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    Home » Popular » Dips, Sauces, and Condiments

    5-Minute Vegan Cheese Sauce

    Published Aug 24, 2020 · Updated Oct 24, 2023 · 23 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    Easy vegan cheese sauce made in 5 minutes with 8 simple ingredients. Made without nuts. Gluten-free and soy-free.

    A chip being dipped into a bowl of cheese sauce that's vegan.
    Jump to:
    • 🧂 Ingredients
    • 🧀 How to Make Vegan Cheese Sauce
    • 🥣 Storage
    • 🥛 Variations & Substitutions
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    A good vegan cheese sauce will change your world! The best part is that this recipe requires no blending! It is also soy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free. The base is coconut milk, but you can substitute with another kind of creamy dairy-free milk (see the section on variations below.)

    The only equipment you need is a whisk and a pot.

    This vegan cheese sauce is super versatile. Here are some ways to use it:

    • Dip for chips or veggies
    • With pasta to make mac & cheese
    • Over roasted vegetables
    • To make a loaded baked potato with vegan bacon bits

    🧂 Ingredients

    You are only 8 ingredients away from the most epic cheese sauce. No nuts needed! See the section on variations below if you have substitution questions, and the recipe card for the measurements.

    Ingredients laid out on a table: canned coconut milk, salt, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, paprika, and cornstarch.
    • Coconut milk: Full-fat canned, unsweetened coconut milk.
    • Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce.
    • Lemon juice: Adds brightness and a zing! to the cheese sauce.
    • Nutritional yeast: Otherwise known as "nooch" - a great cheesy substitute for vegans.
    • Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt: Flavorful seasoning. No blandness here.

    🧀 How to Make Vegan Cheese Sauce

    This dairy-free cheese sauce is super quick and simple to make! You can find the full printable recipe in the recipe card below.

    Vegan cheese sauce in a saucepan with a whisk.

    Step 1: Whisk all of the ingredients together in a saucepan.

    Vegan cheese sauce made with coconut milk and nutritional yeast in a pot with a wooden spoon.

    Step 2: On medium heat, bring the cheese sauce to a simmer for 5 minutes. (Reduce to low if the sauce is splattering.)

    🥣 Storage

    • Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
    • I do not recommend freezing the cheese sauce. Cornstarch does not freeze well.

    🥛 Variations & Substitutions

    • Coconut milk substitutions: You can substitute the coconut milk with 1.5 cups of another type of milk. I recommend using extra creamy oat milk for the best consistency. Other kinds of milk will work, but you may need to add more cornstarch. To do this after the sauce is warm, make a cornstarch slurry (dry cornstarch will clump in warm liquid.) Mix 2 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Add a little at a time until the sauce is the thickness you desire.
    • Cornstarch substitutions: Arrowroot powder is the next best substitution for cornstarch. Tapioca starch will also work in a pinch.
    • Different flavors: Add taco seasoning for a nacho-style sauce, or find inspiration from this carrot and potato vegan nacho cheese. Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a smokey flavor. Add hot sauce for some heat.
    Diary-free cheese being poured over a bowl of pasta.

    Try this homemade vegan feta cheese next!

    Did you enjoy this recipe? Please leave a comment and a ⭐ star review below!

    Recipe

    Cheese sauce in a pot

    Vegan Cheese Sauce

    Karissa Besaw
    The best vegan cheese sauce made in 5 minutes with just 8 ingredients. This easy sauce is great as a dip and as a pasta sauce.
    4.89 from 84 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Seasoning
    Cuisine Vegan
    Servings 8
    Calories 116 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 can coconut milk 13.6 ounces (see notes)
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ¾ cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

    Instructions
     

    • In a medium-sized pot, whisk all ingredients together.
    • On medium heat, bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.

    Notes

    • Use full fat, unsweetened coconut milk.
    • You can substitute the coconut milk with 1.5 cups of another creamy non-dairy milk. I recommend oat milk because it tends to be the creamiest (Planet Oat's Extra Creamy Oatmilk is my favorite!) See the variations section in the blog post about thickening the sauce if using a different kind of milk.
    • Because the sauce is so thick and creamy, it may splatter when simmering. Reduce the heat to low or cover with a lid.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.25cupCalories: 116kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 79mgPotassium: 192mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 2mg
    Did you try this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Karissa

    Hey! I’m happy you’re here! My name is Karissa and I’ve been cooking up delicious vegan food since going vegan in 2016. Not vegan and just want to eat more plants? We don't judge - everyone is welcome in our kitchen. Read more...

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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Tracy McConnell says

      April 14, 2023 at 8:36 pm

      5 stars
      I love love love this vegan cheese sauce! I just add a little of Daiya cheese to thicken, like someone had mentioned. Turned out delicious ! Thanks for the wonderful recipes that you’ve shared.

      Reply
    2. liz neff says

      February 04, 2023 at 3:18 pm

      the nutrition information does not state the serving size or the # of servings. can you provide this information?

