Rich, creamy and velvety faux cheese sauce, made using only real food. Totally plant based, vegan and oil free. Decadent, gooey and perfect for mac and cheese, nachos, tacos or queso.
Who ever knew that potatoes would give a vegan, plant-based, oil free cheese sauce such luxuriant richness and creaminess? Not me. For a few months I saw various recipes for creamy sauces using potatoes and scoffed at them. How wrong I was.
Jump to:
I've made Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce for a long time, which is a vegan white béchamel sauce alternative.
But, for a plant-based mac and cheese, I needed something different.
Something cheesy, gooey, creamy and, while I love using cashews, they are very rich and calorie-dense.
So, I experimented with a vegan, nut-free, oil-free cheese sauce that would be a good, healthy velveeta substitute or alternative.
Presenting... Fauxveeta! (do you see what we did there?) 😉
🧄 Ingredients
This sauce is made using:
- potatoes
- carrots
- onion
- garlic
- plant-based milk (I use almond milk, but to make this completely nut-free, use soy milk or oat milk)
- nutritional yeast
- turmeric, salt and pepper
Some optional, but highly recommended, flavor boosters are:
The potatoes make it rich, silky and creamy.
The carrots give a hint of sweetness and add to the color.
The onion and garlic are for flavor.
The almond milk adds to the creaminess and is needed to thin the mixture in the blender.
The nutritional yeast gives it the cheesy, umami flavor.
And, the turmeric contributes health benefits and aids in the bright orange color.
Believe me, okay? Just try it. It is not cheese, but it sure does work as a great alternative.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Boil the veggies in a stockpot until tender.
Step 2: Blend it up with spices and almond milk.
Step 3: Use as you would use any cheese sauce!
📽 Video
11 ways to use this cheese sauce
- Pour over macaroni for vegan mac and cheese
- Mix with spicy Rotel or salsa for an easy vegan chile con queso nacho cheese dip
- Loaded Vegan Nachos, hello!
- Cheese fries
- Drizzle over tacos
- Drizzle over tostadas
- Broccoli cheese baked potato
- Pour over steamed veggies and rice
- Pour over steamed broccoli for vegan cheesy broccoli side dish
- Broccoli cheese soup
- Use chilled sauce in place of fat in Southern biscuit recipes. Your biscuits will be orange, but will be low-fat!
👨👩👦👦 Serving suggestions
This makes enough sauce (about 4+ cups) to completely coat one pound of macaroni pasta, for mac and cheese.
This should serve four people, with a side salad or other type of vegetable side.
Steamed broccoli goes really well with this. Also, green peas.
❓ FAQ
Do I have to peel my potatoes?
- For a smooth sauce, peel your potatoes.
- If you don't mind a speckled sauce and are using Yukon gold potatoes, which have a thin skin, you can leave the skins on (but be sure to thoroughly scrub them when washing).
- If you're using potatoes with a thicker skin (like russets), they should definitely be peeled before cooking.
How long will this sauce last?
This vegan cheese sauce will last up to 5 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Will this freeze well?
- Yes! I've tested this and it keeps in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, heat it up either in the microwave or on the stove.
- Microwave: Remove lid and microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Repeat until hot and smooth again, as needed.
- Stove: Add thawed sauce to a small-medium saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. It will look separated at first, but keep heating and stirring it until the smooth, silky consistency has returned.
Is velveeta vegan?
- No. Velveeta cheese contains animal products, like milk, whey, milk protein concentrate, milk fat, along with a host of other preservatives and other things.
- The ingredients for Velveeta are: Milk, Water, Whey, Milk Protein Concentrate, Milkfat, Whey Protein Concentrate, Sodium Phosphate, Contains 2% or less of: Salt, Calcium Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Alginate, Enzymes, Apocarotenal, Annatto, Cheese Culture.
- This recipe for Fauxveeta Vegan Cheese Sauce is a real whole food, plant-based alternative to Velveeta. Hope you enjoy it!
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Please rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ down below. ⬇️ And, if you make it, please tag me @veryveganish on Instagram in your posted photos! I would love to see your creations. 😄
📖 Recipe
Fauxveeta Vegan Cheese Sauce
Rich, creamy and velvety faux cheese sauce, made using real food. Totally plant based, vegan, oil free. This makes enough sauce to completely coat one pound of macaroni pasta, about 4 cups of sauce. Nut-free option in notes.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (530 grams) potato, about 5 medium yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large squares
- 1 ½ cups (210 grams) carrot, about 5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces the same size at the potatoes
- 1 small onion (175 grams), quartered
- 5 cloves (20 grams) garlic, chopped
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, optional but highly recommended
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (I use almond)
Optional (but recommended!) Flavor Boosters
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon miso paste
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Boil potatoes, carrot, onion in water until fork tender, then drain.
- Add cooked veggies to blender with garlic, nutritional yeast, turmeric, salt, almond milk and optional (but recommended!) flavor boosters, if using. You may need to do this in more than one batch, depending on your blender size.
- Blend until completely smooth (I use a Blendtec and press the soup button). If it will not blend, you may need to add a bit more almond milk.
- Taste the sauce and adjust salt, as needed.
Notes
Feel free to omit or adjust the nutritional yeast (i.e. adding more) to see if you like it the flavor with more. For us, 3 tbsp is just right.
*To make nut-free: use soy milk, oat milk or another unsweetened plant-based milk of your choice.
