Get ready for The Best Vegan Cheese Recipe! Made with just 9 simple ingredients, in only 30 minutes. It tastes like the real deal and is perfect for pasta, nachos, or dipping!
Experience the joy of homemade goodness as you savor every creamy bite. With its cheesy taste and smooth texture, it is a crowd-pleaser that will leave everyone coming back for more.
Plus, with simple plant-based ingredients, you'll create a healthier and budget-friendly cheese alternative. It opens the door to endless creations, from sandwiches to stuffed peppers.
Looking for more vegan cheese recipes? Try out my Vegan Cashew Cheese, Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese, Vegan Cheddar Cheese Spread, and Vegan Feta Cheese. They will be your new go-to for vegan cheesy goodness!
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🌟 Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is simple and quick to prepare, perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute gatherings.
- Versatile: You can customize this recipe to suit your taste preferences by adjusting the seasonings or adding extra ingredients like herbs or vegetables.
- Healthier Alternative: Unlike traditional cheese, this recipe is dairy-free and made from wholesome, plant-based ingredients, making it a healthier choice.
- Deliciously Creamy: Despite being dairy-free, this recipe yields a wonderfully creamy texture that melts beautifully and adds richness to any dish.
- Family-Friendly: Whether as a dip, spread, or topping, this recipe pleases even the pickiest eaters, perfect for gatherings or everyday meals.
🧾 Ingredient notes
Potatoes: While I've experimented with various potato types for this recipe, I consistently find that Yukon Gold potatoes yield the best results.
Their creamy texture and buttery flavor contribute to the smoothness and richness of the cheese.
However, if Yukon Gold potatoes are not available, you can also use Russet or red potatoes, although the texture and taste may vary slightly.
Nutritional Yeast: It contributes significantly to the cheesy flavor of this recipe, making it a crucial ingredient. If unavailable, brewer's yeast can be a good alternative.
Additionally, another option is to omit this ingredient entirely and use beer instead of water. However, nutritional yeast is still the top pick for its cheesy taste.
Water: You've got options here! Whether it's cold, hot, or room temperature, go with what you've got on hand.
You can even use the water leftover from boiling or steaming the veggies for an extra flavor boost.
Personally, I like to keep it simple with clean, room-temperature water. But hey, if you're feeling fancy, Vegetable Stock is always a tasty alternative!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: It's my go-to for its rich flavor, but honestly, any vegetable oil will do the trick!
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📋 Variations
- Spicy Kick: Add 2 diced jalapeños or a sprinkle of ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper for a spicy twist.
- Herb Infusion: Mix in 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or chives for a burst of flavor.
- Smoky Flavor: Incorporate 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika or a few drops of liquid smoke for a delicious smoky taste.
- Nutty Crunch: Garnish with ¼ cup (30 grams) of chopped nuts such as almonds or walnuts for added texture and flavor.
- Sweet and Savory: Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or agave nectar for a hint of sweetness, balanced with a sprinkle of sea salt.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Place the potatoes and carrots in a medium pot and cover them with cold water by about 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Step 2. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes or until soft.
Step 3. Drain the potatoes and carrots in a colander.
Step 4. Transfer to a high-speed blender with all the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and serve immediately.
💭 Expert tips
- Perfect Potato Selection: Opt for Yukon Gold potatoes for their creamy texture and rich flavor, enhancing the overall taste of your vegan cheese.
- Consistency is Key: Adjust the amount of water or plant-based milk to achieve your preferred consistency. Add a little at a time until you reach the desired thickness.
- Balancing Flavors: Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can play around with the amount of lemon juice, salt, and spices to find the perfect balance for your palate.
- Blending Technique: Blend the ingredients thoroughly until smooth and creamy. A high-speed blender works best for achieving that velvety texture.
- Texture Mastery: For a smoother consistency, ensure the potatoes and carrots are cooked until tender before blending. This ensures a creamy and luscious texture.
