This Vegan Nacho Cheese is the best dairy-free cheese sauce you’ll ever make. It tastes like the nacho cheese sauce you’d get at a sporting event or movie theater, only better!
What’s special about this recipe is that you don’t need any specialty ingredients to make it– not even nutritional yeast, which typically adds a “cheesy” flavor.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and will quickly become one of your favorite vegan cheese recipes. Especially since it’s so fast to prepare!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This nacho cheese sauce gets its creaminess from raw cashews, rather than using cornstarch or other thickeners. Canned green chiles and a few jarred jalapeño slices give the sauce an amazing flavor without needing to boil or chop anything.
Because the ingredients aren’t orange, this sauce won’t look like the neon-orange nacho cheese you may be used to. You can add a pinch of paprika or chili powder for color, but the spices will change the flavor, so be sure to taste it before making any changes.
Need a nut-free recipe? Try my vegan cheese sauce, which is made with boiled carrots and potatoes. It also has the traditional orange color you’d expect!
How to Make the Best Vegan Nacho Cheese
There’s no need to soak raw cashews if you are using a high-speed blender, as it will easily pulverize them. If you don’t have a powerful blender, place the cashews in a large bowl and cover them in hot water.
Let them soak for up to 2 hours.
Drain well before adding them to the blender, then proceed with the recipe as written.
In a high-speed blender, combine the cashews, lemon juice, water, green chiles, jalapenos, and salt. Secure the lid and blend until the sauce looks smooth about 60 seconds.
Taste the sauce and make any adjustments you like. Add more jalapenos for a spicier flavor, or a pinch of garlic powder or onion powder if you’d like. For a runnier consistency, add another tablespoon of water and blend again.
This cheese sauce will thicken as it sits, so if you’re not going to use it right away you may need to stir in an extra tablespoon of water to thin it out again.
Serve it in a bowl for dipping, or drizzle it over tortilla chips, tacos, black beans, french fries, or even pizza!
Leftover nacho cheese sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Thin it out with water as needed, if it thickens when chilled.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you need to use another nut, blanched almonds may provide similar results, but the flavor could be slightly different. I’ve also swapped hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds) for cashews in my vegan ranch dressing with wonderful results, so feel free to give that a try. In that case, the mouthfeel may be slightly different.
The canned green chiles give this sauce an amazing flavor. but you could use half of a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel) for more of an orange queso dip if you need a swap.
Yes, add a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce when blending, for a smoky, spicy flavor.
Yes, you can use almond milk or soy milk, if you’d like to, but it’s unnecessary. The cashews add plenty of creaminess already, and water won’t add an extra flavor the way store-bought milk can.
Looking for more vegan recipes? Try Vegan Queso, Vegan Quesadillas, Vegan Mac and Cheese, or dairy-free Spinach Artichoke Dip for more comfort food ideas.
Best Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews (not roasted or salted)
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon juiced)
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt (I use Real Salt brand)
- 1 (4-ounce can) diced green chilies (I use Rio Luna organic)
- 6 jarred jalapeno slices (optional, but recommended)
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, salt, diced chilies (along with their juices), and jalapeno slices. Secure the lid and blend until very smooth.
- Serve right away with your favorite tortilla chips for dairy-free nachos, or use it as a topping for tacos, burrito bowls, and more. This nacho cheese sauce will thicken when you store it in the fridge, so add a tablespoon of water to thin it out again, if needed. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Fun Fact: No cheese is naturally orange. All natural cheese should all be white, like this dip! Orange-colored cheddar cheese and nacho cheese-style dips are dyed orange, typically using annatto seed. Check out NPR’s story on the history of cheese to see how adding orange color was sparked by an act of fraud in the 17th century.
If you try this vegan nacho cheese sauce, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
This was the easiest nacho dip ever. Even my teenagers liked it. Just made a half batch but we will be making again really soon!
I am so excited about this nacho cheese sauce! I have been disappointed by so many vegan cheese recipes, I finally decided to give up! This one seemed really easy, so I gave it a try. I’m so glad I did! I just used it as a dressing for my taco salad and it is so good! Even my husband likes it. Thank you!