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        February 07, 2023 at 9:49 am

        This makes about 2 cups with 8 servings. 1/4 cup per serving.

        Reply
    3. Sierra says

      July 24, 2022 at 9:22 pm

      4 stars
      Delicious!
      I used some hemp milk I got on clearance and finely chopped up some pickled jalapeños for spice. Also added a bit more salt and some pepper. Loved it 🙂

      Reply
    4. Jerri says

      June 10, 2022 at 3:47 pm

      5 stars
      Finally! I have now found a cheese sauce we really like…thanks to you! Followed the recipe like you said. At the end I sprinkled just a tiny bit of timeric for a little coloring.

      Reply
    5. Michelle says

      May 08, 2022 at 7:00 pm

      1 star
      Not sure what I did wrong…. Followed the recipe exact and it was gross! And brown…. Maybe it was the brand of Nooch??

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        May 09, 2022 at 8:12 pm

        Oh no! What brand did you use?

        Reply
    6. Sophia says

      February 08, 2022 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      Love how easy and quick!! Will definitely be using this lots:)
      I added a tsp of ACV, 1/2 tsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp mustard powder, and a pinch of nutmeg to really bring it home. So goood!!

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        February 08, 2022 at 8:13 pm

        Sounds great!

        Reply
    7. Cindy says

      October 20, 2021 at 7:11 pm

      I made this for my 3 year old who has lots of food allergies. I added some daiya cheddar and mozzarella blend. It was a bit thick so I added some oat milk to thin it out added a bit more paprika. I'm not a vegan it was tasty. Making nachos

      Reply
    8. Kerrin says

      August 24, 2021 at 8:45 pm

      5 stars
      Simple, flavorful and I had all the ingredients on hand! Based upon a few of the comments, I used almost the complete can of coconut milk but put about a 1/4 of a cup aside. Turned out perfect!

      Reply
    9. Brent says

      July 04, 2021 at 4:46 pm

      I’ve made it twice following the recipe exactly both times, and it came out super watery both times. If you dip, it drips. Any suggestions?

      Reply
    10. Darlene says

      July 04, 2021 at 1:52 pm

      Much easier than the cheese sauce recipes that use potato or cashews. I used oat milk and a little more cornstarch to make it thicker. Will make this one again.

      Reply
    11. Kristin says

      May 01, 2021 at 9:30 pm

      5 stars
      Sooo delicious, fast and easy!

      Reply
    12. Theresa Stephens says

      April 28, 2021 at 5:51 pm

      3 stars
      This was pretty good! I made this for lunch (quick mac and cheese), the only subs oat milk instead of coconut and tapioca instead of arrowroot. I also left out the paprika because I don't enjoy that in my mac and cheese. Texture was SUPERB. My sister even said it looked like real cheese! The only reason two stars are knocked off is because the flavor could use a little work. It was pretty bland, needed a lot more salt, and left a bitter aftertaste. I eventually stopped eating it because it got really bad. I may make it again (texture!) but maybe tweak the flavors a little bit.

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        April 28, 2021 at 7:41 pm

        Hey, Theresa! Tapioca starch definitely gives this cheese sauce a different texture. I prefer the texture with cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Definitely try one of those next time!

        Reply
    13. Damit Barnes says

      April 25, 2021 at 8:42 pm

      Turned out delicious a little to thin ,used oat milk .

      Reply
    14. Tre says

      January 27, 2021 at 11:51 am

      5 stars
      I agree with Buff's comment! Definitely good for a quick and easy "cheese" sauce! This was the perfect recipe for me as I always have these items on hand. Nooch, oatmilk, easy....YUM!!!! TFS!

      Reply
      • Scarlet Tay says

        February 14, 2021 at 3:44 pm

        3 stars
        I found it bland for my taste, but it was a good start. With the addition if some dry mustard powder, spicy deli mustard, nutmeg and Tajin seasoning, it does almost taste like actual cheese sauce!

        Reply
    15. Buff says

      January 18, 2021 at 5:24 pm

      4 stars
      Very good for a quick sauce. It is heavy on the nutritional yeast flavor so may not be for those who aren't a fan. I used soymilk/oatmilk combo instead of coconut milk, and added about 1/2 t of tapioca starch in addition to the arrowroot powder and it came out nice and thick.

      Reply
    16. Barbara says

      December 15, 2020 at 7:49 pm

      I only had the lite coconut milk on hand. It still turned out perfectly! I added a little turmeric for color. Thank you for this recipe. We loved it.

      Reply
      • Clare MacGregor says

        June 05, 2021 at 1:26 am

        5 stars
        Thank you for this!! I was looking for a cheezy sauce that didn't involve getting groceries and this defied all expectations. Truly amazing thank you.

        Reply
      • L Randle says

        January 09, 2022 at 10:10 pm

        5 stars
        I followed instructions to the letter and one of the best vegan cheese recipes I have tried, and the hubby likes it; it is a done deal.

        Reply

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