Puréed white beans and cashews give this vegan cheese sauce an extra boost in protein and fiber. It's creamy, cheesy, and oil-free.
White Bean Cheese Sauce (Vegan, High Protein)
Puréed white beans and cashews give this vegan cheese sauce an extra boost in protein and fiber. It’s creamy, cheesy, and oil-free.
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can white beans, drained
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked 4+ hours (or boil with carrot)
- 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk or other plain unsweetened plant milk
For Nacho Cheese Sauce
- 1/4 cup canned jalapeños or green chilis chopped
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- diced fresh tomatoes to garnish
- chopped cilantro to garnish
Instructions
Cheese Sauce
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add carrot and allow to cook for ~10 minutes, or until tender. If you haven’t soaked your cashews yet, toss them in with the carrots. This is a good time to measure other ingredients!
- When carrots are tender, strain them and add to a blender along with all other ingredients.
- Blend until smooth. (If making queso variation, add in diced jalapeños, green onions and cumin at this time and pulse to combine.)
- Taste and adjust to preference! You can add a little extra salt if you prefer, or more lemon juice if you like it more tangy.
- The cheese sauce is ready to use as a dip as-is, but you can also warm it on the stove if you like.
- To warm: Warm it in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir often and keep an eye on it, as it will stick to the bottom of the pan otherwise. It may thicken slightly as it warms; you can simply add a tablespoon of extra milk or water at a time to achieve your preferred consistency.
