Zesty Jalapeño Nacho Cheese Sauce (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

You can’t have a creamy, rich, and cheesy sauce without dairy… said no one after they made this recipe. Seriously, this zesty jalapeño nacho cheese sauce is going to change your life forever.

That’s Nach-yo Cheese

For many people who are transitioning to a vegan diet, lactose intolerant, or just wanting to reduce animal consumption, cheese is typically the hardest food to give up.

Those of you who fit in the above categories, this sauce is for you! We’ve tried tons of recipes online claiming theirs is the best. But, each time we made them, they came out unflavorful and boring.

Not exactly what you want in a cheese sauce. But, behold our zesty jalapeño nacho cheese sauce. It’s got tang. It’s got cheesiness. It’s got spice. Perfect for a wide variety of uses!

We love it for dipping chips in, topping stuffed potatoes, as a dip for our tofu sticks, or as a buddha bowl sauce. The options are endless.

Key Ingredients for Zesty Jalapeño Nacho Cheese Sauce

• Cashews: these are the ultimate ingredient for a velvety smooth sauce. When we want to create a thick, creamy, and dairy-free dip, we always reach for these little guys. Although they are a little on the pricier side, it’s next to impossible to recreate their buttery smooth texture (okay, our mouthes are watering now). As an added bonus, there is 5g of protein in just 3 tbsp of cashews along with whopping doses of magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Your heart, bones, and muscles are going to thank you!

• Nutritional yeast: known to many vegans as “nooch,” nutritional yeast has the savoury, nutty flavor that’s vital to plant-based cheeses. This ingredient also comes with a host of health benefits in each serving. In 1 tbsp, there’s 2g of protein and 30-180% of your daily vitamin B needs. Insane, right?!

• Lime: since it’s so high in vitamin C and antioxidants, you can see why we like adding a little citrus to our meals. You also can’t have a zesty cheese sauce without a little tang from some lime!

• Jalapeño: we love heat (maybe a little too much). It’s actually been somewhat challenging to create meals for other people because we have a heavy hand when it comes to our preferred spiciness. But, we’ve learned from our mistakes people. Now, we try to make recipes that appeal to a wide range of heat tolerances because you can always add more, right? For this reason, we added pickled jalapeño to this recipe since it gives some zest with a touch of heat. Best of both worlds!

How to Make Zesty Jalapeño Nacho Cheese Sauce

If you don’t have a high-speed blender, it’s best to soak the cashews overnight, or for at least an hour in boiling water before making this recipe. Soaking cashews causes them to soften up, so you’ll be less likely to have a grainy texture in the end.

Next, you have three options. 1, use fresh jalapeño and realize this is going to be an extremely spicy sauce. 2, do a quick 10-minute pickle, or 3, use store bought pickled jalapeños.

After you’ve got the hard part over with (hopefully you didn’t think that was hard), add the rest of the ingredients into your blender and mix on high until you achieve a smooth, creamy consistency.

How to Store Zesty Jalapeño Nacho Cheese Sauce

This cheese sauce stores well in a mason jar or container in the fridge for 7-10 days. For optimal freshness, we don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Zesty Jalapeño Nacho Cheese Sauce

This is the cheese sauce you’ve been missing in your life. It’s:

• Zesty
• Creamy
• Addicting
• Perfectly spiced

If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment, rate it, and tag us on Instagram with #brokebankvegan. Happy eating!

Other Recipes You’ll Enjoy

• Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing
• Spicy Chili Garlic Aioli
• Guacamole & Tortilla Chips

Zesty Jalapeño Nacho Cheese Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Broke Bank Vegan Course: SauceCuisine: WesternDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cook time

0

minutes

Calories

39

kcal

Cost per recipe

$4.21

USD

Cost per serving

$0.12

USD

Total time

10

minutes

This zesty jalapeño nacho cheese sauce will change your life forever. It’s creamy, spicy, and most importantly, cheesy. Your new favorite dip has arrived.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashews ($1.72 USD)

• 1 whole pickled jalapeños ($0.27 USD)

• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast ($1.96 USD)

• 1/2 cup water ($0.00 USD)

• 1 tbsp lime juice ($0.12 USD)

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes ($0.01 USD)

• 1 tsp garlic powder ($0.02 USD)

• 1 tsp onion powder ($0.08 USD)

• 1/4 tsp chili powder ($0.01 USD)

• sea salt & pepper to taste ($0.02 USD)

Directions

• Soak cashews overnight, or for at least 1-2 hours in boiling water before making this recipe (soaking cashews causes them to soften up, so you’ll be less likely to end up wit a grainy texture).
• Next, add all of the ingredients to your blender and mix on high until you achieve a smooth, creamy consistency.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add jalapeños and red pepper flakes for heat, lime for more tang, or more liquid if you want it to be runnier.
• Serve with tortilla chips, as a topping for stuffed potatoes, or as a buddha bowl sauce. Store leftovers in a mason jar or container in the fridge for 7-10 days.

Tips

• Each serving is equivalent to 1 tbsp.

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