Ok friends, this is it. After all of the love for my Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Mozzarella, it's time for a follow-up act: Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Nacho Cheese. (I know, I am just so incredibly original with the new name).
With the help of reader Amanda (hi Amanda!), I toyed around with different spices and flavours to achieve a cheddar-like cheese recipe. No small task, especially when you don't eat cow's milk cheddar to compare. With a little zing and zang, salty and sweet, ooey and gooey, I managed to achieve... are you ready for it?...nacho heaven. Big plate of nachos, hello again. Oh, how I missed you. Now I will devour you!
This recipe is good for more than just nachos. You can load up a baked potato, make a grilled cheese, layer on a veggie patty for a melty cheeseburger, or stir into noodles for quick mac and cheese. Anywhere that you would use melted cheddar cheese, you can now use this recipe.
Do you want more good news? Of course you do. It's oil, gluten, and dairy free, only 150 calories per serving, omnivores love it, over 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and only 15 minutes to make. Vegan high fives all around!
Can we see another shot of this ooey, gooey, melty-ness. Ahhh.... there we go.
Notes about this cheese:
- You have to use tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour). Corn starch, potato starch or any other starch won't have the same stretchy quality. If you can't find tapioca starch in your grocery store, you can always order it online here. If you have tapioca pearls, you can use a coffee grinder or a high powered blender to grind them into a homemade batch of tapioca starch.
- You can store the leftover cheese in an airtight container in the fridge and it should last for several days. This cheese will never turn into a solid block. It will always remain in a melty state. If you want to return the cold nacho cheese back to dipping consistency, reheat over medium heat while stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Once it is hot and bubbling it might have thickened up too much. You can thin it out by adding a tablespoon of water at a time, stirring it in until desired consistency is reached.
- Please beware, once you make a batch, you will probably eat the whole thing in one sitting. Don't say I didn't warn you!
To make this nacho cheese, first start by soaking the cashews for four hours or overnight. OR if you need to eat this immediately (and I always do), you can skip the soaking, and instead boil the cashews for 10 minutes until soft and tender, then drain before using. Sneaky deaky cashew softening trick.
Toss all the ingredients into a blender and blend until completely smooth. It will be very watery, don’t worry, it will get cheesy!
If you don't have a high powered blender, you may want to pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into the pot to remove any cashew bits that didn't grind up. This will ensure a smooth cheese texture.
Put the pan over medium-high heat. Stir to keep anything from burning. You will start to see clumps forming.
Ooo clumpy. Keep stirring!
Then all of a sudden, magic! Everything comes together and makes this cheesy, melty, deliciousness. Keep stirring and cooking for another minute or two, to make sure it’s finished firming up. It should take about 5 minutes to cook total. That’s it! Done. So easy.
Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Nacho Cheese
My Notes:
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews (see notes)
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 1 ½ teaspoons white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- To soften the cashews: Boil them for 10 minutes until soft. OR soak the cashews for four hours or overnight. Drain before using.
- To make the nacho vegan nacho cheese: Add the softened cashews, water, and all the remaining ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth. It will be very watery.
- Pour into a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, while stirring. If you don't have a high-powered blender, you may want to pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into the pot, to remove any cashew bits that didn't grind up. This will ensure a smooth cheese texture. As you stir it will start forming clumps, and then all of a sudden it will become a cheesy gooey mass of yumminess. This takes about 5 minutes. Continue to cook and stir for an additional minute or two to make sure it has firmed up completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Jane says
I started making this because of your scalloped potatoes recipe, but it's great with everything. I always make it with the extra half cup of water since it still thickens up to what I consider a queso dip with that amount. Stirred it into scrambled tofu with peppers, mushrooms, onion, and salsa today. Terrific. I do leave out the turmeric, though, since I think the paprika and nooch give it a great color on their own, and the turmeric adds a flavor I don't care for in my fake cheese.
Ren says
I didn’t have lemons, so I used apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice AND IT WORKED! It was just as stretchy and gooey and yummy as it looked in the video. It was so good to finally have “cheesy” nachos, because I normally just have guac and salsa. Thank you Sam, you flipping genius!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you love it Ren!!
Laurie F says
Whoa. I just turned cashews into CHEESE! Thank you, Sam, for such an easy-to-follow recipe. I made this last night and then added it over oven-baked french fries and veggie chili with some red onions and pickled jalapenos for a quick, delicious dinner. YUM. Even my picky husband commented on how tasty it was. I'm so glad I found you!
Laura Jackson says
Sam, I only discovered you a few months ago and when I tried the first of your recipes; The Best Vegan Seitan Burger I was blown away!
This nacho cheese has impossibly topped even that!
Thank you for giving me the confidence to go forth and veganize all of my family and friends!
Five stars, Sam and I'm ordering your cookbook!
Knowledge Sourcing says
It is very good post. Helpful and Informative blog. Thanks for sharing this information with us.
Allie says
This queso is a deadly combination of easy to make and freaking delicious! The recipe makes four sizable servings and it reheats nicely. I do sub 1/4 teaspoon cayenne for the paprika and it still turns out bomb.10/10 recommend!
Theresa says
This was so good! I’m already a giant fan of your mozzarella recipe, so I had high hopes for this one and was not disappointed!
It wasn’t the “ooey gooey” that the mozzarella recipe is, but it was the per.fect nacho cheese consistency. We’re Texans, so we’re nacho cheese picky, and this was fabulous. My kids loved it... win!
I added extra miso and left out the added salt to adhere to my WFPB diet, and didn’t miss the salt at all.
Thank you so, so much!
Nikki says
Delicious for sure, however, after it's cooked, it's one big blob. How do I get it to pour over nachos? I've tried adding water after it has cooked (pulled away from the sides etc.), but it is only ever runny when it's first in the pot. What am I doing wrong?
Theresa says
I’d try cooking it just long enough for it to thicken, but not get stretchy. I also used a whisk instead of a spoon, and I think that kept it from clumping.
Kristine says
I'm obsessed with this and I make it often, but I noticed in your video you are able to pour your cheese onto your nachos. Mine always comes out as one big ball of cheese, not pourable. Any tips?
Nikki says
I have the exact same issue. I am going to try it with less tapioca, and see if that helps.
Gayle says
Hi there,
I really want to make this or the nacho cheese recipe from your cookbook to make Mac and Cheese. However, my husband is on a low fodmap diet and can’t eat onion or garlic powders. If I omit these, do I need to adjust the recipe? Thanks for any advice!
Nic says
Made this tonight for my family and they LOVED it! My husband and son LOVE cheese and say they could never go vegan because of that. They were completely satisfied with this nacho cheese recipe. They couldn't believe it didn't have a ton of cheese in it. My husband was a little worried that I'd used a whole block of cheese. AMAZING recipe and it has an incredible taste and texture. It would have to for a 7 year old cheese lover to accept it as awesome.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha that's wonderful! Thrilled you enjoyed it, Nic 🙂
Laura says
WOW this is great. You get all the stars to the moon and back on this recipe. This was delicious as written. Simple ingredients in my pantry and refrigerator. Thank you so much for sharing.
Anne-Marie says
BEST VEGAN CHEESY SAUCE EVER :oD Thank you SOOO much!
My husband and boys (and I) literally fought over the big platter of loaded nachos with your sauce. It's definitely the new family favorite.
I had a bit of trouble getting the sauce to thicken enough even though I had followed your recipe. I wonder if the tapioca flour can vary in quality? I ended up adding maizena which did the trick. Maybe with less stretchiness but still aMAzing!
