This vegan nacho cheese is dairy-free, easy to make, and totally delicious. With sweet potato, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, and a magical mix of other ingredients, this “cheese” is great on nachos or as a companion to your favorite crunchy dipper!
First off, I want you to know that this recipe is easy peasy. Making your own vegan cheese sounds *so* much more difficult than it is. This nacho cheese calls for just 6 ingredients and takes just 15 minutes to make! Spread it out over some loaded chips to make nachos (like we did on these loaded carnitas nachos) or pour it into a slow cooker with a cup of pico de gallo for a vegan twist on the classic queso party dip. Just like regular nacho cheese, this melted cheese is best when hot; when it cools, it will thicken, so keep it warm for the best texture!
Why is this the best vegan nacho cheese?
This vegan nacho cheese is the *best* for 3 major reasons. It tastes like the real deal, it’s incredibly easy to make, and it’s allergy-friendly.
- It tastes like real-deal nacho cheese – the signature cheese flavor is made possible by one of our favorite pantry superfoods: nutritional yeast! Nutritional yeast (not the same thing as the yeast used in bread-baking) is loaded with B-Vitamins and just happens to be really delicious! With a little kitchen wizardry, the yeast takes on a signature nacho cheese flavor.
- It’s easy – this recipe calls for just 6 ingredients and takes 15 minutes from start to finish!
- It’s allergy-friendly – not only is it dairy-free, it’s also nut-free, unlike many other vegan cheese recipes!
Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this *yummy* vegan nacho cheese. Do note that we added 2 optional ingredients to this list, but feel free to leave those out if you’d like!
- Sweet Potato – 1 large sweet potato makes up the base of our cheese (and gives it its signature yellow/orange color!). Go ahead and peel your sweet potato, then cut it into 1 to 2-inch thick chunks.
- Coconut Cream – you’ll also need the solid cream from 1 (13.5-ounce) can of full-fat coconut milk.
- Nutritional Yeast – 2/3 cup of nutritional yeast flakes adds a nutritional punch and gives our cheese its signature cheesy flavor!
- Lemon Juice – 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon) brightens up the nacho cheese, while…
- Sea Salt – …a 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt and…
- Garlic Powder – …a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder add some additional flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes (optional) – if you like spice, we recommend garnishing your nacho cheese with red pepper flakes,and…
- Pico de Gallo (optional) – …if you plan on making this recipe into a party dip, go ahead and grab 1 cup of fresh pico de gallo as a Rotel substitute!
How to Make Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
I’ve said it over and over again, but this cheese really is *so* easy! Here’s how you’ll go from 6 simple ingredients to a vegan nacho cheese that’ll WOW even the most skeptical:
- Boil the Sweet Potatoes – place the peeled sweet potato chunks into a small pot and cover with water. Cover the pot with a lid, place it on the stove over medium heat, bring the water to a boil, and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sweet potato pieces are easily pierced with a fork. Drain the water off the potatoes.
- Blend –
- Immersion Blender Option: return the drained pot of potatoes to the stove and place over low to medium heat. Add *half* of the coconut cream and the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Use an immersion (or “stick blender”) to blend the nacho cheese until it’s completely smooth and creamy. Add more coconut milk cream to the pot, blending as you go, until it has a consistency you like. Transfer to a slow cooker set on the “warm” setting for a party dip or keep covered and warm on the stove until serving.
- Food Processor/Blender Option: place the drained potatoes in a food processor or blender. Add *half* of the coconut cream and the rest of the ingredients to the food processor/blender. Blend the nacho cheese until it’s completely smooth and creamy. Add more coconut milk cream, blending as you go, until it has a consistency you like. Transfer to a slow cooker set on the “warm” setting for a party dip or return to the stove to keep covered and warm until serving.
- Stir in the Pico de Gallo (optional) – stir in the fresh pico de gallo for a dip.
*Note that the size of the sweet potato you use will have an impact on the consistency of the dip – just keep playing with it, adding more coconut milk/water, until you get a consistency you like!
What to use your vegan nacho cheese sauce on?
Use this vegan nacho cheese the same way you would the traditional stuff! Spread it over loaded nachos, dip your favorite tortilla chips in it (the tortilla chips pictured are homemade hand-cut corn tortillas fried in coconut oil), top a loaded BBQ baked potato with it…the sky’s the limit!
How To Store Vegan Nacho Sauce
Store your cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored this way, it will keep for about 5 days in the refrigerator. Also know that you can absolutely freeze extra for later!
Vegan Nacho Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into 1 to 2-inch thick chunks
- solid cream from 1 13.5 ounce can of full-fat coconut milk
- 2/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- red pepper flakes for garnish, optional
- 1 cup fresh pico de gallo rotel substitute, optional
Instructions
- Place the peeled sweet potato chunks into a small pot and cover with water. Cover with a lid and place on the stove over medium heat. Bring the water to a boil and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sweet potato pieces are easily pierced with a fork. Drain the water off the potatoes.
- Immersion blender option: return the drained pot of potatoes to the stove and place over low/medium heat. Add HALF of the coconut milk and the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Use an immersion (or “stick blender”) to blend the nacho cheese until it’s completely smooth and creamy. Add more coconut milk cream to the pot, blending as you go, until it has a consistency you like. Transfer to a crockpot over “warm” setting for a party dip or keep covered and warm on the stove until serving.
- Food processor (or blender) option: place the drained potatoes in a food processor or blender. Add HALF of the coconut milk and the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Blend the nacho cheese until it’s completely smooth and creamy. Add more coconut milk cream, blending as you go, until it has a consistency you like. Transfer to a crockpot over “warm” setting for a party dip or return to the stove to keep covered and warm until serving.
- Optional: stir in 1 cup of fresh pico de gallo for a dip and/or garnish with red pepper flakes.
- Leftovers will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days in a sealed container. Be sure to warm thoroughly again before serving.
Nutrition
I know this is an older recipe, but oh man is it tasty!!!! Thank you so much. We have to be dairy free for allergies and SIBO and just really really appreciated making some brisket nachos with this. Super yum!!
That is so kind, Samantha! We are so happy you love it!