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When we switched to a whole food plant based diet, the one thing I thought I could never give up was cheese. Little did I know… there are SO many good recipes out there for vegan substitutes that are much healthier AND still taste really good!
Skip to Oil-Free Tortilla Chip Recipe >>
Okay… let’s be honest. You’re never going to find a replacement that tastes EXACTLY like cheese. I don’t care for most of the vegan cheese products you find on the grocery store shelves. Most of them are made with oil and don’t taste that great to me. But when I discovered vegan “queso” and “cheese” sauces, I was in heaven.
We’ve been wanting to try out a several vegan “cheese” sauce recipes, so we decided to make them all at once in a Cheese Sauce THROWDOWN! We chose four recipes that all use a different main ingredient – cashews, oats, potatoes and butternut squash. Watch the video and read below to find out which sauce(s) won our votes!
Check out the “Featured Products” section at the bottom of this post for more information about the products used in this video.
Contender #1:
The Jaroudi Family’s Nacho Cheese Sauce
Our first “contender” is The Jaroudi Family‘s Nacho Cheese Sauce. The main ingredients for this one are cashews and roasted red pepper. She also uses miso as a salt substitute – though you can leave it out or use regular salt if you want.
This one made the smallest amount. I think it’s a good single serving for me (LOL – or two people to share I guess). It has a strong red pepper flavor, which I love. It kind of reminds me of my favorite Good Foods Queso in color, consistency and flavor – although it doesn’t taste exactly the same.
It is very simple to make, but we did have a bit of an issue getting our Vitamix to blend it at first. We added the extra 1/4 cup of water she suggests in the recipe and it blended pretty well after that. Our Vitamix has a really wide base, so next time, I will probably make a double batch OR use one of our smaller Vitamix blending cups to make this. I think a “Magic Bullet” type blender would work really well.
I actually like the fact that it makes a smaller amount, because when you are trying to stay on track with weight loss, you probably don’t need a massive amount of “cheese” sauce around 😀
Contender #2:
Jill McKeever’s 5-Minute Game Changer Cheese Sauce
Up next, we have Jill McKeever‘s 5-Minute Game Changer Cheese Sauce. This has to be THE most recommended recipe that we have received from people over the past year. We kept meaning to try it out but never got the chance until now!
The main ingredient is rolled oats, which still just baffles me. The corn starch helps to give this one that nice, super thick consistency you would expect from a regular cheese sauce.
Be warned – this recipe makes a MASSIVE amount of sauce! It would be great for sharing at a party (whenever those become a thing again). It was very easy to make, but you do need a blender that has the ability to blend hot foods. Most “average” blenders can’t blend for 5 minutes straight because there is no release for the steam. But if you have a high speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, that will work just fine.
I did wish this one packed a bit more of a punch when it came to flavor. I like a nice spicy cheese sauce, but I think this one is a great “base” to add your own spice to! After we filmed the video, I mixed in some Rotel with this sauce and it was great.
I am not great at picking up flavors of individual ingredients, but I could definitely taste the oats in this one. Brian didn’t mind the “oat” taste, but it was a bit strange for me at first. However, after it was in our refrigerator for a few days, that oat flavor seemed to lessen and I ended up really enjoying this one.
Contender #3:
Brand New Vegan’s Amazing Vegan Cheese Sauce
The next contender may look familiar as we have made this before. Brand New Vegan‘s Amazing Vegan Cheese Sauce is a fat free, Mary’s Mini compliant sauce that uses potatoes and carrots as its base.
Chuck (aka Brand New Vegan) never disappoints with his flavors and use of spices! This one packs a great flavor that I really enjoy. I think I actually prefer this sauce cold. It has a pretty thick consistency, especially as you let it cool down in the refrigerator overnight.
The process of making it is a little more “involved” than our other sauces, just because you have to boil the potatoes and carrots, but it is worth it if you’re looking for a Mary’s Mini compliant sauce.
Contender #4:
Chipotle Butternut Cheesy Sauce from The Healthspan Solution
Our final contender is the Chipotle Butternut Cheesy Sauce from Ray Cronise & Julieanna Hever‘s book The Healthspan Solution. We weren’t going to post this recipe since it is from a cookbook, but Ray and Julieanna were awesome and uploaded the recipe HERE for everyone to view! Trust us – you’ll want to get the book so you can check out their other recipes. And no, we are not sponsored by them, we just really love this book 🙂
The main ingredient is (obviously) butternut squash, which gives this one a really nice depth of flavor. The squash lends a sweet, nutty flavor to the sauce, while the chipotle powder packs a spicy kick.