Marie says
My daughter has decided to change to a vegan diet around the beginning of the year. She is allergic to most nuts though. The ones she can eat are almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds. Could any of these be substituted for cashews?
michelle LaFayette says
I use boiled potatoes, half can of white beans instead of cashews buzzit up taste test it adjust as needed, add more or less tapioca starch cook and enjoy.
Mandy says
This is absolutely delicious! I made a grilled cheese with it - yum. I made poutine with it (let it cool in the fridge, use a small spoon to make "curds") - yum. I also froze some to test, and it was still amazing! I thawed it out in the fridge for a day, microwaved for 30 seconds, and stirred it up - it was melty, cheesy goodness.
Lay says
OH. MY. GOODNESS. You guys, this vegan goddess knows what she's doing. I have tried SO many cheese recipes and the search is finally over! I love this recipe! I poured it over baked potato and topped it with jackfruit BBQ! All the cheese recipe's I've tried were disappointing. I was stuck with big batches of yellow flavorless goo so I halved this recipe just in case I wouldn't like it. I regret not making more! Will definitely make this again as soon as I get my hands on more cashews! I only sub'd the agave with a tiny bit of brown sugar. Follow her recipe exactly. I'm thinking of all the nacho chips, enchiladas, baked potatos, macaroni, popcorn, cheese fries, broccoli and cheese, cheesy potato soup, chips and spicy queso, and frito pies in my future <3
Sam Turnbull says
Aww yay!! THrilled you love it so much, Lay 🙂
Anna says
Scarcity of food at present. Amazon can't ship tapioca flour until April th stores are out. Is there any quasi-worthy alternative? Will cornstarch suffice? No arrowroot on-hand either.
A baked potato is dry without a creamy dressing. Looks perfect...if only I could swap Thebes star ingredient with another
Sara says
I’ve made it without starch before and it’s still very tasty just not stretchy
Mandy says
Hi can I use this cheese in lasagna or wouldn’t it work
Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
Absolutely you can 🙂
Ian Wilson says
Tapioca flour is often known as Arrowroot
Jan B. says
They're not exactly the same. See https://www.spiceography.com/arrowroot-vs-tapioca-starch/
I don't know if arrowroot would have the same stretchy quality.
Anthony Wilson says
In Australia McKenzie's Arrowroot says 'Tapioca flour' on the container and states it is interchangeable. You can actually buy both products at many supermarkets.
Teresa says
I've just started eating and cooking plant-based, and I was excited to try this recipe. I suck at cooking because I'm always substituting more healthy ingredients and it rarely works. So, I followed this recipe exactly and to be honest, I had to force myself to eat a serving, then threw the rest out. First of all, the mixture became very thick so I had to add about twice as much water. It wasn't the consistency of cheese AT ALL. But most disappointing of all, it tasted very bad. Like nutritional yeast and cardboard. Sorry to tell you this. I promise to try more of your recipes and maybe this vegan stuff is an acquired taste.....Thank you for being here for us!
Lonneke says
Love this recipe and use it all the time! Was just wondering if you could blend the ingredients before cooking, and then freeze the mixture? Or would it go weird? I'm just wanting to freeze a few batches to have postpartum, where even 5 minutes to prepare something sounds like a lot of work
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried it but I believe it should work fine. You could also prepare it fully and freeze the finished cheese. Enjoy!
Kristy says
Made this again tonight. This time I left the mixture blending for like 5 minutes. It was perfectly smooth and I ate like at least mmmmm meats half of it over the course of the evening. My best batch ever!!
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing!
Kristy says
I’m not sure what the mmmmmm means typo meant, maybe I was in mid Delicious
Bite and got distracted while talk to texting this review. Just came back to the recipe because I made it again today!
Kristy says
Another Great thing about it is that, It seems like it would stick to the Pot and blender and take forever to clean, but it rinses off like instantly! I just hand washed The pot , the blender, the blender parts and they’re all dried and put away while my cheese is still piping hot in the bowl! Amazing! Best recipe ever!
Jennifer P. says
Made this today and I liked it a lot! Better than a couple other nacho cheese recipes I tried. Its A little sticky, but maybe I heated it for too long. I have everything on hand usually except for the miso paste (which doesn't effect the outcome all that much if you leave it out.)
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed! You can always add a bit more water to thin as needed. ENjoy!
Ann Marshall says
Holy deliciousness, Batman! I made this nacho cheese to use in your black bean and corn quesadilla (they were delish!), and I couldn’t believe how incredibly tasty this cheese was! If the Green New Deal ever comes to the USA and farting cows are banned to counteract climate change, I take comfort in knowing that this cheese will sustain all my cheesy cravings! THANK YOU, Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful, Ann! SO happy you love the cheese 🙂
Kenzie says
Would you be able to substitute tahini for the miso paste? I want to try this recipe out, but I don't think I'd have any other use for miso paste.
Sam Turnbull says
Miso paste adds an umami taste that tahini doesn't have. You can try it but keep in mind that it will not have the same flavour 🙂
Shannon Rodine says
I am allergic to soy, what can be used in place of the miso paste?
Shannon Rodine says
I am allergic to soy, what could be used in place of the miso paste?
Laura says
Shannon, if you can find chickpea miso it substitutes nicely for white miso paste. It's what I use to keep my husband's soy load down (he doesn't have full-blown allergies but has an intolerance to some forms of soy preparation) so that he can have soy when we do something with tofu.
Sam Turnbull says
You could substitute a chickpea miso paste, or try sauerkraut. 🙂
Emilie says
My dad use to make us a big plate of Nacho’s with cheese sauce and mozzarela on top on the week-end when I was I child. This recipe bring me back to this memory and this is even tastier. This is so delicious it’s a revelation to me. I topped it with vegan mozzarella, olive and tomatoes pieces, thank you.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww I love that! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
TAMI MAILLET says
My friend sent me this recipe, sounds yummy but my husband is allergic to nuts, is there a subsitute that I can use?
Sam Turnbull says
Some people have tried it with sunflower seeds with similar results.
Kat says
This used to be my go-to cheese recipe but my son has developed a cashew allergy, unfortunately. Could I use something else in place of cashews like sunflower seeds? I miss this recipe so much! Even omnis enjoy it.
Sam Turnbull says
Blanched almonds or macadamia nuts work very well. Enjoy!
Rita S says
I have made this twice in 24 hours. We love it. Since I don't have a high speed blender, just a regular Kitchen-Aid blender. I boiled the cashews 10 minutes longer.. hoping that would make them softer.. they blended up quite easily.. also my gang is not a fan of Nutritional Yeast so I cut it down to 2 tablespoons. We did not have miso in the house so I made it without. It turned out so well.. THEY LOVE IT and I do too. My husband and 15 year old are the biggest fans. I just added your cookbook to my holiday wishlist. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with the world.. it is a real winner.
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!!!
Hazel says
I did some modifications: subbed (1 1/2 t) vegan lactic acid for the lemon juice, added a jar of pimentos with juice to the blended ingredients, and added a small can of of herdez salsa at the end. Super delicious! I’m going to fake out my office with this for our annual nacho bar along with the bbq jackfruit. Thanks for another great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!
John says
What are your suggestions for using this recipe in a baked vegetable pasta dish? Would you advise poring the cheese once blended into the baking dish and allowing it to naturally thicken?
Sam Turnbull says
I would recommend preparing the cheese fully and then using it. If you want to make the cheese a bit runnier just add more water. Enjoy!
Curt says
This was fantastic! First time using Miso paste and everything came out great! I used the recipe with 1/4 cup of cashews and will probably do the 1/2 cup next time as this was a bit more gooey than I think I ultimately would like but still delicious and a crowd pleaser.
