

    This is SO GOOD!!! I love cashew milk, so I knew I had to try this. I did not add the non dairy milk, but I added 1 large steamed carrot to give it a little more cheesy color. The second time I tried it I added one can of well rinsed black beans and one half cup of salsa and served it with Juanita's Tortilla Chips and it was a hit! Even my very picky husband ate it and loved it.
    Reply

  28. Pam says

    I want to make this as a part of a group of snacks on Sunday is why I ask? I haven’t tasted cashew cheese by itself before so I didn’t know if I could simulate the rotel dip or not?
    Reply

  29. Pam says

    Do you think I could use Rotel tomatoes (or the juice from a can of Rotel tomatoes strained) instead of the dairy free milk in order to make it similar (I know cheese wise it won’t be really that similar) to the old velvetta/rotel dip? I could add the actual tomatoes from the canned strained rotel tomatoes back in after it is blended I guess. The only reason I ask is I see a lot of cashew cheese sauce recipes with water instead of dairy free milk. Or do you think it just won’t work or taste good? My son has gone vegan also but misses the velvetta/rotel dip at certain events and wanted to try cashew cheese dip as a substitute. Also, we have all the various types of miso at our Whole Foods. We are trying to avoid soy or minimize it so do you think the chickpea miso would work fine for the white miso or no? I think I read it is a little stronger maybe than white miso though. I just think miso is a good idea if it helps simulate the cheesy taste.
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      You can leave it out, if you like! Have you tried black garlic before? Apparently thats good for people who can't usually tolerate garlic. You can also experiment with chives or spring onions (or green/spring garlic if you can get your hands on it) but like I say - totally fine to leave it out too. I just love putting a lot of garlic in everything :)
      Reply

  33. Julia says

    Just made this and it's the cheesiest vegan thing I've ever tried! Am in the middle of veganuary and this is the perfect treat!
    Reply

  35. Erica says

    My mom is a vegetarian, so the holidays are tricky when trying to make traditional meals with veggie-friendly options. I used this recipe as a replacement for gravy - and it was a delicious hit! It was a delicious addition to the Thanksgiving menu and definitely a keeper - vegetarian or not!
    Reply

  36. Bailey Mills says

    I cannot wait to try this. there are not a ton of vegan options yet. I pack my lunch and dinner to take with me to work. I wondered how long this is good for? could i make two jars and store them. thanks for you're awesome blog! supa cool!
    Reply

  37. Kelly says

    This was epic!!!! I soaked the cashews in boiling water for about 20 monutes instead(impatient). I didnt have miso but I added a tiny squeeze of lemon and a small amount of massels(vegan) chicken stock powder. Then I put a tiny biy of smoked paprika and some tumeric for a cheesy colour. I also only had the regular soy milk which I think is sweetened but it turned out fine! Thanks for a yummy recipe
    Reply

  38. Annie says

    The consistency of this was perfect. I wasn't able to find miso, but it was still good. On a lark I mixed in red sauce to make a pink one and it was perfection. I will make again with miso, but this is going in the recipe book. Thank you!
    Reply

  39. Victoria says

    This cheese is amazing!!! I'm seriously addicted and am making it for the third week in a row today. I've made Vegan nachos, Vegan chili cheese fries and Vegan burritos, just to name a few! I would absolutely choose this over real cheese:)
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Yay! So happy to hear you enjoy it as much as I do. I'm still obsessed with it and make it all the time too. Having some tonight with pasta, in fact :)
      Reply

  40. Emily says

    Keep coming back to this one. I'm trying to be better about leaving comments to thank the bloggers that work so hard to keep me fed, fit, and healthy! Thanks for posting!
    Reply

  41. Leah says

    Alright, THIS is cheesey deliciousness!!! It is hands down the best vegan cheese sauce I’ve made yet. The miso is a brilliant addition - I’m delighted to have finally found a recipe that is delicious, easy to make and Animal friendly. Thank you!!
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      I can't think why it would taste sweet, without adding any products that are sweet to it! It will have a very mild subtle sweetness, just like with any cheese flavour but shouldn't be overly sweet at all. Did you add anything extra? And were the cashews definitely raw/plain? I hope it was edible anyway :)
      Reply

