Easy vegan cheese sauce with minimal ingredients and ready in 3 minutes! A super simple and nut-free plant-based recipe which requires only a handful of ingredients. This vegan queso is perfect for pizza, nachos, Mac and Cheese, burgers, pasta bake, toast, and more savory recipes. The sauce doesn’t contain cashews!
Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Without Cashews!
This is probably the easiest homemade vegan cheese sauce ever! It might change your life, it changed mine, I am not kidding. Coconut milk, tapioca flour, nutritional yeast flakes, water, and salt – these are the ingredients which you will need to make this delicious sauce.
Since most people have water and salt at home, all you need to buy is coconut milk, tapioca flour, and nutritional yeast flakes. But maybe you already have these ingredients at home as well. So let’s start to make this easy recipe, it will be done in 3 minutes!
Only A Few Ingredients
I know there are tons of vegan cheese sauce recipes out there, but most of them contain cashews + many more ingredients and require longer preparation time. This cashew-free cheese sauce contains only a handful of ingredients and is ready in 3 minutes.
How To Make Vegan Cheese Sauce
You just need to put all the ingredients into a saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil and that’s it! You don’t even need a blender or food processor. No cooking of veggies, no soaking of cashews. It seriously couldn’t be easier than that.
Not Only For Vegans
This recipe is not only amazing for vegans. I served it also to vegetarians and meat eaters and everyone loved the taste AND texture of this vegan cheese sauce. The tapioca flour (which is also called tapioca starch) makes this recipe so special because it adds the amazing elasticity to the sauce. It makes the sauce stretchy and even reminds of real cheese. Nutritional yeast is an important ingredient for the taste because it adds a cheesy flavor. The spices are up to you, but I love to add some garlic and onion powder, and also a pinch of smoked paprika.
Perfect For Nachos, Pizza, Gratin And More
You can use this vegan sauce for any savory recipe which requires cheese. Whether it is pizza, nachos, gratin, pasta, or any other plant-based recipe. Sometimes when I am too lazy to make my Mac and Cheese recipe I will simply make this 3-minute cheese sauce and pour it over my cooked pasta and my dinner is served in just a few minutes. I have included some pictures of different dishes which I made using this cheese sauce recipe.
This easy vegan cheese sauce is:
- Plant-based
- Gluten free
- Oil-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free (no Cashews!)
- Paleo-friendly
- Easy to make in a few minutes
Make This Vegan Cheese Sauce Today
I made this cheeze sauce probably 100 times already because I use it in almost all of my savory recipes lol. I just love simple recipes which require only a few ingredients and this easy sauce recipe is one of them. So don’t wait any longer and make it NOW. I am sure you will love it as well.
Tapioca flour can be bought in every Asia shop or big supermarkets or simply ordered online. Same goes for nutritional yeast flakes. Check the Recipe Notes for a tapioca flour substitute.
Should you recreate this vegan nacho cheese sauce, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your recreations.
Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) coconut milk canned (*see notes )
- 3 tbsp (20 g) nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 tbsp (15 g) tapioca flour OR arrowroot flour/starch (*see notes)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (optional)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- Pinch of smoked paprika (optional)
Instructions
- Put all ingredients into a saucepan and stir with a whisk. Once everything is combined, turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly.
- Let simmer on low to medium heat for about one minute until the sauce is stretchy.
- Enjoy this vegan cheese sauce with nachos, on pizza, over pasta, and many other savory dishes! Please read the recipe notes below.
Notes
Video Of The Recipe
- Thickness: If the cheese sauce turns out too thick, just add more coconut milk or any other plant-based milk (or water), up to 1 cup.
- Coconut milk: I use coconut milk that contains 17% fat. In case you don't like the taste of coconut milk, you can use a different plant-based milk instead, e.g. almond milk, cashew milk, etc. The higher the fat content of the milk, the better will be the taste of the vegan cheese sauce.
- Tapioca flour: Tapioca flour/starch can be bought in every Asia store or larger grocery stores or simply ordered online.
- Tapioca substitute: Two readers (thanks, Brooklyn and Nichola) commented that arrowroot flour (also known as arrowroot powder or arrowroot starch) is a great substitute for tapioca flour/starch.
- Cornstarch: You could use cornstarch instead of tapioca flour, but the result won’t be as good (stretchy) as with tapioca flour. It will still taste ok!
- How to store: You can store the sauce in the fridge for up to 2 days, but it will change the texture. Reheat with a splash of dairy-free milk. It tastes best freshly made.
- FAQ: "My cheese sauce didn't turn out yellow. What did I do wrong...?" Answer: Some nutritional yeast brands enrich their products with lots of B-vitamins. The nutritional yeast flakes which I ordered from Amazon contain B-vitamins and are therefore yellow. When I use 3 tbsp, the cheese sauce turns out pretty yellow, but when I use less (e.g. just 1 tbsp) the color is just light yellowish." You can also add a pinch of turmeric powder.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Todd Kelly
This looks so amazing. I was wondering what are storage instructions or does it have to be used right away?