I used this with my modification of your baked tofu bites and in a mexican bowl. Delicious!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww yay! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Curt 🙂
Kate says
Sam, this was great! We didn’t have a high powered food processor, so it wasn’t as smooth, and we didn’t have miso paste on hand, but still super delish! My 10 year old picky eater even like her “fake nachos!”
Isabel says
loved it! added a bit more water because I like the cheese to be a bit more creamy rather than gooey but otherwise I really enjoyed it.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Isabel!
Mary says
Tastes like nutritional yeast to me, recipe was easy enough to make, just not cheesy to me. I will eat the rest, but was hoping for more of a cheese taste. Maybe I will like it more once it chills. I'm making your scalloped potatoes tomorrow but I won't put the cheese on top. My mom made scalloped potatoes growing up and I loved it, she never put cheese on top. Actually we rarely ate any type of cheese growing up, the odd slice of cheese on a burger. This is my 2nd recipe for vegan cheese sauce, so far just not a favorite for me. The 1st recipe had a bite because it used liquid smoke, but didn't enjoy it enough to make again. Oh well, can't all be winners lol
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Mary, sorry you didn't enjoy it more. Just wanted to check that you used all the ingredients and measured them correctly? I ask because there are only 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast along with lots of lemon juice, miso paste, and other spices which together make for a very cheesy taste.
Mary says
Yes, used and measured all ingredients correctly. Since I'm pretty new to wfpb, I think my taste buds haven't changed enough to accept nutritional yeast as being cheese flavored. Here's an example, I haven't eaten mystery meat hotdogs in at least 15 years, I tried vegan hotdogs a couple months ago and I love them. I find zero difference, maybe for someone who has eaten a mystery meat hotdog not that long ago, might not have the same tasting experience as me. I did finish the cheese sauce in 3 days lol I think for now I will hold off on the vegan cheese, maybe try it again in a month or 2.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, I love that story. Yes that makes sense. I remember when I first went vegan I didn't like the taste of nutritional yeast. Now I love sprinkling it all over my popcorn. Sorry you didn't enjoy my recipe more!
Bethany says
Don't worry Mary and don't give up on nutritional yeast. I promise you- your tastebuds will change and you will think it is the best thing ever! I haven't had real cheese in almost 2 years. I actually didn't make anything that resembled the foods I used to make until close to the year mark and now when I make recipes like this amazing one- they taste like heaven.
Angie Moreno says
Hi Sam,
Will it be okay if I use non-pasteurized strong hatcho miso? It's a dark miso and it's the one I have right now.
Lots of vegan love
Angie from Spain
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Angie, I'm sure that would work fine although the taste and colour might vary slightly. Enjoy!
Margaret says
This was wonderful as a melted cheese sandwich--thank you! I miss daily cheese only for the calcium. Can you tell me how you get enough in your diet? I don't like to take calcium supplements, so doubt I may be even close to the daily amount recommended.
Margaret says
I meant "dairy" cheese; not "daily" 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Margaret, glad you enjoyed! I always recommend NutritionFacts.org for any nutrition questions. The best sources of calcium are dark leafy greens such as kale and broccoli. You can read more here.
Kristine says
I don’t love the vegan cheese options in the grocery store so I was super excited to try this. It’s really yummy. I ate it on crackers and it was delicious. My boyfriend thought it tasted like the spray cheese we ate as kids. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Awesome! So happy you enjoyed it, Kristine 🙂
Jessica says
Hi!
I absolutely LOVE your recipes! I just made this for my 4 year old....he actually helped me make it. He loved putting all of the toppings on himself. We had a big gooey mess, but it was a yummy mess! I have one question regarding the nacho cheese. I went with the cookbook version of the recipe and I found the cheese to be a little unmanageable to spread on the nachos. What am I doing wrong? It came on in globs (yummy globs), rather than pouring out like in your video. Can you help? Thanks so much!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Jessica! You probably just cooked yours a little longer which would continue to thicken it up. No worries tho, you can always just mix in more water to reach the desired consistency. Hope that helps!
Windy says
How does this recipe compare with the NACHO CHEESE LOVE found in your Fuss-Free Vegan cookbook? Is one just a newer adaptation of the other, or is one better for certain things over the other? Appreciate your insight.
Sam Turnbull says
The one in my cookbook is the newer version, both are great tho. Enjoy!
Joe says
My review: Damn good!
Sam Turnbull says
Best review yet! Haha!
Lorinda Johnson says
Hi, is the Nutrition information per serving or whole recipe? These sound delicious! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Per serving. Enjoy!
Windwardsunny says
Omg this is delicious! The recipe is spot on. I can’t believe this is vegan cheese . This was great with chips! Can’t wait to have others snack on some. Thanks for the quick easy yummy recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Windwardsunny! SO happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Shari says
Oops! Forgot to mention in my previous comment that I reduced the salt by half!
Shari says
Sam, you are the best!
I used to make a chili con queso dip pre plant based days that was always a party hit. I decided to try making this tonight using your cheezy dip as my base. It was fantastic!!! I made a double batch of your recipe, but omitted 1 teaspoon of agave and reduced the lemon juice by 1-1/2 teaspoons. I added a 10 oz. can of Rotel brand diced tomatoes with green chiles, whole cumin seed, chili powder, dry mustard and some tobasco sauce. It was so close to the original I was amazed. Chili con queso dip is back on the menu now! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing!! So thrilled you enjoyed it, Shari 🙂
Darlene says
I never eat maple syrup, so i used brown rice syrup instead, and it was incredible!
Thanks so much!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Darlene 🙂
Amanda says
Made this tonight for nachos and it was sooo good. Super easy recipe. First time at making a homeade cheese and it was Incredible. I’m making the mozzarella tomorrow. Looking forward to spending less money on Daiya haha. Thanks for the great recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So thrilled you loved it, Amanda 🙂
Linda Melgoza says
Hi just a quick question about the nutritional stats - the numbers given in the description at top of recipe are very different from the ones listed at the bottom as stats. Which one is more accurate?
Sam Turnbull says
Apologies, the nutritional info has been updated now, and is for one serving of the cheese (1/4 of the recipe).
Debbie says
I made this and it tasted so good. I didn't have white miso so used the other. It still tasted good.. I think next time I won't put quite so much salt, but all that being said it was soooooooo good
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Debbie 🙂
Rebecca Regnier says
Hi! I am off sugar including maple syrup and agave. Would you suggest a sub or to just omit completely? Thank you!!
Sam Turnbull says
You can just omit or use a sugar-free sweetener to taste. Enjoy!
Mystique says
Hello,
I love this recipe! I am having a fiesta for my daughters 1st Bday and we will use this for vegan nachos! If I wanted to keep it warm, do you think transferrinf it once done into a crock pot on the warm setting might ruin it over time? I want to keep it warm and gooey for the entire party.
Sam Turnbull says
Oh that sounds so wonderful! As long as you keep it at a lower heat I think it should be just fine. It may evaporate water and get a bit thick, and if it does that you can just whisk more water back into it. It takes a minute to whisk in, but it will smooth out eventually. Enjoy!!
Jennie says
FOR THE SUPER LAZY - I used a 1/4 cup raw cashew butter (no added oil) and 1 cup *boiling* water. My reasoning: I don’t use raw cashews enough to keep them from spoiling. I also have gotten bad batches from the store as well. That’s why I keep a jar of raw cashew butter and keep it in the fridge. It’s already puréed, with no clumps. So for the super lazy this is a great tip. And it worked great for this recipe. WHICH IS REALLY GOOD BY THE WAY.