    • Daunn says

      Check the box of alternative milk and see if it has vanilla flavor in it. I've run into that issue a few times. Hemp milk has it and so does some cashew milk. Almond seems to have it less frequently but I've screwed up MANY different savory "milk" dishes by grabbing the wrong milk outta the fridge. I actually came onto her page off of Pinterest to specifically look at her link for which milk she used to avoid that very problem.
      Reply

  44. Tina says

    Hi! Can you tell me if you think roasted cashews in sunflower oil would work? We have peanut allergies (among others) and can only find one brand of safe cashews without cross contamination, but unfortunately they are roasted. Would love to try this as foods are extremely limited for my boys die to these allergies. :(
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Honestly, I'm not sure how well that would work. The flavour would be a lot stronger and more nutty. I'm sure it would be a delicious sauce in it's own right but probably a lot less "cheesy". Peanut allergy must be so difficult to deal with, sorry you can't find more allergy-friendly options :-( Let me know if you try this anyway! Like I say, it could still be delicious.
      Reply

  46. Kenzie MacPhail says

    I just made this and it is absolutely AMAZING!!! honestly taste like a perfect cheese sauce! I just started no dairy diet and I wish i made more of this sauce, but I think tomorrow I'm going too! its perfect!! can't wait to put it on my brown rice noodles with chicken and broccoli!
    Reply

  47. Lindsey Smith says

    Can I boil the cashews for roughly 10 minutes and get the same result as soaking them overnight? Also, would heating this in a saucepan on low heat disrupt the flavor at all?
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Hi Lindsey, you can do that - I do that too sometimes if I'm short on time. I think it *can* disrupt the flavour slightly, when the cashews are cooked, but even just soaking them in warm water (not boiling) will help speed things along.
      Reply

  48. Erika says

    OMG! This recipe is beyond amazing! I subbed canned coconut milk, for almond and I added about a half teaspoon of liquid smoke, to give a smoky background. It was delicious in my vegan, oil free broccoli alfredo. I had left overs for lunch, and the sauce became even better! It is nearly indiscernable from your shelf alfredo sauce. So thick and creamy!
    Reply

  49. Laura says

    Do you think raw almonds with the skins removed could be used in place of cashews? My husband has a cashew allergy. Thanks!
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Yes, almonds will work too (skins removed) but the flavour will be a bit different. I've not tried it personally but I'm sure it will still be delicious :-) Let me know how you get on!
      Reply

  50. Ramona says

    Hi! In my country yeast flakes is not a general thing we have only fresh and instant yeast. So can you help me how much can I use for this recipe? Thanks, and sorry for bad english :)
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Hi Ramona, nutritional yeast is very different to ordinary yeast. It's deactivated and lends a very different flavour and texture. You can either buy it online or in a specialised health food shop. Try Amazon, if that's available to you :-) You can also try leaving it out for a slightly less cheesy but still tasty sauce!
      Reply

  51. Tam finn says

    Hi Aimee, First can I just say I love your recipes ❤️ As do my meat eating friends Thank you. I was just wondering where I might find white miso online? I'm in Ireland and for some reason I can't find it anywhere. anyone I speak to say they haven't seen white miso in Ireland. Many thanks, Tam
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Hi Tam! You can find it on amazon but it's really not *essential* you can use brown miso (which can be found in asian food shops or some supermarkets) or just leave it out. You could also try adding a small drop of soy sauce. So don't worry if you can't get hold of it :-)
      Reply

  53. atiya says

    I made this sauce today and it was a big success. It turned out much better than I expected. So tasty and creamy without being heavy. Both my husband and my father loved it. Thanks for posting it.
    Reply

  55. Szasza Paz says

    Thank you for sharing this great recipe..My husband loves it. Just made it today, and we just had it as a dip with crackers, but can't wait to have it on pizza, and pasta etc etc
    Reply

  56. Angela says

    I absolutely love this sauce! The nutritional yeast really makes the flavor. I didn't use the mustard. Thank you for the recipe.
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Hi Shawnee. I would say around 3 days in a container in the fridge. As long as it looks and smells good then it might last a bit longer :-)
      Reply

  58. Mica says

    This sauce is amazing! Seriously, incredibly good! I didn't use almond milk because I didn't have any on hand. I used the water I soaked the cashews in and added the rest in filtered water from the tap. Turned out great :)
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Right? So glad you enjoyed it too, thanks for letting me know! I just finished a batch and already missing it so I'm going to make some more this evening :)
      Reply

