Description
A creamy, versatile vegan cheese sauce made from white beans and nutritional yeast or vegan cheese, perfect for drizzling over pasta, vegetables, or as a dip. This dairy-free sauce offers a rich, cheesy flavor with a simple blend of wholesome ingredients and can be prepared on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked white beans (such as cannellini), drained and rinsed if canned
- 1/2 cup unsweetened milk of choice (such as almond, soy, or oat milk)
- 5 tbsp nutritional yeast OR 1/3 cup vegan shredded cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- Optional 1/2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar (if using nutritional yeast)
- Optional 2 tsp buttery spread or olive oil for added richness
- Optional pinch turmeric, or herbs like thyme, rosemary, onion powder for extra flavor
Instructions
- Prepare Beans: If using canned beans, drain and rinse them thoroughly to remove excess sodium and any canning liquid, which could alter the flavor and texture of your sauce.
- Blend Ingredients: Place the beans, milk of choice, salt, garlic powder, nutritional yeast (if using), optional vinegar, and optional spices and butter/oil into a blender or use an immersion blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Heat Sauce: Transfer the blended mixture to a pot on the stovetop. Add the vegan shredded cheese if you opted for that over nutritional yeast. Heat the sauce on low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and to melt the cheese, until it reaches your desired serving temperature.
- Adjust Consistency: If the sauce is too thick, stir in additional milk of choice a tablespoon at a time until you achieve a thinner, pourable consistency suitable for your dish.
- Serve or Combine: Serve your vegan cheese sauce immediately over pasta, steamed vegetables, or as a dip. For a complete meal, you can stir cooked pasta into the sauce right before serving for a creamy, comforting dish.
- Instant Pot Alternative: For a hands-off approach, after blending, pour the mixture into your Instant Pot. Set it to manual mode and heat on high pressure for 5 minutes to warm and meld the flavors. Use caution when releasing pressure and stir before serving.
Notes
- Using nutritional yeast gives a classic cheesy flavor, but vegan shredded cheese can provide a creamier texture.
- The optional buttery spread or olive oil adds depth but can be omitted for a lighter sauce.
- Adjust salt and spices according to taste preferences.
- If you prefer a tangier sauce, don’t skip the optional vinegar when using nutritional yeast.
- This sauce stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Adding herbs like thyme or rosemary can elevate the flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
Keywords: vegan cheese sauce, dairy-free cheese sauce, white bean cheese sauce, plant-based sauce, nutritional yeast sauce