Sam Turnbull says
Great tip, Jennie!! I will have to try that sometime 🙂
Yulca says
That is an awesome idea, thanks so much!!! I've successfully made this recipe before (yummy as always with Sam's ideas!), but sometimes I'll avoid making something bc I'm too lazy to clean the big blender - but this way, it should work with an immersion blender, too!
Kathleen Cross says
This is AWESOME!!!! I am new to vegan cooking. I recently went on a diet and was seeking a cheese sub that would be healthy. This hit the mark, my son was very sceptical said it tasted like queso. I added some chili, cumin and salsa...very close thank you
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Kathleen!! So happy you loved the recipe so much 🙂
TracyV says
Question, I cannot find white miso paste anywhere around where I live, can I use Red Miso paste, or is there another ingredient I can use in its place?
Sam Turnbull says
You can use red miso but it might tint the cheese a funny colour. You can always order white miso online on amazon if you like. Hope that helps!
Linda J Baillie says
I used red miso, and 1 teaspoon salt (instead of 1&1/2) Everything else was exactly as was written. FABULOUS RECIPE! Thank you so very much! It will be used for nachos, mac and cheese, who knows what else.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! SO happy you enjoyed 🙂
Mara says
Hi!! I've been transitioning to eating plant based and can best describe my recipes as dairy free vegetarian. 🙂
I really dont care for the commercial vegan cheeses like daya, so I am SUPER excited to try this recipe out seeing how simple it looks to make.
In your experience, how does this hold when baking it in the oven-like when adding it on a pizza or casserole that will be in the oven for about 15-30 minutes? Any advice on that?
Sam Turnbull says
Welcome, Mara! Congrats on your new lifestyle 🙂 Yes, this works great in the oven. Just prepare and use in any dish as you like. It will stay melty and even get brown on the top. Enjoy!
Melanie says
I love this cheese , I have used it for nachos , pizza , quesadilla and tacos . I am thinking of making mac and cheese with this cheese , any suggestions to make it creamier?
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love it so much! I actually have that recipe in my cookbook Fuss-Free Vegan. Basically, you can just stir the cheese with the cooked macaroni and some non-dairy milk. Enjoy!
Lorna thomson says
I never leave comments but l made this for over nachos last night and everyone loved it. Best gooey cheese alternative so far on our vegan journey. Brilliant!! X
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful!! Thank you for taking the time to leave this comment, Lorna 🙂
Jillian Glasco says
Hey! Can I use soybean paste in place of miso paste? or does it matter
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried it myself, but I think it should work. I believe soybean paste tends to be much stronger in flavour than white miso, so I would recommend starting with less.
Kimberly Walls says
OMG! This tastes so good! I had some with chips and made some Nacho Cheese jalapeno poppers with the coconut bacon bits! I have a tip for those of us without a high powered blender. At first add only a 1/2 cup of water and blend until very smooth then add the other half and blend. Works great! Also if I replace the tapioca starch with corn starch, will it make a nice smooth nacho cheese sauce?
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it, Kimberly. And yes, cornstarch will make it more of a sauce. Enjoy!
Katie says
This cheese is delicious! My omnivore husband who usually hates any kind of vegan cheese is obsessed with it!! Thank you! If we wanted it a tad less “stretchy” and a tiny bit more liquid-y what would be the best way to do that? Less tapioca starch? Substitute a bit of a different starch? More water?
Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome! So happy you enjoy it, Katie! Yes, you can add more water to reach the desired consistency. Enjoy!
maggie says
I may have commented already last year but it bears repeating, I love this cheese! I use it in so many things and always credit you with the recipe. I just updated a page on my blog today and on my instagram page of a picture of a grilled cheese sandwich I made with this cheese. I give a link to the recipe and tell everyone to bookmark your website!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, that's awesome, thank you maggie 🙂
Georgia says
No words for how good this is!! An absolute must-make. Made the perfect topping for our loaded potato nachos. I am actually eating the leftovers COLD right now as a dip for veggies and it's still bomb. I did use tapioca pearls (ground in the Vitamix) because I couldn't find the flour/starch. Was worried it would turn out gritty, but it was just perfect. Added smoked paprika (which added an amazing flavor!) and extra nooch. Thank you for the incredible recipe!!! xoxo
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!!! So very happy you enjoyed it so much, Georgia!!! 😀
Steve says
I made this so I can have pasta and cheese sauce for lunch. Another winner!
Since I am not an extremely competent cook, I really appreciate how your recipes always work for me.
Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Steve! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Itriedit says
This is the best vegan nacho cheese there is!
Sam Turnbull says
Woot woot!! Thrilled you think so 🙂
Cora says
I made this for the first time tonight & put it on refried beans, with salsa & spinach in ssoft taco shells. So good! And I was totally excited that the recipe turned out as described ( my cooking skills in question, not your recipe - lol).
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha wonderful. Thrilled you enjoed it so much, Cora!
Johanna B. says
After making the 'mozzarella' I just had to give this one a try too (and make use of all that tapioca starch :D). I substituted miso paste with marmite (how very Britsh of me) and it turned out delicious. I'm looking forward to trying the loaded nacho recipe with this *_*
Sam Turnbull says
Oooh! I bet you marmite would be great in this! Fun idea 😉
Sharon says
Hey Sam!
Love all your recipes! One question. I’ve made the Nacho cheese recipe from your book and love it. I noticed that this one has miso paste. Did you add this recently or remove it for the book? Is one better/different than the other
Thanks
Sharon
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Sharon! The recipes in the book are my new versions, but both recipes are great and just have a slightly different flavour just like if you were to buy different brands of cheese. I hope you enjoy!
Sharon says
Sounds good! I bought the miso so will try that version also. LooOove all of your recipes that i have tried so far!!! Thanks for the super quick response!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome! And thank you so much 🙂
Catrina says
Could you use raw sunflower seeds instead of cashews because I am allergic to nuts?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, the colour might be slightly funny, but I have heard that others have tried this with success 🙂
jen says
OMG. My lacto-ovo vegetarian teenage sons scarfed this down so fast...and they are very skeptical of vegan cheese. Next time making a double or triple batch.
Sam Turnbull says
Hahahah! Love it! 😀
Eve says
Help! My daughter likes the look of this but ontop of the allergies to dairy and eggs, tree nuts are also added except almonds. Can we sub the almonds for cashew? You are a life saver. I love your recipes.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Eve, yes for sure, blanched almonds work well. You might need to soften them a tad longer to ensure they are nice and soft. Enjoy! 😀
Counselorchick says
Love this stuff! You omitted the miso paste and it makes no difference. I guess the miso paste was never necessary. Still turned out great. Thanks Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
The miso adds an umami flavour, but of course if you prefer it without, that's perfect! So happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Counselorchick says
Sorry Sam, I meant to say that the miso paste was omitted from the cookbook and the recipe Is still great. I hope the cookbook is selling like hot cakes... vegan hot cakes.
Sam Turnbull says
Ah yes there are some small tweaks and additions in the cookbook 🙂
Julie says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I used to love nacho cheese, and this really hits the spot! I adjusted the recipe to use half the amount of tapioca flour called for, and it ends up just the perfect level of gooeyness.
Sam Turnbull says
Perfect, so happy you enjoyed it, Julie 🙂
Samantha says
Sam, this is really the best nacho cheese out there. I try other recipes to just kinda see how they taste in comparison. This is by far the very best.
I love adding some wine and spinach to it with pasta., it’s so creamy and tasty.
I’ve used it for nachos also. With your tofu crumbles. Yum!
