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Home » Plant-Based Recipes » Kitchen Staples + Basics » Dairy Free Cheese Sauce

Dairy Free Cheese Sauce

By Randi Tisdall · Published: Mar 22, 2021 · Updated: May 18, 2022 16 Comments This post may contain affiliate links.

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Are you looking for a fast dairy-free cheese sauce? One that you can toss with some pasta or drizzle on top of broccoli, potatoes, tacos, or burritos?

Well, you’ve come to the right place! Step right this way please.

Because this is the BEST dairy-free cheese sauce ever. No soaking cashews. No boiling potatoes or steaming carrots. No nonsense. You can literally toss all of the ingredients in a saucepan and heat in less than 5 minutes. Then use it on vegetables, tacos, or this dairy free mac and cheese recipe.

picture of dairy-free cheese sauce with spoon.

First Published: June 23, 2016… Last Updated: March 22, 2021

Jump to:
  • A no-nonsense, all-purpose vegan cheese recipe
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Allergy Information and Substitutions
  • Recipe ingredients
  • How to make it
  • More dairy free cheese recipes:
  • Yummy Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce in 5 Minutes

A no-nonsense, all-purpose vegan cheese recipe

This recipe has been perfected and tweaked over the years by yours truly. Of course, the first time I made it, I winged it by using what I had on hand at the time. And it was such a success that I tried to repeat the process. This turned into experimenting with different variations and ingredients, which led me to crafting this deliciously yummy recipe at the bottom of this post.

One of the things I love about this recipe is that you can use it in a number of ways.

I’ve used it on just about everything– drizzling it on burritos and over a large plate of nachos, topping it on baked sweet potatoes and veggies, and stirring it into macaroni pasta. Mmmmmmmm.

The best part? It’s VERSATILE. I like mine EXTRA CHEESY, which is why I added two varieties of Daiya cheese. But if you want to take the minimalist approach, see my variations below.

picture of dairy-free cheese sauce with macaroni pasta and broccoli.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you melt dairy-free cheese?

Despite what some may think, YES you can melt dairy-free (vegan) cheese, especially with the vegan cheese options available on the market today. Just cook your cheese sauce on a medium heat, and stir until melted through. I like using Daiya brand vegan cheese because it melts so well.

Do I have to use store-bought vegan cheese/coconut milk/nutritional yeast for this recipe?

Nope! For variations, check out the Allergy Information and Substitutions below.

picture of cheese sauce in saucepan

Allergy Information and Substitutions

  • This cheese sauce is 100% vegan, meaning it is dairy-free, egg-free, and meat-free. It is also naturally nut-free, gluten-free, and soy-free.
  • Don’t want to use store-bought vegan cheese? Double up on the nutritional yeast and add a dash of onion powder, garlic powder, and ground turmeric. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  • Don’t like coconut? Swap it out for another dairy-free milk of choice, such as almond, oat, or soy.
  • If you don’t have nutritional yeast on hand, it’s okay to skip it if you have plenty of dairy-free cheese shreds. I think the nutritional yeast just adds a touch of flavor + good-for-you ingredients such as vitamin B12.
  • If you don’t have two types of vegan cheese, you can load up on just vegan cheddar cheese.
  • For a Mexican-style cheese sauce, stir in some cumin powder and some diced tomatoes and/or roasted bell peppers and onions. You can also stir in some salsa for an extra kick. I’m drooling already. The choices are unlimited and always delicious!

Recipe ingredients

What you’ll need (see the recipe box below for exact measurements).

  • Full-fat coconut milk
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Dairy-free cheese shreds (I use a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack)
  • Salt and pepper ( I use Himalayan pink salt)
picture of the ingredients of dairy-free cheese sauce

How to make it

Add all ingredients to a saucepan. Heat on medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until all the vegan cheese has melted.

Remove from heat. Toss with cooked pasta or steamed broccoli (or both!). You can also drizzle on tacos, nachos, sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, and more!

More dairy free cheese recipes:

  • Dairy Free Mac and Cheese
  • Bean and Cheese Vegan Chimichangas
  • Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese
  • Bomb Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card and, if you enjoy it, leave a comment. Thanks in advance!