❓Recipe FAQs
When stored properly in an airtight container in the fridge, this vegan cheese can typically last for up to 5 to 7 days.
However, always use your judgment and check for any signs of spoilage before consuming.
If you notice any changes in smell, texture, or appearance, it's best to discard it to avoid any potential food safety issues.
While it can be frozen, its texture may change slightly upon thawing.
Portion it into smaller servings and store them in airtight containers or freezer bags. Label containers with the freezing date for easy reference.
Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir well before use to recombine any separated ingredients. Aim to consume it within its refrigerated shelf life for the best taste and texture.
You can reheat it by gently warming it in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.
If the cheese is too thick, adding a splash of water or Plant-Based Milk (like Soy Milk or Almond Milk) can help to achieve the desired consistency.
Once warmed through, it can be served and enjoyed as usual.
Yes, you can! Simply prepare the vegan cheese as directed, allow it to cool to room temperature, and then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
When you're ready to serve, you can reheat it gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave in short intervals, stirring in between, until warmed through.
Adjust the consistency with a splash of water or plant-based milk if needed, and then serve it as desired. This makes it convenient for preparing in advance for gatherings or meal prep.
It is incredibly versatile! Spread it on crackers, top your Vegan Pizza, or add it over nachos. It's perfect for stirring into pasta, pairing with fresh veggies for dipping, or using as a sandwich filling.
You can also serve it as a dip with tortilla chips or fresh veggies, toss it with pasta to make Vegan Mac and Cheese, top it onto a baked potato, or drizzle it over chips to make a vegan nacho platter.
🧀 More delicious vegan cheesy recipes
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Vegan Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced, any potato will work, but Yukon Gold is the top choice for best results
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Place the potatoes and carrots in a medium pot and cover them with cold water by about 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes or until soft.
- Drain the potatoes and carrots in a colander.
- Transfer to a high-speed blender with all the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Perfect Potato Selection: Opt for Yukon Gold potatoes for their creamy texture and rich flavor, enhancing the overall taste of your vegan cheese.
- Consistency is Key: Adjust the amount of water or plant-based milk to achieve your preferred consistency. Add a little at a time until you reach the desired thickness.
- Balancing Flavors: Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can play around with the amount of lemon juice, salt, and spices to find the perfect balance for your palate.
- Blending Technique: Blend the ingredients thoroughly until smooth and creamy. A high-powered blender works best for achieving that velvety texture.
- Texture Mastery: For a smoother consistency, ensure the potatoes and carrots are cooked until tender before blending. This ensures a creamy and luscious texture.
Torrie says
This recipe is perfect on its own, and divine with a couple roasted jalapeños 😉 Thank you so much for always having the solution for my non-vegan cravings!
Iosune says
Hi Torrie! You're so welcome 🙂 So glad you like it!
Davida Fernandez says
I'm not vegan but I eat a lot of vegan and vegetarian foods. I can't say this tasted much like cheese to me BUT it was warm and creamy and delicious and I couldn't stop eating it. It's a wonderful recipe to riff on, as well, I sprinkled some seasoning salt on the top to add some zing, but there's a hundred things you could do with this. I'm looking forward to making it again with little to no oil, and maybe try the beer thing.Thanks for sharing, I'll be looking for more recipes on your site!
Iosune says
Hi Davida! So glad you liked it 🙂 This recipe is also delicious without the oil. Have a nice day!
Maya Spivey says
This was a great alternative to cheese. Will use this recipe from now on! Thanks!!!
Iosune says
Hi Maya! You're so welcome 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Cal says
My better half and many of my friends don't think this tastes like cheese, but they like it a lot. I'm happy with it as I can now have a plate of Nacho Cheese and corn chips that is so like the regular thing. I used tow tablespoons of tahini, a cup of nutritional yeast, subbed white garbanzo Miso for the salt, and added a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and smoked paprika to kick it up a notch. Who would think--carrots and potatoes makes cheese sauce? This is a WOW recipe!