I’m so excited in getting your cookbook. You really make being vegan so easy, so tasty and so earth friendly.
Thank you, our animals love you, the earth loves you and so does my family !
Sam Turnbull says
Oh geeze, you made me blush! Thanks Samantha (great name by the way 😉 ) I'm so thrilled you are loving what I'm doing. It's truely a joy to share my recipes with the world!
Erica says
This is perfect with a dash of cayenne. I've made it twice in two days. The real test was when the hubby likes it and I didnt tell him it was vegan.
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Love it! 🙂
Becca Boo says
WOW! I have made a bunch of different vegan "cheese" sauce recipes over time. A TON. And I usually like them, but the kids aren't swayed. I made this to serve as nachos for a party tonight and when I sampled the finished product I said WOW! WOW! WOW! right out loud to myself. Haha. Super tasty! The stretch in the texture is unmatched in other vegan recipes. Almost reminded me why I stopped eating dairy (that whole coats-your-mouth-with-goo feeling isn't always amazing)... but this is the closest I've had to the real deal since switching to a vegan diet. Love it! Thanks for the recipe. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
(( Can you tell how happy I am? ))
Sam Turnbull says
Hahahaha! WOW! I'm happy to, Becca 🙂
Marlene says
I made this tonight. I used raw cashew butter. (A tip for those without high powered blenders). I also added a little cumin to the cheese. This turned out DIVINE! I do have an awesome Ninja Blender, but it does sometimes leave little grit when blending cashews, and I had the butter on hand, so I used it. It was just great. I can't say enough about it. It was AMAZING!!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Marlene 😀
Katy Mitchell says
@Marlene how mucb cashew butter did you use?
Kimberly Walls says
Marlene I too have a ninja blender and the 1st time I made this it was gritty but I learned a trick. Just put 1/2 cup of water in with all the other ingredients and blend until very smooth. Then add the other 1/2 cup to blend all together. It comes out perfectly smooth that way!
clulu says
i love this recipe its awesome and i tried a few vegan cheeses and this is my fav. i have to say though that i didnt particularly like the texture way too much, a liiiitle too jiggly, and the texture reminds me of something( (i wont say so i wont gross anybody out lol) so what i did was cut the tapioca in half and i loved the texture, it was creamy like velveeta! i did macaroni and cheese and omg i loved it! i did add a little mustard powder (like a pinch probably to it and then like 2-3 tbsp. of plant milk and like half tsp. (i think i dont really measure when i cook) of coconut oil to make it buttery...oh wow! a revelation, the texture was exactly like velveeta and even tasted like it too , i was shocked!
and a tip for anyone who like didnt have miso paste and didnt wanna buy either, i had tahini thankfully, just substitute it w/ that and maybe a pinch of salt (or not cuz my cheese i think came out a tiny bit salty cuz i added that extra salt w/ the tahini)
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed the recipe, clulu and that you were able to adapt it to your own taste 🙂 Thanks for the lovely review!
Renee says
This was delicious. My omnivore husband even ate it.... like, a LOT of it. I loaded it up with layers of nachos, cheese and veggies, but left the top layer without the cheese. Covered it and popped it in the oven for 15 minutes. While it was baking, I added some pickled jalapeno juice into the remaining mixture and then poured it over the top with additional veggies. I will be making this again, for sure! The only thing I felt guilty over was the tortilla chips. Next time I think I'll make my own and skip the unnecessary fat.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy to hear it was so well enjoyed by all 🙂
Meg says
Can you freeze it? If you could freeze it solid you could grate it onto chips and such for an oven baked nacho experiance
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Meg, yes you can freeze and grate it. Just note that it thaws rather rapidly which makes it difficult to grate as it gets ooeey and gooey. I prefer just spooning it over, such as in my Loaded Vegan Nachos. Enjoy!
Danielle says
My husband is vegan and I am not quite ready to take the leap because of my adoration of cheese. I want to make this to see if I can live without cow cheese, but I know nothing of miso. Once it is opened, does it need refrigerated? How long is it good for? I am debating whether I should spend the $10 to buy it if it will go bad quickly. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Danielle,
Miso keeps for a very long time. Once opened I would say at least a year in the fridge. I used to be addicted to cheese, but broke the addiction by cutting it out of my diet, and now the smell is so gross to me! Amazing how your tastes can change. You might be interested in this video about cheese addiction. I hope you enjoy my recipe 🙂
Patti says
Wow, Sam!! This recipe hit the nachos out of the ballpark! The flavor,the consistency- oooey, gooey deliciousness!! (Super easy, to boot!) I have tried many "cheese sauce" recipes before, but the tapioca starch adding the body to this one is the bomb!! Def the key to this ultimate comfort food!. Thank you for this!! X0!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo! Thrilled you loved it so much, Patti! You're right, the tapioca is key. 🙂
Taylor says
What can I substitute for white miso paste?? I can't find it! Thanks in advance.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Taylor, it adds an umami flavour. Just skip it, but you may need to up other seasonings to taste. Enjoy!
Taylor says
Thank you! It was soooo good. My meat eating friends forgot it was even vegan! I loved it.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Perfect 🙂
Amanda says
Could I substitute acv for the lemon juice?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes! It will of course have a slightly different taste.
Ben says
Okay so this could totally be my issue and not the recipe but I didn't really care for it. It wasn't bad by any means but the smell is quite different from cheese and it affected how it tasted for me. I'm happy I made it and got to try it but likely won't be making it again. Nothing beats some good melted queso at a mexican restuarant. Either way, thank you for sharing! It's been a struggle finding foods that I like. I'm not a vegan but I want to be healthier and cut back on processed meats and dairy so I'm always looking for alternatives. It was fun to make! Wish it had turned out better
Sam Turnbull says
Too bad you didn't enjoy it, Ben. Vegan cheeses are never going to be exactly like cow's milk cheese, and I've heard from some people that it takes a little to get used to the new flavours. Best of luck!
Things2Eat says
Unfortunately you aren't likely to enjoy non-dairy cheeses while still eating dairy cheese. When I cut dairy out of my diet I did 6 weeks, cold turkey, and avoided anything that resembled cheese in all forms. After that time my palate had changed and lost the taste for dairy cheese.
If you are going to dabble in non dairy cheese, do remember that any facsimiles will not be just like dairy - getting in to the mindset of renaming things can help! Instead of thinking of a recipe as vegan mac and cheese, call it macaroni and savoury cashew cream (just an example). Good luck!
Karen says
I was very excited to try this last night, but I'm sorry to say was very disappointed. It was indeed very gooey and cheesy-looking, but the smell turned me off. I don't know if it was the miso, the nooch (nutritional yeast), or a combination of things, but it smelled like something very unappealing...Reminded me of when my husband steams mussels in garlic. :-p
I'm not giving up! I'm looking forward to trying the vegan mozzarella next time with the tapioca starch I now have on hand!
On a positive note, I tried the rice paper vegan bacon and it was AH-MA-ZING! The closest thing I've had to bacon in 4+ years. Yum, yum, yummy! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Oh too bad you didn't like it, glad you enjoyed the rice paper bacon tho!
Anita says
I want to try this but my question is "Where is the cheese"?
Anita says
I would like to try this but my son is allergic to nuts. What can I use instead
Sam Turnbull says
This is a recipe for vegan cheese so there is no cow's milk cheese involved. While some readers have tried substitutes for nuts that they are happy with (you can check out the comments here and on my mozzarella cheese recipe), I personally haven't found anything that I loved other than nuts.
