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    Home Β» All Recipes Β» Appetizers

    Easy Vegan Nacho Cheese

    January 17, 2019 By Melissa Huggins / 25 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe

    Spice up your game-day snacking with this delicious Vegan Nacho Cheese. It's creamy, tangy and down-right addictive! It calls for simple ingredients and takes less than 20 minutes to make. It's gluten-free and oil-free too!

    Tortilla chip dipping into vegan nacho cheese. Fresh cilantro on the table.

    I'm not a huge sports fan, but I LOVE game-day parties! It's the perfect atmosphere to pig out and have some laughs with friends over a few cold beers. It also helps the die-hard fans feel a little calmer too.

    This year I'm totally spicing things up with my Potato Air Fryer Tacos, Loaded Vegan Nachos, Vegan Jalapeño Popper Dip, and this Vegan Nacho Cheese. I think Blood Orange Margaritas might have to happen too.

    What Does Vegan Nacho Cheese Taste Like?

    Well, It tastes cheesy and a tad bit spicy... just like the one made with dairy. It has a great balance of tangy, savory and sharp flavors that'll make your taste happy! The texture ie velvety-smooth and ultra-creamy.

     

    Skillet filled with tortilla chips and loaded with vegan nacho cheese, jalapeños, tomatoes, and beans.

    How to make Vegan Nacho Cheese

    (full ingredient amounts in recipe card below)

    It's so easy! Here's what you'll need to do:

    • Soften the cashews by either soaking them in hot water for 20 minutes or in cool water for 2-4 hours. They will breakdown easier and create an ultra-creamy texture.
    • Now pop everything into a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth.
    • Pour the cheese into a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until it thickens up.

    Serving ideas: Top with fresh-cut cilantro, diced tomatoes, and serve warm alongside crispy tortilla chips, lime wedges, and sliced jalapeños.

    Tortilla chip sitting in a bowl of vegan nacho cheese. Striped napkin and fresh cilantro on the side.

    Ways to use Vegan Nacho Cheese:

    Use it for a Vegan Burrito, Loaded Nachos (recipe coming soon), Carrot Hot Dogs, Veggies, Sandwiches, Baked Potatoes, Chili Mac, Vegan Burger, Casseroles, Soups and more. The options are endless!

    Also, it will stay good in the fridge for 3-5 days. Just reheat on the stove, and add a few splashes of vegetable broth. It does freeze well too, but I never get that far. This stuff is too good for keeping... it's for eating!

    ENJOY!

    I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

    If you make this Vegan Nacho Cheese, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.

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    5 from 8 votes

    Easy Vegan Nacho Cheese

    Spice up your game-day snacking with this delicious Vegan Nacho Cheese. It's creamy, tangy and down-right addictive! It calls for simple ingredients and takes less than 20 minutes to make. 
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time5 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 119kcal
    Author: Melissa Huggins

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup raw cashews
    • ΒΎ cup unsweetened soy milk (or any plant-based milk)
    • Β½ cup vegetable broth , low sodium
    • 3 tablespoons pimientos
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 1 Β½ tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
    • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
    • Β½ teaspoon granulated onion
    • Β½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • Β½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon salt , more to taste
    • ΒΌ teaspoon cayenne pepper * optional
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    Instructions

    • To soften cashews, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes (*see note for an alternative method).
    • Drain cashews and discard soaking water. Add all ingredients to a High-Speed Blender. Blend on high until smooth (the sauce will be thin).
    • Pour cheese into a medium pot over medium heat. Cook until the cheese thickens up. It should take about 4-6 minutes. Stir often so it doesn’t stick or burn. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. For a thinner consistency, add a few splashes of broth and combine. Remove from heat and serve. 

    Notes

     *Cashews: To prep ahead, pre-soften your cashews by placing them in cool water for 2-4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). Then they'll be ready to pop in the blender right away.
    • If you don't have a high-speed blender, the cashews might not completely break down and this could result in a gritty texture. You can try soaking the cashews longer for 6 hours or more.
    Kid-Friendly: omit the cayenne and ground cumin. 
    Flavor enhancers:
    • Add a subtle zing with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. 
    • Add more heat with 1 tablespoon of jarred jalapeños.
    • For smoky heat, add 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.
    • For a little more depth add a Β½ teaspoon of chili powder
    Consistency:
    • For a thicker consistency, add Β½ tablespoon more of the tapioca starch or a tablespoon more nutritional yeast. 
    • For a thinner sauce, add a few splashes of vegetable broth and combine. 
    Reheat - place in a pot over medium heat and add a few splashes of vegetable broth to thin it out. Cook until warm and melty. Stir often. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 432mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4025IU | Vitamin C: 7.6mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!

