Last night I was in a pinch – Tony had purchased fresh corn tortillas for tacos, and I had Upton’s Naturals Chorizo Seitan, avocado, and other taco stuff… but no cheese. No problem – I can just whip up a batch of Nacho Chee-Zee Sauce from my book, right? Well guess what, Natalie? You’re out of cashews and you already have all the other ingredients in the blender, what are you going to do? I’m gonna add tahini, that’s what.

Yep, it’s a simple swap, made with an inexpensive (and allergy-friendly) ingredient I already have on hand. If you just want a cheddar-y sauce, omit the pepper and add a squirt of yellow mustard or a dash of apple cider vinegar. For a spicier sauce, add some of your favorite hot sauce.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Nut-Free Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Literally the same recipe as my Nacho Chee-Zee Sauce but with tahini instead of soaked cashews. But y'all asked for this!

Prep Time2 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheese sauce, nacho cheese, nacho sauce, nut-free, vegan

Servings: 3 cups

Equipment

• Blender or food processor

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 Tbs corn starch
• 1 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar (white or apple cider)
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce more if you like it spicier, less if not
• 1 & 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Visible specks of pepper are fine.
• Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the cheese starts to bubble.
• Reduce heat to medium, and keep whisking until thickened (usually 3-4 minutes – but keep an eye on it because it might take less than that).
• Remove from heat and serve. If you're making it ahead of time, let it cool before storing it in the fridge in an airtight container. Store up to one week.