Nona says
Since going vegan, I've tried a couple of recipes with nutritional yeast/cashew sauce and haven't cared for them at all. I'm wondering if it is perhaps the brand of yeast I am using. Any suggestions? Sure would love to love this recipe! Miss my Mexican nights with cheese dip!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Nona, it could just be the recipes you've tried, or it could be that you just don't like the taste of nutritional yeast. Have you tried sampling it straight from the jar? The first time I tried it I didn't like it. It took me awhile to warm up to it but now I am obsessed and sprinkle it all over my popcorn. Hope that helps!
Things2Eat says
The Taco Cleanse Cookbook has a nutritional yeast free recipe for cashew queso! There are vegan cheeses that don't have the nooch out there.
Ella says
Hi I was wondering where the 10 grams of protein comes from? According to my calculations, 1/2 cup cashews only has 11 or 12 total while 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast (Bob's Red Mill for reference) has 6 grams. The total would only be 18 grams, divided by 3 is 6 grams of protein per serving?
I am definitely looking for high protein vegan cheeses so just wondering if I missed something?
P.S. LOVED this recipe <3
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Ella! So happy you love the recipe 🙂 I used this nutrition tool in which I copy and paste the ingredient list and it figures out the nutrition for me. Hope that helps!
anonymous says
Just made this... honestly didn't think it would turn out like cheese but it did. It was even better than real cheese. It worked exactly like she said, gooey after about 5 minutes and really firm with 2 more minutes. Minor change i made was to use a food processor instead of a blender: i I soaked the cashews over night, put them in a food processor with 1/2 of the water and the other ingredients.. Once they were really smooth i put it in a pan and added the other 1/2 of the water. It came out excellent. This is a crazy good recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved the recipe so much and that you like it even better than real cheese! 😀
Stephanie says
Thank you so much for this recipe!! It's simply amazing and I can't believe how healthy it is. I tripled the recipe, brought it at a bachelorette party and someone asked me what type of cheese that was. She could not believe it was cashew-based. Definitely going to make this again!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo!! So happy you love it, Stephanie!
Marianne Odell says
Can I just use cashew butter for the softened,blended cashews?
Marianne Alexander Odell says
Ok....I used cashew butter. I don't know if that's the reason it came out looking like a cross between Gerber strained peas and Grey Poupon Mustard....
Sam Turnbull says
Oh doesn't sound very yummy! As I think you discovered, cashew butter is not the same thing. Cashew butter is made by grinding the nuts until the oils release. In this recipe, we are just making a thick cashew cream to make the cheese rich and creamy.
Mary says
Hi! This looks so yummy and it brought up a question I've been needing the answer to... Is there any substitute for nutritional yeast? Or, do you think it would hurt to omit it from this recipe? In case you are wondering why I'm asking, it's because I'm supposed to be on a yeast-free diet, which is practically impossible, but I at least try to avoid obviously yeast(y) things. In this case, the nutritional yeast. Thanks so much!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Mary! Nutritional yeast does provide a cheesy flavour, but it isn't crucial to the texture of the recipe. I would suggest trying the recipe and just skipping the yeast. You may need to boost up the other spices a little, and the taste might not be quite as cheesy, but I still think it will taste good. Enjoy!
Mary says
Wow, that was a speedy response! Thank you! I appreciate you giving me the 411 on the nutritional yeast. Good to know what it contributes to this recipe. Wish I could use it! Still think I might give the recipe a try though and do what you said. I'm only now making the conversion to a vegan diet. Came across your blog and excited to give some of your recipes a try. 😀 Thanks again! (Love the little monster pics that get chosen for us when we comment too. Really cute! haha)
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha, you caught me while I was in the midst of responding to comments. I usually respond to all comments within 24 hours 🙂 Welcome to veganism!!! Let me know if you ever have any more questions or need any support 🙂
Mary says
Awww, thank you so much!! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
No problem!
Kat says
Hey Mary! A little late, but if you're still avoiding yeast, nutritional yeast is a deactivated form of yeast , and so I can't think of any reason you would need to avoid it...
Mary says
Never too late! This tidbit of information helped!! Thank you, Kat!
Krysti says
Hi Mary -
Not sure exactly the guidelines of your diet, but I was looking up about brewer's vs nutritional yeast online and it says both are "inactive" yeasts, meaning they don't cause yeast growth (if you have candida issues) so maybe you'd be able to use it? Just a thought!
Mary says
Thanks so much, Krysti! I looked into it a little more after my initial comment and I think you might be right! Not sure why (when I first investigated) I had found information discouraging its use when on the candida diet. (You were right about that being the issue.) Since then, I've come across the same info you found, so hopefully all will be good. I haven't bought it yet, but I finally spotted it at my local Trader Joe's, so I'm going to pick some up. Thanks again for the reply.
Nina says
I tried this recipe few days ago. Oh my. I couldn't stop eating straight from the pan! Absolutely mind blowing! I never liked cheese when I was still eating meat and I've spent all this years being vegan without paying to much attention to it, but this just changed. Bravo!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo! So thrilled you loved it so much, Nina!!! 😀
Mindy says
Good stuff! The tapioca really makes it! I had some alternate ingredients on hand and tried them out. Instead of water, I used the liquid strained from a can of diced tomatoes and chilies (and reserved those for garnish later). I also substituted the paprika, turmeric and salt with just one tsp of Sazon Tropical (this has other seasonings and coloring in it, so though it made the dip look and taste good, the original recipe is probably healthier). I did not have miso paste and reduced the syrup to 1/2 teaspoon. I ate half of the bowl before also adding a little bit of ground mustard powder and some vinegar from a jar of jalapenos.
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome! So happy you were able to make it your own 🙂
Megan says
I'm obsessed with this. I make spinach and artichoke dip with it and eat the entire thing way to fast! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Perfect! So happy you love it, Megan!
Simone says
As a very new vegan (as in one week) and a former cheese lover I so needed this recipe! Thanks for the inspiration!
Sam Turnbull says
Congrats on your new veganism, Simone!! So happy you enjoyed the recipe. Let me know if you ever have any questions or need any support 🙂
Eloi says
Hey just wondering, when it's refrigerated, does it become hard enough to grate?
Sam Turnbull says
No, it stays melty and gooey.
Cherise says
Ok so I NEVER leave comments about recipes but after making this, I had to. I made it exactly as the recipe showed and it came out delicious! I added close to 1/4 of water afterward though because I found it to be a little too thick. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for a great recipe!! (:
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo!! So happy you loved it so much, Cherise 😀
Imogen says
Hi, is the white miso paste necessary? I cannot find it anywhere.
Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
It just adds some lovely umami. You can skip it, but you might want to boost up some of the other spices a bit. Or you can also order it online. Enjoy!
Matilda Harter-Parish says
Sam, May I ask what brand of nutritional yeast you use ? I currently have on in my refrigerator that I dislike the taste of . Thank you so much for your help. Matilda
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Matilda, I'm actually not very picky when it comes to nutritional yeast as I don't find there is much difference between brands. I think the one I have now was called Purley Bulk, which I bought because it was the cheapest. I will say, however, that I find when storing nutritional yeast in the fridge it can suck up fridge flavours and not taste good at all. Instead, I recommend storing it in an airtight jar in the cupboard. It won't go bad and lasts forever. Enjoy!
Zoe says
Love this recipe! How would it turn out if I used soy milk instead of water?
Sam Turnbull says
I find it gets an odd sliminess to it when using soy or other non-dairy milks, so I wouldn't recommend it!