     

     

    vegan nacho cheese in a yellow bowl with a side of chips.overhead view of vegan nacho cheese in a yellow bowl with a side of chips and lime wedges. vegan nacho cheese in a yellow bowl topped with diced tomatoes and jalapeños. Side view of vegan nacho cheese in a yellow bowl. Topped with diced tomatoes and jalapeños. Chip dipping into vegan nacho cheese topped with tomatoes and jalapeños. overhead view of vegan nacho cheese and a side of chips.

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    melissa

    About Melissa

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Claude Lynn Leger

      September 07, 2020 at 9:31 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for this great recipe! It’s delicious!! I use it in all sorts of things too. Haven’t made it in awhile, and just saw the nachos post on ig. Now I’m off making it for Mac and cheese!

      Reply
      • Support @ Vegan Huggs

        October 02, 2020 at 3:21 pm

        We're so happy to hear that you've found different ways of using the Nacho Cheese and that you love the recipe! Thank you for sharing! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    2. Anna

      July 26, 2020 at 5:22 am

      Hi Mel,

      What can I use instead of cashew nuts? I have allergy for it. Also no yeast πŸ™

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        July 27, 2020 at 12:06 pm

        Can you have macadamia nuts? They work great and the method is the same. Blanched almonds work too, but you'll have to soak them much longer. I soak them in room temp water for 6-8 hours. You can omit the nutritional yeast and add 1 teaspoon of white miso paste. You may want to reduce the salt in the recipe because miso is salty. I hope this helps.

        Reply
    3. Linda

      April 29, 2020 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      So much flavour! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        May 01, 2020 at 10:39 am

        Thank you, Linda! I'm so glad you liked it! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    4. Mary

      May 06, 2019 at 10:04 am

      5 stars
      This is amazing - will use this on all my Mexican dishes. The sauce is guilt free, have poured it over fat-free chips for a late afternoon snack. Thank you, love all your wonderful recipes!!!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        May 06, 2019 at 10:59 am

        Hi Mary, you're most welcome! I'm so happy you liked it! Thank you for giving it a try πŸ™‚

        Reply
    5. Lisa Davis

      April 25, 2019 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I didn't have pimentos but I added some sweet and spicy roasted peppers instead. It was just what we were looking for to compliment draft day treats.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 28, 2019 at 7:28 pm

        Thank you so much! I'm so glad the roasted peppers worked out well. I'll have to remember that. Have a great weekend! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    6. Haley

      February 15, 2019 at 9:28 am

      Best nacho cheese I've ever tried.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        February 15, 2019 at 9:56 am

        You're so kind! Thank you for making it! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    7. Ashley

      January 20, 2019 at 8:50 am

      Wow! This looks amazing. Being the only vegan in my office makes things like parties a bit difficult to navigate. I’m going to give this a try and bring it to the office Super Bowl carry in and not tell anyone it doesn’t have any real cheese. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 26, 2019 at 11:42 pm

        Hi Ashley, Yeah, it can be hard when you're the only vegan in a group setting. I think it's great that you're bringing a vegan dish for them to try. I bet they'll love it! Thanks for stopping by πŸ™‚

        Reply
    8. Diane

      January 19, 2019 at 10:47 am

      Hi, Can I use corn starch instead of tapioca for the thickening?

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 19, 2019 at 11:09 am

        Hi Diane, yes, you can use corn starch. It won't have that slight stretch, but will thicken up perfectly! Thanks for stopping by πŸ™‚

        Reply
    9. Randy R

      January 19, 2019 at 9:07 am

      5 stars
      I am making this for my family's lunch today. I am so excited to try it. It looks amazing.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 19, 2019 at 11:09 am

        Hi Randy, this is so nice to hear! Thank you so much! Enjoy πŸ™‚

        Reply
    10. Sarah

      January 12, 2017 at 11:03 pm

      This cheese sauce is gorgeous! It would make a spectacular plate of nachos!!!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 14, 2017 at 8:37 pm

        Thank you, Sarah! It's great for loaded nachos. We might make them tonight. I've been craving them.

        Reply
    11. Mel |avirtualvegan.com

      January 11, 2017 at 10:59 am

      I am loving this! Anything cheesy and I'm in. It looks so thick and creamy. I am loving your baking tray too. Ive been wanting one like that for my photos for ages!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 14, 2017 at 8:35 pm

        Thank you, Mel! I found the tray at a second hand store. I love it! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    12. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day

      January 09, 2017 at 8:43 pm

      This looks so delicious, Melissa! I know this nacho cheese will be a hit in my house!

      Reply
    13. Mary Ellen @ VNutrition

      January 09, 2017 at 11:45 am

      This looks soooo good Melissa! I used to be the same way - anything on the menu with cheese I ordered and then felt gross afterwards. I'm so happy to find vegan alternatives like this!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 14, 2017 at 8:32 pm

        Thank you, Mary Ellen. Vegan alternatives are way tastier and so much healthier πŸ™‚

        Reply

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