    • Aimee says

      Hi Karwn, thank you so much! Sure you can use a tiny bit of mustard instead! I would use maybe 1/4 tsp as it can be too overpowering otherwise. Enjoy :-)
      Reply

  60. sofia says

    I just made this and omg!!! It's amazing! I'm eating a bowl of rice pasta with broccoli and your cheese sauce. Delicious!!
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      So happy you enjoyed it, Sofia! It's sooooooo good with pasta. My favourite way to eat it at the moment is with some tomato pasta sauce for a cheesy tomato dish. To die for.
      Reply

  62. Camela says

    I just made this sauce. I LOVE IT! OMG! I used it for a pasta alfredo sauce and I am also dipping carrots in it. It's soooooo good. THANK YOU
    Reply

      • Joanna says

        Thanks! I wasn't sure about miso and the nutritional yeast ... It's not super important, I'm only looking for ideas to occasionally experiment with raw vegan eating. Will be trying this one day
        Reply

    • Aimee says

      Hi Pamela, unfortunately this is a key component for the "cheesy" flavour. It is completely deactivated though (and those avoiding yeast can usually have it - check online if you're unsure) but you can still make a lovely creamy sauce without it. It just won't be very cheesy :-)
      Reply

  66. Andrea says

    I made this today to go with a Mexican casserole. I used the powdered spices and although I didn't soak my cashews, I followed the ingredients and measurements exactly. This turned out really yummy and richly flavored! If you have a Vitamix or one of a similar quality, I think you can get away without soaking in this particular application, which makes this a possibility on the day OF the meal, vs. planning the day before. Mine was completely creamy and gorgeous. Thanks for the great recipe.
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      I'm so pleased you enjoyed it, thank you for letting me know Andrea! And that's great about not having to soak them. I have a Froothie and sometimes don't bother to soak them either, especially when I have serious cravings and I'm too impatient to wait :-) And LOVE the sound of it with a Mexican Casserole...
      Reply

  68. Emily says

    Hi Aimee, this recipe looks great! Please can you clarify whether it's one tablespoon or one teaspoon of white miso, as the recipe currently says both and I'm a little confused! I shall go and look in Holland and Barratt for nutritional yeast as I've not come across it before. Emily
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Ohh thank you for pointing that out. Not sure what went wrong there but it's one tablespoon! Unfortunately, I don't think Holland & Barrett do it, which is really annoying. I've requested they stock it quite a few times. I'm not sure why they don't... really weird. Anyway, if you can't find it in your branch, online or an independent health food shop is the best port of call. Let me know if you need help finding a stockist (amazon is always a safe bet, though) And let me know if you try it out! Enjoy :-)
      Reply

  72. DIANE BASSETT says

    I use a lot of cashews in my vegan cooking, and I found a really good price on them at bulk. I buy larger quantities and keep them in the fridge (buy the pieces, not the whole cashews, they are cheaper and they work just as well). Thank you for this recipe, i shared it with the vegan support email list that serves the South Bay area of Los Angeles (South Bay Plant Strong). Included a link to your site, of course.
    Reply

  73. Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says

    These photos! I love the new background! I love all your pictures, you are a pro with the camera. I've been wanting a grey background like this, is it just like a flooring tile or where did you find this? And this cheesy goodness <3 I just want to dip everything in here, it looks so dreamy! Miso is a wonderful addition, but the nutmeg is really surprising. I'll have to try that one. Mmmm on potatoes sounds delicious :) Gotta love these simple staple recipes!
    Reply

    • Aimee says

      Thank you Natalie! I always admire your photography, it's always crystal clear and beautiful! Yes, I went into a tile shop and it was basically food photography heaven. I came across a couple I wanted but had to restrain myself and just went for this grey mottled one and a black one. You need to take a trip to your nearest tile shop ;-) And yes - nutmeg takes it to the next level! I decided to add it after making a bechamel sauce, which always uses nutmeg and has a naturally cheesy flavour. It really works with the sauce.
      Reply

  75. Mara says

    Ahh, yes, I totally understand the feeling when getting a new background! Every time I get one, I immediately have to use it! :D I've also never made vegan cheese sauce with cashews... will have to change that soon!
    Reply

      • Alicia says

        Hi. I just made this and mine came out gritty. I soaked the cashews, so I'm wondering if maybe I didn't blend it long enough? Any suggestions for me for next time? The flavor was still amazing though Thanks
        Reply

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