This is a thick, blendable cheese sauce made entirely from vegetables, cashews, and pantry staples — no dairy anywhere. It serves a crowd (22 portions), so it’s worth making on a Sunday and pulling from all week. Spoon it over a plant-based burger patty and it does the job a slice of cheddar usually does.
Substitutions that actually work
- Arrowroot powder: Cornstarch works 1:1 as a thickener if you don’t have arrowroot on hand.
- Cashews: Raw sunflower seeds are a solid nut-free swap — soak them 30 minutes first for a smoother blend. The flavor is slightly earthier but still works.
- Tahini: Raw sunflower seed butter or unsweetened almond butter can substitute in a pinch, though tahini gives the most neutral, savory base.
- Nutritional yeast: This is the one ingredient worth tracking down — there’s no real substitute that gives the same cheesy, umami depth. Most grocery stores stock it now in the natural foods aisle.
- Russet potatoes: Yukon Golds work and give a slightly creamier texture, but the sauce will be a little less thick.
Why this recipe works
Boiling the potatoes, sweet potato, onion, pepper, and cashews together in the same pot does two things at once: it softens everything to a blendable consistency and infuses the starchy cooking water with flavor. That reserved cooking liquid is what binds the sauce — it carries dissolved starch from the potatoes, which means the arrowroot has a head start on thickening before it even hits the blender. Skip cooling the vegetables all the way to room temperature — just cool them enough to handle safely. Blending while still warm keeps the sauce smooth and pourable rather than gluey.
Common problems and fixes
- Sauce comes out grainy or lumpy: The cashews weren’t soft enough before blending. Next time, make sure they’ve boiled with the vegetables until fully tender. If it’s already grainy, blend longer on high — a high-powered blender will eventually smooth it out.
- Sauce is too thick after cooling: It will thicken considerably in the fridge. Stir in warm water a tablespoon at a time and reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring constantly.
- Sauce tastes flat or bland: Nutritional yeast is the likely culprit — measure it carefully. A small extra squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch more salt added after blending can bring the flavor into focus fast.
- Sauce is too thin after blending: You added too much cooking water. Return it to a saucepan over medium-low heat and stir until it tightens up — the arrowroot will activate with heat and thicken it within a few minutes.
- Sauce separates or looks oily: Over-blending can break the emulsion if your blender runs very hot. Blend in shorter bursts and stop as soon as the sauce is smooth.
Divine Plant-Based Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 medium russet potatoes
- 1 large sweet potato
- 2 medium red bell pepper
- 2 medium onions
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 cup cashews raw
- 2 raw lemon juice
- ½ cup arrowroot powder
- 1 cup yeast
- ½ cup tahini
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 ½ cups water cooking
Instructions
- Slice up the russet potatoes (Leave skins off or peel them up to you), sweet potato (take the skin off), bell pepper, and onions into chunks. Throw into a large cooking pot. Take the skin off of the garlic and measure out the raw cashews and throw them all into the pot. Put water into the pot until all of the ingredients are covered in water (Remember you will be saving about 3 1/2 cups of this liquid after cooking to make the sauce). Allow to boil and then simmer until all the veggies are tender and pierced with a fork. This can take about 30 minutes to an hour since it's such a large quantity. Keep an eye on it.
- Place the lemon juice, arrowroot powder, nutritional yeast, tahini, sea salt, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper in a large blender. Set aside.
- Once the vegetables are done cooking, let them cool off a little, so they aren't scalding hot when you place them into your blender. Once a little cooled off, take them out small batches at a time with a slotted spoon and blend in your blender, adding about 1 cup of cooking water each time. I use my Vitamix 3 separate times to blend all of the ingredients due to not fitting everything in there just one time. Then I pour the contents after each blend into a large bowl to mix all ingredients.
- Add on your favourite vegan burgers.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I make this sauce ahead of time?
Yes — it keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat it slowly on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water, stirring until smooth.
Can I freeze this cheese sauce?
Freezing works but the texture can turn slightly grainy after thawing because of the starch content. Blend it again after reheating and it should come back together.
Do I have to soak the cashews before cooking?
Not for this recipe — boiling them directly in the pot with the vegetables softens them fully. Soaking is only necessary if you’re blending cashews raw without any cooking step.
Is this sauce gluten-free?
Every ingredient in the recipe is naturally gluten-free. Just double-check your nutritional yeast label, since some brands are processed in facilities that also handle wheat.
How do I keep the sauce warm while I’m assembling burgers?
Pour it into a small saucepan set on the lowest burner setting and stir occasionally. It holds well for 20–30 minutes without scorching as long as the heat stays low.
Can I cut the recipe down for a smaller batch?
Yes — the recipe scales down cleanly. Halving it still gives you 10–11 portions, which is plenty for a weeknight dinner with leftovers. Just reduce the cooking water proportionally and check the vegetables earlier since a smaller pot will come to a boil faster.
What to cook next
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- Beyond Famous Star Copycat
- Veggie Sauce Burger Perfection
- Veggie Whopper Copycat Recipe