This is delicious over pasta, on top of steamed broccoli or other veggies, or mixed into rice. You can also make it into Vegan Chile con Queso Nacho Cheese using Rotel or salsa.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 250Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 219mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 7gSugar: 5gProtein: 9g
Nutritional calculations are done using online tools, such as recipe widget Create. Even though we have tried to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates.
Update 9/8/17: I have updated this recipe with more specific measurements. Also, the nutritional yeast has been marked as optional. It imparts a cheesy flavor, but is not necessary to make this sauce. We often make it without and it is still delicious! I hope this helps!
Kelly says
This looks delicious, thank you for sharing your recipe!
Abi Cowell says
Thank you! So glad you stopped by. Thank you for commenting!
Steffi says
Yummy!!
Abi Cowell says
Thank you, Steffi!
Mia says
This is the most exciting vegan recipe I have ever come across in my digital life! I will definitely try this
Abi Cowell says
LOL! That is quite the compliment. Thank you so much, Mia!
Sydney says
Omggg! I can't believe how on time this recipe is! I'm dairy-free again after a two year hiatus and this week I broke down and ate Daiya cheese. Yuck! I've been looking for better brands and/or homemade recipes. Thank you so much!! Pinning!
Abi Cowell says
I'm so happy that it came at the right time for you! I hope you like it!!!
Tani says
This looks incredible...I want to curl up in bed with a movie and eat a huge bowl!
Abi Cowell says
Thank you, Tani!!! It's excellent movie comfort food.
angelinawatson.com says
I AM CRAVING!!! Gonna have this for dinner! I have a very similar recipe I use!
Abi Cowell says
I make this at least 3 times a month. It's my go-to!
Angie says
Looks amazing. When I make this sauce I literally eat it with everything 🙂
Abi Cowell says
Thank you so much, Angie!
Angela says
This looks absolutely divine! I'm making it this weekend for sure! xx
Abi Cowell says
Thank you so much! Please let me know how you like it. 🙂
Kim says
Howdy! This has been delicious at your house! I couldn't stop eating it so I am thinking it's time to give it a try! ?
Abi Cowell says
Hi Kim!!! I'm so glad you liked it. I would love to see you try it at home. I just updated the recipe today with more specific instructions, so that should help you out while you're making it. Let me know if you have any questions. I would love to see what you do with it - you're such a master in the kitchen. 🙂
Megan says
I just made this and it's delicious! Instead of Rotel I mixed it with my favorite salsa, YUM!
Abi Cowell says
Hi Megan! I'm soooooo happy that you liked the recipe! Using your favorite salsa is a genius substitution. Enjoy! 🙂
shannon says
I made this recipe into a broccoli cheese soup tonight but was struggling. It was the perfect texture, nice and rich and creamy. But it had almost no flavor. I kept adding nutritional yeast, garlic, and salt and that helped a bit. What am I doing wrong? It looks delicious!!
Abi Cowell says
Hi Shannon! Yeah, so with this sauce you're dealing with plain cooked potatoes and carrots, which need a lot of seasoning, especially if you're converting it to a soup. So, my suggestions to amp up the flavor would be to:
1) sauté the garlic and onion in a pan, instead of boiling it with the potato and carrot. Then, add to the blender to puree.
2) Add vegan bouillon (like better than bouillon or edward and sons brands) or a little miso or soy sauce to increase the savory/umami flavor that's helpful for a soup.
3) add something acidic at the end, like a little bit of lemon juice.
I hope those suggestions help!
Hannah says
I am so excited to try this recipe!! My coworker brought this to share and it was amazing! I am not vegan but have been dairy and gluten free for 5 years. I have alway just stayed away from dairy free cheese except for the occasional use of daiya (yuck. Only when I’m desperate) but this will definitely be my new go to recipe. My cousin also has a dairy allergy and I can’t wait to share it with her!! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Abi Cowell says
Hannah, I'm so happy that you loved this sauce as much as we do. It's a regular in our house!
Happy Cooking!
- Abi
G. Jones says
Omg! Just made this sauce and it’s amazing. I’m not vegan but and trying to step away from meat and looking for easy and delicious things to try and also feed my family and let me tell you this sauce it’s where is at. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Abi Cowell says
Thank makes me so happy! Made my day! Thank you so much for sharing this. 😄 It's a definite regular in our house, so I know what you mean! We use it for all kinds of meals (mac and cheese, queso/nacho cheese, cheesy fries, you name it).
Mary Jo Matey says
I am HUngarian,, and have been vegan for MANY years now,,, LOVE making homemade pierogi w mash potato and cheese and sauerkraut ... the cheese that we always used ,, was Velveeta cheese and no way will use that .. eat all organioc and non processed foods,,, due to Thriving FROM STAGE 4 CANCER
Do you feel this cheese recipe will be able to replace the velveeta ??
My soo wonderful that will be,,, make my own sauerkraut toooo
Abi Cowell says
Mary Jo, congratulations for thriving from stage 4 cancer, wow. That is incredible! To answer your question, yes. In our house, this recipe replaces velveeta. It has a very similar texture, thickness, silkiness, richness and a slight cheese flavor from the nutritional yeast, so don't skip that part. You can even add more nutritional yeast to make it taste more cheesy. You can also experiment with adding spices like paprika, miso, onion powder, garlic powder to amp up the flavor. This recipe is for a basic cheese sauce. I hope that helps and I hope you enjoy your pierogis again!!