Yummy Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce in 5 Minutes

Randi Tisdall
Looking for a dairy-free cheese sauce that's FAST? Try this simple vegan recipe that takes only 4 main ingredients and less than 5 minutes to make. Toss with cooked pasta or steamed broccoli, or drizzle on nachos, tacos, sweet potatoes, and more! This recipe is also gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 min
Cook Time 4 mins
Total Time 5 mins
Course Condiment
Servings 5
Calories 216 kcal

Equipment

  • saucepan

Ingredients
 

  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup vegan pepper jack cheese
  • dash of salt and black pepper (I use Himalayan pink salt)

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a saucepan. Heat on medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until all the vegan cheese has melted.
  • Remove from heat. Toss with cooked pasta or steamed broccoli (or both!). You can also drizzle on tacos, nachos, sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, and more!

Notes

  • Don’t want to use store-bought vegan cheese?Double up on the nutritional yeast and add a dash of onion powder, garlic powder, and ground turmeric. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  • Don’t like coconut? Swap it out for another dairy-free milk of choice, such as almond, oat, or soy.
  • If you don’t have nutritional yeast on hand, it’s okay to skip it if you have plenty of dairy-free cheese shreds. I think the nutritional yeast just adds a touch of flavor + good-for-you ingredients such as vitamin B12.
  • If you don’t have two types of vegan cheese, you can load up on just vegan cheddar cheese.
  • For a Mexican-style cheese sauce, stir in some cumin powder and some diced tomatoes and/or roasted bell peppers and onions. You can also stir in some salsa for an extra kick. I’m drooling already. The choices are unlimited and always delicious!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 512mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 2g | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Tell me about it + share!Comment and let me know how it was! Then follow BVK on Pinterest @bohemianvegankitchen
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About Randi Tisdall

I believe that wellness starts in your kitchen, but it doesn’t have to be complicated or boring! That's why I'm dedicated to sharing the best vegan comfort food and healthy recipes. Because at the end of the day, you should feel good about what you eat and how you feel, regardless of health restrictions or crazy schedules. Bohemian Vegan Kitchen has been featured by VegNews, Delish, Beyond Meat, MSN, and HuffPost.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rachel Williams

    December 30, 2022 at 4:11 pm

    How long would this sauce stay fresh in the refrigerator after making it?

    Reply
    • Randi Tisdall

      January 17, 2023 at 1:01 pm

      I would say 3-5 days if sealed in an air-tight container.

      Reply
  2. Heidi

    February 09, 2021 at 4:18 pm

    Does this still taste good without the Dayia Cheese Shreds?

    Reply
    • Randi Tisdall

      February 10, 2021 at 9:05 am

      Hi Heidi, great question! It’s been a while since I’ve made this lol, but looking at the recipe I’m thinking that if you up the nutritional yeast to maybe 1/4 cup, you could still get a really good “cheesy” taste. You could also sprinkle in some onion powder and a pinch of garlic powder. If you make this, I’d love to hear how it went!

      Reply
  3. Amber Harrop

    October 18, 2016 at 5:11 pm

    I love cheese and I would love to try this Randi

    Reply
    • Randi Tisdall

      October 26, 2016 at 2:10 pm

      Thank you Amber!!

      Reply
  4. Deborah Davis

    July 13, 2016 at 10:45 pm

    Hi Randi,
    This sauce is boss! I can think of a zillion ways to use this sauce. My basic Buddha Bowls will taste great with this vegan cheese sauce on them. Thanks for sharing this at the Plant-based Potluck Party. Pinning and sharing!

    Reply
    • Randi Tisdall

      July 15, 2016 at 2:25 pm

      Thank you! Hope you get to try it!

      Reply
  5. Life Diet Health

    July 10, 2016 at 9:10 am

    Hello Randi 🙂 This looks delicious – I usually use cashews in my vegan cheese sauce so I’ll have to give your version a try! Thanks for sharing at the Plant Based Potluck Party 🙂

    Reply
    • Randi Tisdall

      July 13, 2016 at 5:49 pm

      Oh yes I love cashew cheese too! I hope you get a chance to try out this recipe, thanks for stopping by!!

      Reply
  6. Kimberly

    July 03, 2016 at 5:38 am

    This looks great! Will definitely try for my daughters!

    Reply
    • Randi Tisdall

      July 07, 2016 at 1:34 pm

      Awesome! I’d love to hear how it turns out!

      Reply

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