But first let me tell you that my diet is not clean whatsoever, and I’ve been known to enjoy fake nacho cheese. Phenomenal! I tripled the jalapenos and added 1 extra tablespoon of water. My whole family loved it and I already passed the recipe on to my sisters. It is definitely not nacho cheese, however it is a delicious craving stopper. 100% recommend and will be making it regularly.
Can I use any other nuts to make this. I’m eating plant paradox due to auto immune disease. Would Macadamia nuts work? Appreciate any suggestions I love your recipes!
Oh WOW! This nacho sauce is AMAZING! I have no shame saying I practically licked the blender clean 🙂 I’m planning to have this sauce on some zucchini potato tater tots tonight. This will be my go to nacho sauce and it will go great with everything! Thanks so much for this recipe!!
Unreal!!!This is my new favourite.
This is so easy and delicious!
To make this kid friendly (no heat) could I use 4 oz of mild tomato salsa instead? Or would you recommend something else? Thanks!!
We make it for our kids with roasted red peppers and/or mild green chilies and leave out the jalapeños. No heat and they love it.
I was a bit skeptical about this recipe as it seemed too easy but it was soooo good!! I love nacho cheese but rarely have it since who knows what’s in it and I can’t have dairy right now.. this definitely hits the spot though! Yum! Will be making again for sure.
Wow! better than cheese. My husband says it tastes like hummus and loved it. The chilis add a kick but a very mild one, so go for the jalapeños it you want it hot. I didn’t have any at hand. Taste so good 🙂
So delicious and easy! Will definitely make this again!
Love how simple and easy this nacho cheese sauce is! I have made it a few times already! Made it for my family (variety of eaters plant based to meat eaters) and everyone loved it!! I’ve been adding a little of the jalapeño juice 1-2 TBS to taste and I notice that it really takes up the nacho flavor. Thanks for a great staple recipe!!
I licked the spoon. So good.
I loved this! Was super yummy. Brought it to a family event and it was a hit.
It freezes well,
Fantastic!!!!! The Best Ever Nacho Cheese Recipe Thank You
I have made many vengan nacho sauce recipes and this is definitely the best one!
I made just one substitution, I used roasted jalapeño instead of the rio luna green chilies. I also added nutritional yeast and garlic granules. It was so delicious.
we get fresh green chilli here in India, can I add that instead of canned? the heat is stronger in the fresh ones than the canned so wondering if you’ve ever cooked with them. also I tried blending cashews with fresh green chillies and the sauce turned bright green! ://
I am obsessed with this recipe. The best nacho cheese dip I have ever had and I love that it’s vegan! Megan, I don’t know how you do it, but please don’t ever stop. Your recipes are incredible and this one specifically in life changing to me.
I paired this recipe with your IP taco casserole(used ground chicken) and it was the best taco/burrito I EVER had. I agree with another reviewer I about licked the bowl clean it’s so good.
Hey, I wanted to let you know that my toddler was recently diagnosed with a cashew allergy which is rather disappointing. But I experimented with doing half sunflower seeds and half almonds and we really liked it. Since cashews are more sweet naturally, we found the end result less sweet and more tangy, but very good!
Wowwwwwwwww! I’ve made plenty of vegan cheese sauces before but this knocks them out of the park. Even my partner who is not vegan, said I could bring this to a party and no one would know this is dairy free.
Delicious! I added in a little nutritional yeast but it works fine without it!
I couldn’t imagine how this could taste like nacho cheese, but it really does! Great dairy-free alternative.
(My husband didn’t believe me when I told him the ingredients…I’ve learned to make him try something before telling him it’s healthy 🙂
Ha, perfect! I’m glad you both enjoyed it!
Amazing!
This is amazing! My daughter thought it tasted exactly like white queso that my friend always makes. I love that it doesn’t use nutritional yeast. My question is…is this supposed to be served cold? I heated it on super low and it started to get chunky? Thank you.
I usually just serve it straight from the blender, but if you want to warm it up, you’ll just need to add some extra water to keep it smooth. It definitely thickens up when heated!