We have used pre-cut bags of butternut squash (both frozen and fresh) to make this and it turns out great. The recipe also includes directions for roasting a whole butternut squash, but we find the pre-cut bags to be very convenient and you can find them in most grocery stores.
This one wasn’t quite as thick as some of the others, but in the past we have put this one in a saucepan on the stove on medium heat, stirring frequently until it thickens up a bit. The first time we made this, we only had vanilla almond milk on hand so I used that. Don’t do that. It was weird. LOL.
Make sure you are careful with the chipotle powder if you don’t like things super spicy. The recipe recommends 1/2 to 3/4 of a teaspoon. We stuck with 1/2 teaspoon and it was plenty spicy for us!
The Taste Test
Spoiler alert… ALL of these sauces are delicious!
If we had to pick a favorite, I think both of us agreed on the Chipotle Butternut Cheesy Sauce from The Healthspan Solution, but you should seriously try all of these out!
Check out the video to see us make and test out all of the cheese sauces.
Oil-Free Tortilla Chips
We obviously needed something to dip into all of these cheese sauces, so we made a batch of our Oil-Free Tortilla Chips. I feel kind of bad calling this a “recipe” since it is so simple, but I wanted to share how we make these at home.
We start out with corn tortillas that have only 3-4 ingredients: corn, lime, water and sea salt. Our favorite are these Food For Life Sprouted Corn Tortillas you can find in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods, but they are a bit pricey, so I normally just pick up the 99 cent ones from Trader Joe’s.
I use a pizza cutter to slice them into even chip-sized triangles.
Then we spread them out in a single later on a large baking tray lined with silicon baking mats and bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, until crispy!
And that’s it! You have oil-free tortilla chips to enjoy with your cheese sauce.
Easy Oil-Free Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
Corn Tortillas (try to find tortillas with just corn, lime and water)Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Cut each tortilla into 6 to 8 triangles, depending on how large you want your chips. I like to use a pizza cutter to do this.
- Line a large baking tray with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper. Arrange the triangles in a single layer.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until crispy, flipping halfway through and checking frequently after 10 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your tortillas.
- Let cool and enjoy! They will crisp up even more after they cool for just a few minutes.
Featured Products:
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Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Smart BlenderThe Healthspan Solution: How and What to Eat to Add Life to Your Years
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Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick 21×15-inch Mega Baking Pan
AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat Sheet, Set of 2
*We have the Silpat baking mats, but the Amazon Basics brand above is basically the same thing for a lot cheaper. Just make sure you find the correct size mats for the baking sheets you have.
Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Jelly Roll Pan Baking Mat (2, 14 1/2-Inch by 10-Inch)
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Wow, this has amazing details, thank you!!
My current favorite uses cauliflower as the base but I use some cornstarch or potato starch to help give it some body.
Thanks again you two!
Shirley would you mind sharing what recipe you use that uses cauliflower?
There are a couple of cauliflower and cashew cheese sauce recipes in the America’s Test Kitchen ‘Vegan for Everybody’.
The recipes in this book are not oil, salt and sugar free but I have had good success at modifying them.
Great video, I avoid the cashew base ones, like to use my allotment of cashews for other things. I’ve tried the potato cauliflower ones but agree there my like a basic sauce base. So I’ve settled on Jill’s and modified it – no salt, sometimes use arrowroot or potato starch in place of cornstarch. Also substitute a variety of my own flavor profiles including smoked paprika instead of smoke. I also blend the oats before adding the rest of the ingredients. I like that it makes a big batch so I can freeze some. The texture changes a little it won’t be creamy when it thaws but that’s not an issue for me as I use it more in things than as a dip. The heat brings back the creamy texture and can thicken things like soup. Especially good when mixed with tomato soup. Don’t remember hearing about the Healthspan book thanks for that will have to check it out their cheese sauce good!
I love Jill’s sauce. Somewhere on her site she has a version that includes 1/2 cup cashews along with the rest of the recipe, that is the version I usually use. I also add various spices to change the flavor. I will be trying the Healthspan recipe this weekend!