Javi says
It's true! I made it with almond milk and it turned out slimy hahahaha had to mix some agar agar to it, so it ended up being a block of vegan cheese, still delicious though! Maybe with a tad less lemon juice (maybe my lemons were too sour). Thank you! <3
Prex says
*Hi Javi... Did it melt when you grated/sliced and tried to melt it???*
*And how much agar agar powder did you add???"
*Would really appreciate if you could help with the replies..*
Javi says
It does 🙂 to this quantity of cheese I added 2 tbsp of agar agar powder (powder not flakes) disolved in one cup of water and activated over the stove on low-med heat (here it's KEY that you stir at all times and when it's starts to bubble keep it over the stove for at least 5 to 10 minutes! It will bubble and thicken but keep stirring to activate the agar. After those 5-10 min, add the cheese sauce slowly until it mixes smoothly with the agar still over the stove. Then pour on a mold and refrigerate). 🙂 I hope it helps!
Prex says
*Yeah... Thanks so much.*
Donna V says
Hello! I am dairy free & gluten free but looking to have some comfort food ie grilled cheese, pizza, Cesar salad. I have found a number of vegan cheese recipes this one and the stretchy mozzeralla of yours look the best so far! 🙂 However, I am not able to use cashews. Any other suggestions for the nuts? I see blanched almonds were suggested above but I didn't see any feedback.
Also have you developed a pizza cheese????? Please say yes.
Thank you.
Donna V
Clare says
I have done the original recipe and love it. I put it on mini english muffin pizzas, grilled cheese and tacos. The only problem is cashews are really expensive and other nuts have too much of a "nutty" flavor. I've tried sunflower seeds with the mozzarella recipe, but it was also too "nutty" for my taste. How about tofu? I haven't tried this yet myself, but I think subbing 4oz extra firm tofu for the cashews might work well. I calculated that 1/2 cup of cashews costs $0.91 ($5.70/lb at bulk store) vs. 4 oz tofu costs 61.6 cents ($1.85/12.3 oz). 29.4 cents doesn't sound like a whole lot, but if you like this cheese as much as I do the saving will add up. I'm excited to try this out this weekend.
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried it with tofu, but if it works well, let me know! 🙂
Clare says
I replaced the 1/2 cup of cashews with 1 (~8oz) boiled and pureed potato and added an extra tablespoon or two of tapioca starch and it worked great. I will be cooking it this way from now on because it tastes virtually the same with more convenience and lower cost. Yum for vegan cheese.
Sam Turnbull says
Wow! That's a great tip! Thanks, Clare, I will have to try that 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, blanched almonds work well, you just have to boil them or soak them for a little longer until they are tender so they blend properly. I do have a pizza cheese, but it will be in my cookbook which comes out in October 🙂
Brooke says
All I can say is....WOW. You are a genius. Used this cheese recipe to make a vegan mac & cheese and it was perfect. Even waited till the rest of my family (not vegan) came home just so they could try it & they fell in love with it too. They were pretty much in shock when they found out it wasn't their normal cheese!
Thank you Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! I love that! So happy you enjoyed it so much, Brooke 🙂
Morrigan says
My husband was almost offended that this sauce tasted actually more cheesy than the standard nachos. It was hilarious.
Sam Turnbull says
AHAHAHAHA! That's awesome! Comment of the day for sure! 😀
Sarah says
Didn't have raw cashews, but had cashew milk so I subbed the water and cashews for one cup cashew milk, and it turned out amazing!!!! Definitely kept it at a runnier texture which was actually perfect for pouring on nachos 🙂 I added a chipotle pepper for a bit of an extra smokey spice. SO good
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo! SO happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Joy says
I absolutely love the taste but I made a mistake- my cashews are not as blended so there are still bits. I don't want to throw it away because it's too good. Do you think I can just blend it again? Next time I make, can I substitute potatoes (mashed very well) instead of cashews for my child who cannot have nuts?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Joy, If you have cashew bits left over, I recommend straining the cheese when it is in liquid form before cooking so that all the little bits are removed. I have never tried re-blending it, so I am not sure how it would turn out. I have also never tried potato so I am not sure how that would turn out! If you give it a try, let us know. 🙂
Belinda says
Check out the minimalist baker website she has a cashew-less version made from eggplant.
melissa says
A comment from someone in March said she subbed 1/2 with potato and it worked, not sure if it would work subbing all the cashews ? but maybe you've tried it since posting this in Feb? 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
I tried substituting with all potato. It just made the cheese slimy and not very good (in my opinion).
Carolyn McEvoy says
Well, I finally made this sucker, and it was DEFINITELY well worth the wait. I initially saw that I was missing an ingredient (the white miso paste) and saw from previous comments that it could be left out---- but that it contributed to the Umami taste, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. This recipe is truly "uncious." I can EASILY see this as a cheese substitute on pizza, or just a glob spread out and wrapped in tortilla as a snack. Mine is sorta a little too thick for prolly even the strongest chip (I'm sure I could remedy that with a splash of water or nut milk). All in all though--- EXCELLENT recipe. Extremely satisfying. Thank you, Sam, for the delish recipe. I'll have to scour your website for more delish recipes. Yay!!
Sam Turnbull says
Wohoo!! So happy you enjoyed it so much! Haha, if it gets a little too thick just whisk in a little water or nut milk as you suggested until you reach the desired consistency. So happy you loved it!
Marsha says
Sam, I don't have white miso paste, what about using Braggs Liquid Amino? Could that work? I am dying to try this. I've just started going vegan and oil free. I am ...was... a cheese addict. My husband was buying Taco Bell breakfast bowls all the time, then had some chest pains THAT'S IT! no more cheese for you buddy and I've been trying to get that cheese monkey off my own back for a while now.
Thanks!
Marsha
Sam Turnbull says
Liquid aminos have a very different taste than miso, and also might affect the colour of the cheese. You can find white miso paste in the Asian section of your grocery store or online here. I highly recommend picking some up as it does help with those cheesy flavours. So happy you are making the switch, you are going to feel so much better! 🙂
Marsha says
Thanks, I'll pick some up online. I'll probably be making this a LOT. So plan B it is, I'll try your Vegan Mozzarella!
I also binged on food documentaries over the holidays. Once seen..it cannot be unseen.
Marsha
Sam Turnbull says
It's so true, once you know, you can't un-know. Documentaries are great for that. Enjoy the cheese!
VeggieTater says
I wanted to try this so bad but had no cashews on hand, so subbed in white beans. I'm sure it would be better with the cashews, but it was great!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, good to know that white beans work as well 🙂
Tina says
Anyone try freezing this? I don't anticipate leftovers but I might make a double batch so I have it on hand in the freezer for sudden nacho emergencies.
Sam Turnbull says
It freezes just fine 🙂
Susan says
Can't wait to try this cheese sauce! I've been vegetarian for 5 years and have been transitioning to vegan this year. Having a problem with "letting go" of cheeses, especially cheese sauces for recipes (such as mac & cheese). I'm making some M&C for Easter and just wondered with regards to the amount of servings per 1 recipe = 3 servings...do you think I would have to double the recipe to make a 9X13 dish of Mac & Cheese? Or would one batch be enough? Love your recipes!
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks so much, Susan! I would double the batch, just to be safe. If you have any leftovers you can always enjoy it as a snack or pop it in the fridge or freezer for later. You also might like my nacho cheese recipe which will add a bit more oomf to your mac and cheese. Enjoy!
Era says
I didn't want to believe it...but this cheese exceeded my expectations! You have my trust and I look forward to a future playing with the variety of recipes on this site.
Beautiful and delicious recipe! Used it to make potato nachos. This was the perfect touch.