We’re obsessed with this sauce! The vegan queso is also incredible. Thank you for this recipe. It’s on repeat over here!
I have been meaning to make this for ages and finally did it today! It is AWESOME! My 6 year old loves it! It’s creamy and flavorful, perfect. I did use roasted cashews bc I am allergic to raw nuts. Still cheesy goodness!
I had just blended up a can of adobo chili in sauce to put in the freezer. Instead of rinsing out the blender, I made the vegan cheese sauce right away. Did not add the additional jalapeños as the adobo chili gave the sauce a very nice smoky flavor I enjoyed.
Absolutely delicious. Best nacho cheese I’ve had. Even my husband, practically a cheese addict, agreed. And so easy to make!
Love this. Thank you. Nutritional Yeast seemed to upset my stomach. Xo
Soooo good!!! Even my husband thought it tasted so much like nacho cheese!!
Surprisingly satisfying and “cheesy”. I love your recipes! Just did a food sensitively test and found out about my lactose, egg, nightshade, and many nut intolerances. Your recipes make eating fun again!
So glad I finally made this. It’s delicious and easy! Had an immediate allergic reaction today to a vegan store bought product which was upsetting but also inspiring to get in the kitchen. This took all of a few minutes to make and goes well with the grain free tortilla chips. Love it that I can keep it in the fridge for the week as a quick snack/treat. Thank you so much!
Absolutely the best nacho “cheese” sauce EVER. I actually think this is better than the “real thing”. I use my Vitamix and don’t need to soak the cashews. I’ve replaced the pickled jalapeños for a fresh one before and it’s just as good- but the pickled jalapeños add a nice flavor. I love that I can make it spicy too! If I’m craving something, this atlases does the trick. I love veggies dipped with it too!
I just made this. Best Nacho cheese I have ever had. I can’t wait till I can share with my friends.
I am still in awe about how simple to make and how excellent it tastes!!!
A game changer! My teens loved it too! I made a batch a few weeks ago for a football nacho party and we have had some on hand ever since. We have put it on black bean soup, potatoes topped with vegan chili, tostada bowls! I am thrilled! I have been using cashew yogurt in place of sour cream, but this is a nice, higher-flavor alternative. Plus, it is killer straight out of the blender!! I love that it is made up in a snap with things I have on-hand anyway. My only change was to reduce the water to 5 T. for a slightly thicker sauce. Well done, Megan! This has been a home run in our house.
SO awesome!! I love this so much on just about anything. I served it at a party (taco bar) and my dad who doesn’t even eat healthy at all said it was amazing.
This was SO good! Seems like one key is to make sure there is enough salt to ‘lift’ the taste of the other ingredients. But I thoroughly loved the texture and the taste, and I am an avowed cheese lover!
This is so yummy and creamy. I am going to use it on tacos tonight, can’t wait.
Thank you so much, Megan!
Thanks so much for a nutritional yeast free amazing “cheese”!
This is the BEST dip. Even cheese-lovers love it. Here’s my tip, which makes it even better. Instead of water, I use the jalapeño juice from the jalapeño jar and delete the added salt. Do it and you won’t regret it.
I have been a vegetarian for about 25 years and love finding new recipies. We grow our own greens and vegetables and I am constantly searching for recipies for specific ingredients (without meat or poultry). Your Stuffed Zucchini Boats were fantastic!!I made them two nights in a row(had lots of zucchini). I stumbled upon your website in looking for a Zucchini recipe. Thank you so much for complete, accurate recipies with helpful hints and excellent instructions.
My husband and I loved this recipe, making it again tonight to spread on top of black bean burgers. It’s easy to control the heat with the jalapeños and it goes with everything!
Dangerously good!!
Every vegetarian blogger calls their vegan cheese sauce the best ever, but I crown yours the best ever! My husband and I couldn’t believe how it tasted just like the nacho sauce that you get at the stadiums. This is one of your best recipes! Thank you so much for your hard work.
I loved it so much! Best vegan nacho cheese and very addictive 😋
Delicious sauce for dipping chips