Ela
I always use it right away. It will get pretty thick in the fridge once it cools. You could reheat it with a splash of plant-based milk the next day if you don’t want to use it right away.
DavidN
Hey Ela, this vvvegan cheese recipe is the best. I made it last night and tossed with noodles and it was perfect. Regarding nutritional yeast, it has plenty of B-vitamins and healthy nutrients in it’s natural form, so buying a fortified version isn’t necessary. I added 1/4 tspn of ground tumeric powder to your recipe and achieda nice yellow color with no hassle. I’ve been vegan for over a year, and I wish other chefs would keep their recipes as simple as yours. I am definitely a fan.
Ela
Awesome feedback! Thank you so much, David. 🙂
Allison
Hi! I made this tonight and it didn’t turn out quite like how yours looks. I notice you mention water in the description. Are you supposed to add water??
Thank you so much!! Love your recipes.
Ela
You can add more coconut milk or any other plant-based milk or even water if the sauce is too thick.
I wouldn’t recommend adding too much water though. ❤️
A
What can I substitute for nutritional yeast? Can I use cornstarch if I cannot get tapioca starch?
Ela
There is no substitute (taste-wise) for nutritional yeast.
Cornstarch does not work, unfortunately. Tapioca or arrowroot.
Verena
Hallo liebe Ela,
in der Regel soll man Hefeflockem nicht mitkochen, weil die darin enthaltenen Vitamin B‘s zerstört werden (zumindest so laut meiner Packung).
Denkst du ich würde den gleichen Geschmack erzielen, wenn ich die Flocken erst nachdem kochen (wenn die Soße etwas abgekühlt ist) erreichen??
Ela
Hallo Verena, das musst du einfach ausprobieren. Ich habe es noch nie getestet, daher kann ich dazu nichts sagen. 🙂
LG, Ela
Vicky
This sauce is so delicious! Added bonus is that it’s so quick and easy! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Ela
So glad you liked it, Vicky! 🙂
Gisela
I made this sauce various times now. It’s so easy and it is delicious. I put it on tacos and quesadillas. I tagged you on Instagram. ???? Thanks for sharing.
Ela
Thanks so much, Gisela, I am really glad you like it.
Lots of love, Ela 🙂
Courtney L
Hey Ela,
This looks really good. I’m going to give it a try this weekend. I have a question. Can I substitute the coconut milk for a different type milk.? Unfortunately I’m allergic to coconut milk.
Ela
Hello Courtney! Yes, you can use any other type of milk. I would recommend mixing your favorite milk with plant-based cream because canned coconut milk is higher in fat than e.g. boxed soy milk or almond milk. 🙂
j
can we use fresh coconut milk?
what’s the substitute for nutritional yeast ?
Thanks
Ela
Yes, you can definitely use fresh coconut milk. 🙂
Unfortunately, there isn’t really a substitute for nutritional yeast which has the same “cheesy” flavor. You could use Liquid Aminos or reduced sodium soy sauce which will add a nice flavor but not the same as nutritional yeast.
Rugiada
The recipe is amazing.. How could I keep well?
Ela
I am glad you like it! Do you mean how long it keeps fresh in the fridge? It typically can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. 🙂
Emily
Can leftover cheese sauce be refrigerated and reheated?
Ela
Yes, however, it will get quite thick when you refrigerate it and you will need to add more milk or water once you reheat it.
Hannah Spencer
I need to re comment on my last review, I left cheese on stove (turned off) for 30 mins and when I got back it was lovely and smooth and no longer thick
Ela
Hi again, Hannah! Thanks for commenting again. I am glad to hear that!
Best wishes, Ela
Hannah Spencer
I made this and was a bit disappointed. It was so thick like a dough and I had to put so much more coconut milk in it. Also so pale
Ela
Hello! You might have used too much tapioca starch. As regards the color, this question was already addressed in the recipe notes:
FAQ: “My cheese sauce didn’t turn out yellow. What did I do wrong…?” Answer: Some nutritional yeast brands enrich their products with lots of B-vitamins. The one I order from Amazon (it’s linked in the recipe) contains B-vitamins and the nutritional yeast flakes have a yellow color. When I use 3 tbsp the cheese sauce turns out pretty yellow like in the pics. When I use less (e.g. just 1 tbsp) the color is just light yellowish.”
lindy
Hi Ela I m going to make nachos with this cheese is it ok to put it over the corn chips and then bake in a warm oven? or would that ruin the texture of the cheese?
Ela
That will be fine! 🙂
Mahima
Hi Ella, just began following you on Insta!
This cheese sauce looks delicious!
I’m trying my hand at being dairy free and I just tried the cheese sauce! It turned out very well, only thing is that mine is an off whiteish color….I didn’t get the yellow cheddar color you got..is it the nutritional yeast that gives it color?
Ela
Yes, that’s the nutritional yeast brand which I am using since it contains a couple of B-vitamins (which are yellow).
I am glad you liked the recipe!