Thank you for putting this together! My current go to for a nacho style cheese sauce came from an online recipe but has since warped into my own creation over the years. It’s cashew, nutritional yeast, and onion based. The onion seems like an odd addition but after it’s blended I cook it on the stovetop and it mellows into that sweet back note lots of cheese has. I’ve been wanting to experiment with fat free cheeses and with this information and the fact that we are in quarantine, I think this is the week for it. XD
Great video. A couple sound good.
I have another from Jill McK, before she created the game changer cheese. It has a combo of oats & cashews (soaked) & red pepper. I always spice it up and always have some made on hand. It’s good for chops but also drizzled on anything (veggies, rice, etc.) And I’ve used it to make mac & cheese as well. It was on her YT. Email me if you need my version of the recipe.
I really appreciate the pair of you. My favourite “Plant People” on YouTube or anywhere online. So inspirational and authentic. Thanks for all the work you put into your videos and posts. I will be trying out some of these for sure! God bless you!
This one is my favorite, it uses carrot an potato, but is simpler than BNV and we love it😊
https://www.copymethat.com/r/Fk6ZS6V/wfpb-nacho-cheese/
I have never liked any alternative cheese anything – they all taste weird to me. However, I stumbled upon the Vegan 8’s smokey cheeze sauce and genuinely love the flavor and texture. It’s pretty involved (you have to roast zucchini), so I only make this when I have plenty of time on my hands. So smooth, so velvety, so yummy! I’m ready for you to do another showdown including my favorite by the Vegan 8!
Hi what a great video on trying different cheez sauces. I was sorry you didn’t review the one from Little Blue Plates – it’s hands down way better than brandnewvegan and jillmckeever’s. I’m not affiliated with https://littleblueplates.com/2020/03/16/the-best-instant-pot-vegan-cheese-sauce/ in any way whatsoever an d have tried loads of recipes. If you have a chance give this a try because it’s fantastic. Keep up the good work!! Jill from Germany
second time I’ve commented on one of your posts – love you guys but now sure why you delete my comments – too long? the fact that I use my art name (it’s a security thing) instead f my given name. Not all of us are safe to publish that. Curious not angry or upset – doesn’t really matter will still follow you love your videos.
Hi!! Sorry! I am really behind on approving comments. They have to get approved by me before they go live, but right now I have over 350 to approve. I am hoping to get through them this next week and then they should all appear!
I must confess I adore Daiya farmhouse blocks and FYH parm shreds so my taste buds are still adulterated. I liked the Jaroudi recipe, once I subbed cauliflower for carrots in Brand New Vegans recipe I liked it alright, I hate butternut squash and chipotle so didn’t try that. Game changer though—wanted to barf. I made it 100% as written, and while I thought how could oats make a good cheese sauce without a really weird texture and taste, I wasn’t prepared for it being that bad.Most things I can add to and begrudingly eat, but no one that tried it would eat it
You should really try the Plant Based Gabriel Cheese Sauce. It uses sweet potato as the base and it’s really good! very easy to google the recipe.
Haven’t seen that one yet – We will check it out!
Thank you so much for the recipe reference. I actually have all the ingredients. Am trying to steer clear of nuts for now and looking for a cheese sauce.
Ok, I made the Gabriel’s Cheese Sauce. I could only taste the sweet potato. I am turning into a base for a soup. Tastes good, just no cheese flavor at all. I guess I go back to the cashews for the richer taste.
Although I didn’t care for the Gabriel Cheese Sauce as queso, I used half over noodles-I thought was really good as a sauce for noodles.
It’s amazing how many different ways there are to make vegan cheese sauce. My favorite is a queso cheese with cashews, nutritional yeast, taco seasoning, and jalapenos. Pretty basic, but so good in everything!
Have come across any cheese sauce without yeast? Unfortunately, it flares up my eczema.
You can leave it out. You just won’t have that strong cheesy flavor. 🙂
Great video as always. We make Jill’s game changing cheese sauce. However, after making it per the recipe the first time we were disappointed as we wanted more of a queso sauce. Try skipping the salt and apple/pecan liquid smoke and instead add 1/2 cup Kroger mild Taco sauce and 1/4 tsp (or a half tsp if you like spicer) chipotle spice.
Thanks to you both for taking so much for your time to post the comparison of the cheese sauces and for all the preparation you put into the video and blog post. Much appreciated.