Iosune says
Hi Cal! So glad you liked so much 🙂 Have a nice day!
Gray Vining says
This recipe is UNbelievable! Every positive comment by those who've written is absolutely TRUE! It is fabulous and delicious! Even without the oil. I'm practically speechless. 🙂
You two are to be commended for your dedication to promoting a healthy diet to all your visitors.
Best regards,
Gray
Iosune says
Hi Gray! Thank you SO much for your kind words 🙂 Have a beautiful day!
Kay says
Just made this to make a Mac and Cheese type dish. Cooked the noodles soft, sauteed 2 fresh chopped red pepper, 1/3 cup of hot red peppers( from a jar), 1/3 cup of sun dried tomatoes (from a jar in oil), and 2/3 cup of sliced kalamata olives, and some black pepper, no salt as there is plenty in the sauce. Once that was all sauteed, added the cheese sauce (totally followed your recipe there but next time might back off on the salt a bit) and then added a bit more water to get that all creamy consistency and then added the noodles. That was the yummiest mac and cheese I have ever had. And it had no actual cheese in it. I just had some cold for breakfast it was so tasty. I have just recently gone vegan and my hold out was that I would miss cooking with animal milk cheese. I don't think I am going to miss it now. Thanks. Also, just love your blog.
Iosune says
Hi Kay! Thanks a lot for your king words 🙂 I'm so glad you liked our vegan cheese so much. Being vegan is pretty easy if you find recipes you love. Have a nice day!
Ashley says
Wow! Vegan cheese sounds awesome! Id love to try it but do you know if there are any substitutes for nutritional yeast? My family is all about affordable foods and it looks like nutritional yeast is pretty expensive 🙁 Here at our grocery markets, a tiny jar costs $8..
Iosune says
Hi Ashley! You could use beer instead and add less water 😉 It's no the same, but tastes good. Hope it works!
Ashley says
Wow using beer to make vegan cheese sounds like a fantastic idea! But I don't know if I'll be successful on making that 😅
Iosune says
Hi Ashley! I've tried it and it works 🙂
Sherri says
So it seems that all my kidshave a milk allergy! Which makes cooking extremely hard. So i'm just learning how to cook dairy free. This maybe a crazy ? but is there a difference between the nutritional yeast flakes and powder?
Iosune says
Hi Sherri! Cooking dairy-free is pretty easy 🙂 I always use nutritional yeast flakes, but I think they're the same. This post is so interesting: http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2011/10/what-the-heck-is-nutritional-yeast.html
Rachel says
Is there a way to make the recipe without potatoes or a different vegetable you can substitute in?
Iosune says
Hi Rachel! I've never made this repice using other vegetable, but you could try it using cauliflower or sweet potatoes. Have a nice day!
Cal says
Tried this as I wanted to make the vegan broccoli cheese soup. Followed the recipe exactly, except for the salt as I'm on a low salt diet, and thought it was almost tasteless. So, in order to rescue the ingredients, I added 1Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 additional cup of nutritional yeast, 2 additional dashes of cayenne powder, and the real kicker--1 Tbsp. White Garbanzo Miso. Now it has some flavor and, of course the Miso does have plenty of salt. But, that was not quite enough. Added 1 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika. Now a nice burnt orange color and some smoky flavor. This was a great recipe for experimenting!
Iosune says
Hi Cal! Our vegan broccoli soup is very tasty, have you followed our recipe? Have a nice day!
Emily Baskin says
BY FAR THE BEST VEGAN CHEESE SAUCE. I've made this so many times! I love it. It really is better with the oil, so creamy and delicious. I have it with pasta and mmmm.
Iosune says
Hi Emily! Thank you so much 😀 Have a beautiful day!
Freya says
This was absolutely delicious! I've been looking for a good cheese sauce recipe for ages and this worked so well. I don't even have a high powered blender so I was a bit worried it would be lumpy but it came out smooth and delicious 🙂 Thank you!
Iosune says
Hi Freya! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!