All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
1/4 cup (35 g) raw cashews, soaked*
1 1/4 cups (190 g) peeled and diced yellow or red potatoes**
1/2 cup (60 g) peeled and diced carrots**
2 to 3 tablespoons (8 to 11 g) nutritional yeast, to taste
2 tablespoons (30 mL) grapeseed oil or refined coconut oil***
2 1/2 tablespoons (37.5 mL) water
1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 mL) fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
1 medium (4 g) garlic clove, peeled
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar, to taste
Sriracha or other hot sauce, to taste (optional)
Directions
)Soak the cashews in a bowl of water overnight. Drain and rinse. (For a quick-soak method, bring a small pot of water to a boil and turn off the heat. Add the cashews to the hot water and soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain and rinse.)
Add potatoes and carrots to a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain. Alternatively, you can steam the veggies until cooked through.
Add all ingredients except hot sauce to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. (See my tip for a food processor option.) If the mixture is too thick, a splash of water or oil can help it along. Sample the sauce and adjust seasonings as desired. Add Sriracha (or other hot sauce) as preferred, if you’d like to give the cheese a spicy kick! The sauce will keep for up to one week refrigerated in an airtight container.