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Vegan nacho cheese sauce and blue corn tortilla chips on a white plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe (Made with Pumpkin and Cashews)

This pumpkin and cashew-based vegan nacho cheese sauce recipe is an easy plant-based alternative to traditional queso.
Prep Time8 minutes
Soaking Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 8 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 6
Calories: 136.6kcal
Author: Jennifer Bell

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted cashews (either roasted or raw)
  • boiling water (for soaking the cashews)
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin purée (I used canned)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove garlic

Instructions

  • Add 1 cup unsalted cashews to a bowl, then add enough boiling water to cover.
  • Let soak for 1 hour, then drain and discard the soaking liquid.
  • Add the cashews to a blender along with 1/2 cup pumpkin purée, 3/4 cup water, 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 clove garlic.
  • Blend until smooth and creamy.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature with tortilla chips.

Notes

  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • If using canned pumpkin puree, be careful not to accidentally use pumpkin pie filling since the cans sometimes look similar.
  • If you have a very powerful blender, such as a Vitamix, you can skip the step of soaking the cashews.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.33Cup | Calories: 136.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.5g | Protein: 5.4g | Fat: 9.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.1g | Sodium: 254.7mg | Potassium: 241.3mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3234.2IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 15.9mg | Iron: 1.9mg