Vegan Nacho Cheese

This vegan nacho cheese sauce is made with a base of sweet potato, onion, and cashews. It’s creamy, savory, and make ahead-able.

I’m not usually one to post a ton of plant-based meat and dairy dupes, but this vegan nacho “cheese” is too good not to share. It’s a recipe I’ve been making and tweaking for years, and I finally feel it’s in its ultimate best place.

This dairy-free sauce – made with a base of sweet potato, onion, and cashews – can be served as a queso dip for tortilla chips, or drizzled over nachos or even burritos. It also reheats perfectly, so you can certainly make it in advance. Bookmark it for your next party!

Vegan Nacho Cheese at a Glance

Look, there are a lot of vegan nacho cheese recipes out there, and quite a few of them are faster to make and require less steps. However, after a lot of testing, I think this combination and proportion of ingredients gives you something that’s really close to traditional queso both in flavor and texture.

This recipe has a base of roasted sweet potato, which gives the sauce its orange color and a sweet basenote. Soaked raw cashews provide the richness and creaminess, while a sautéed onion creates a savory foundation. Together, this trio gets blended with miso, nutritional yeast, a bit of lemon juice, water, and spices. Chopped jalapeños – stirred in at the end – bring the heat.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Sweet Potato: Contributes the signature orange color and a hint of sweetness to the sauce.
• Yellow Onion: Gives the sauce a savory foundation.
• Raw Cashews: Make the sauce rich and creamy. (Blanched almonds can be used as a substitute.)
• Nutritional Yeast: These savory yellow flakes have a “cheesy” taste and are available in most supermarkets these days.
• Miso: This Japanese fermented soybean paste is rich in umami (i.e. “savoriness”) and brings together all the flavors here. Don’t skip it!
• Pickled Jalapeños: Make the sauce spicy. Look for them in the beans/canned vegetables aisle of the supermarket.

How to Make Vegan Nacho Cheese

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Roast the Sweet Potato

Place the sweet potato on a small baking dish and roast until the flesh is soft when pressed, about 40 minutes. This step can be done in advance; you can keep the roasted potato in the fridge for a few days until ready to use. (Note: You’ll need half the potato for this queso. Save the other half to toss into a soup, salad, or grain bowl.)

Step 2: Soak the Cashews

Place the nuts in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for about 30 minutes. This will soften the cashews so they can blend into a silky sauce.

Step 3: Sweat the Onion

Cook the onion until it is translucent. The goal here is to soften it, not to brown it. 

Step 4: Blend the Sauce

Combine the onions, drained cashews, and half of the potato in a blender, along with all the remaining ingredients (except the jalapeños). Puree until smooth. Stir in the jalapeños by hand. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.

Step 5: Serve the Vegan Queso

Serve the “cheese” sauce warm, alongside tortilla chips – or drizzle over nachos.

Make-Ahead Tips

Vegan nacho cheese reheats well in the microwave, so you can definitely make it in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 4 days. 

To Make Nachos

This savory sauce will take any plant-based nachos to the next level. To make nachos, you’ll need…

• Tortilla chips
• Warm vegan refried beans (or drained and rinsed canned pinto beans)
• Guacamole or diced avocado
• Salsa or pico de gallo
• Shredded lettuce

More Mexican-Inspired Recipes…

• Enoki Mushroom “Carnitas” Tacos
• Creamy Cilantro Sauce
• Black Bean Dip
• Vegan Refried Beans

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.