Easy Vegan Mexican Cheese Sauce

Easy Vegan Mexican Cheese Sauce

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

You only need 6 total ingredients and 10 minutes to make this Mexican Cheese Sauce! So easy, fast and delicious and great on so many things. It will take your Mexican food up a notch!

Author: Brandi Doming

Serves: 2 cups

Ingredients

• ¾ cup raw cashews (108 g, soaked overnight in water if you don't have a high-powered blender)
• ¾ cup salsa (I used Trader Joes medium heat, this makes it spicy, if you don't want it too spicy, use a mild salsa)
• ¾ cup water
• 6 tablespoons nutritional yeast (36 g, I use this yeast, which is milder/better flavor & non-fortified, no nasty vitamin taste)
• 2-3 teaspoons ground cumin (If you are unsure, start out with 2, blend and taste. I used the FULL 3 teaspoons and absolutely loved the smoky taste, but start with less if you like)
• ½ teaspoon + 1/16 teaspoon fine sea salt (weird amount, but what I found to be just right)
• Note: I tested two versions. This one with cashews and another with tahini. If you are allergic to cashews, then you can make this with tahini! All the ingredients remain the same except instead of cashews, use 6-8 tablespoons smooth tahini, to taste. I preferred the cashew version, which is why it's posted, but the tahini is still good. Just please keep in mind that it will have a tahini flavor, but is masked pretty well with the salsa, but it's not quite as smooth as the cashews either. So, only use the tahini if allergic to cashews.

Instructions

1. First, you will need to soak your cashews if you don't have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix. Soak the cashews in a bowl filled with water overnight or 8 hours, drain and rinse and proceed.
2. Add everything to your blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add any more salt if desired. I found the amount to be just perfect, based on the acidity that came from my salsa, but you may need to adjust.
3. Add the sauce to a small pot and turn the heat to low. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, just until it's thickened up some. You will notice it thickening. Whisk occasionally along the sides, so it doesn't stick too much. Don't really walk away while cooking it, as it cooks quickly. Don't worry if it sticks a little, you can always smooth it back out. It's important to cook it on low heat because if it's too high, the cheese will get too thick and turn crusty. About 5 minutes should do it. The tahini version will take a bit longer to thicken up. The color will darken some after cooking, to a more true cheesy color. Pour in a serving bowl and give it a good stir to smooth out. Pour extra salsa on top if using as a dip, if desired. Mine was spicy, so if yours is mild, it's a great idea to add a little extra salsa on top and it not be too hot. Serve immediately with chips, over tacos, burritos, etc.
4. Store in the fridge. It will thicken as it sits in the fridge, so give it a good stir and thin out a little with water if desired (mine didn't need it), but it stays really creamy and smooth. Reheat on low.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ¼ cup Calories: 99.3 Fat: 6.1 g Carbohydrates: 7 g Sugar: .8 g Sodium: 321.7 mg Fiber: 1.4 g Protein: 4.8 g