Sam Turnbull says
Ahaha! That's amazing! So happy I gained your trust Era 🙂
Rebecca says
I've never like vegan cheese until I made Sam's Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Nacho Cheese, which is delicious. I wish this cheese was bit less unwieldy, though-- perhaps it's just like this for me as I may not have added enough water to thin it out? I also wonder if it has to do with the tapioca flour I use? The cheese is so sticky I struggle in smearing it on the quesadilla or over nachos and cleaning the pot I cooked it in afterward is a struggle. I was hesitant to add in too much water at the end while it was cooking as I didn't want to dilute the flavor. I'm curious, Sam how much water, if any, you typically have to add in to thin it out? Another reviewer mentioned being able to drizzle it-- are you able to drizzle it? I've made this receipt twice now and neither time was it even close to a consistency in which I could drizzle it. Even with the struggle to apply the cheese, it's still worth it as it tastes amazing!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Rebecca!
If you are finding the cheese to thick, just add more water to thin it out and stir in. I would start with just a couple tablespoons at a time, and add more as needed to reach desired consistency. Hope that helps 🙂
Rebecca says
Yes, adding water did the trick. Third time was the charm. I think in total I added something like 6 tablespoons but I ended up dividing the batch into thirds and only adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of water at a time. I didn't notice a difference in taste after adding the water.
Sam Turnbull says
Glad it worked out for you 🙂
Diane P says
Ok I know you say not to use anything else but Tapioca Starch BUT I don't have any and right now I'm on a very limited budget. :-\ Anyway, can I substitute Organic Corn Starch or Arrowroot Powder? If so, what are the amounts I should use in ratio to the Tapioca Starch?
Thanks so much for this bangin' recipe and for your help!!!
Di =)
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Diane,
Cornstarch or arrowroot powder, will not give the gooey, stretchy, cheese texture, and instead will just make a sauce. I am not sure of the quantities because I haven't tested the recipe with those. Hope that helps!
Diane P says
Thanks for your reply! I've scoured the internet and found out that it's basically a 2:1 ratio between tapioca starch and the other two.
I'd actually like to use the cheese for the corn and black bean quesadillas, not nachos. Hopefully it all works out! Lol I'll let ya know my outcome after dinner tonight! 😉
Sam Turnbull says
Yes do let us know! 🙂
Diane P says
Ok, here's the deal, lol, I bucked up and gathered change and bought a bag of Tapioca Starch.
Two things: 1.) I reduced the amount of fresh squeezed lemon juice to 1 TBSP after reading other's comments.
2.) This cheese is Da-Bomb!!! My carnivore husband, who usually makes me use his dairy cheese on his servings, asked me to use this cheese instead after he tasted a bite of my Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla! It is hands-down one of the best cheese "sauce" recipes I've made so far, and I've been making them for 7 yrs now!
Good job! Thank you sooooo much for sharing, I can't wait to try some of your other recipes!
Di =)
Sam Turnbull says
Awww wow!!! Best comment ever!! So happy you and your husband love the cheese so much Diane. I'm blushing 🙂
Diane P says
Idk how to include my picture of my baked potato on here but it's beautiful!!! Has broccoli, corn and bean mixture from quesadillas and covered in this nacho cheese. Yum!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Sounds amazing! Pictures can't be posted on my blog, but I would love to see it. Feel free to tag me on Instagram @itdoesnttastelikechicken or post the photo on my Facebook page 🙂
Dianne says
Just made a double batch of this and it was great! I also love the idea of mixing all the dry ingredients first for later use. I live in Texas, the land of queso dip. Next time I'm going to take down the salt and lemon juice a bit (maybe try lime), and add cilantro, pico de gallo, chiles, and cayenne because I like it spicy! Thanks for the great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Ooo love the idea of making a spicy version as well. So happy you enjoyed the recipe so much Dianne 🙂
Beth says
I am TOTALLY looking forward to nachos this week! I could drown in this stuff!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha!! So happy you love it so very much 🙂
Trish says
Delish! I just made 'Mac and Cheese' and I love it! Thanks for sharing...I think I'll prepackage the dry goods and label it 'nacho cheese' so it'll be faster to put together next time! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy. I love that idea of making pre-packaged dry powder. Very cool 🙂
Vanni says
can u leave out the miso or sub it with something? Miso always comes in such large packages.
Sam Turnbull says
Miso adds to the umami flavour of these cheese. If you don't have it on hand you can skip it, I am sure the cheese will still taste pretty good. Enjoy!
Aarti says
Hi, can we replace cashews with almonds. My vegan daughter is allergic to cashews
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Aarti, yes blanched almonds should work fine. They are a little tougher than cashews, so make sure to really soak or boil them so they are nice and tender and blend well. Enjoy!
Comrade Jackson says
Ok, so the look and consistency is just like a nacho cheese sauce but the flavor is seriously lacking. Nothing worse than a delicious looking sauce that doesn't add the desired cheesy flavor. The amount of lemon juice in this recipe seems like too much as that was the strongest flavor coming from this sauce. I'm willing to try this again because you've figured out how to achieve the correct texture for the sauce but with definite alterations for flavor.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww sorry you didn't love the flavour too much. Feel free to adjust the spices as needed.
Dawn says
Oh my GAHD! I cannot believe how easy and delicious this is. I had everything in my kitchen (that's a relief!) and this will be a weekly addition for sure. I have to giggle at the 3 servings though. I am fairly certain I could eat it all while watching a movie. Haha thank you so much for sharing!!
Sam says
Haha! I think that's totally ok, I have definitely polished off an entire plate of nachos with this cheese on more than one occasion! So very happy you loved the recipe so much Dawn 🙂
Shawna Bay says
**WOW*WOW*WOW** I'm SO excited!!! Excellent recipe!! This is the very first time my husband and I have shared a plate of nachos in 6 years!!! When I went vegan those many years ago, nachos were the one thing he was a little sad about, that we couldn't share. I had given up on creating a nacho cheese like this as he is very discriminating but alas this passed with flying colors!! We have had it two nights in a row and he wants it on the menu for company. Thank you SO SO much!!
Sam says
Oh yay!! I am so thrilled to heat that Shawna 🙂 I too love nachos and missed them until I figured out this recipe. Keep calm and eat vegan nachos. Haha!
Sue says
Thanks for the BEST cheese sauce recipe EVER!!
So easy and so good to eat.
I have a tip that I found out, Nutritional yeast is sprayed with synthetic B vitamins and did not know that. I reacted to poorly when I ate NY. When I discovered this, I ordered non- Fortified NY on Amazon and magically - and thankfully I now can eat NY again, mystery solved!
Your recipe is fantastic, Thank you!!
Sam says
Yay!! So very happy you loved the recipe so much! Interesting to know about the nutritional yeast. I will keep that in mind for if anyone else mentions a similar problem 🙂
Jen says
Delicious! I don't usually have luck with cashew cheeses, now I am a convert. I have made this and the mozzarella.
In this one I used chickpea miso and it had a great flavour.
Thanks for the great recipes!
Sam says
Oh yay!! So happy you loved both recipes. Chickpea miso would work great. Thanks for the review Jen 🙂
Lucia says
Yum...it really worked! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Sam says
You're very welcome Lucia!! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Tiffani says
I made this last night and it was amazing! I used white miso paste and and it still came out more brown than the image here. but i honestly don't care because it was so cheese like! I am newly vegan (about 6 months now) and i have made and tried every "cheese" i've seen and this is by far the best! I'm so excited about this! Thank you!
Sam says
Oh yay!! That's so awesome! So happy you loved it so much Tiffani 🙂
Tanya says
A darker miso paste*
Tanya says
Hi there! Thank you so much for this recipe. I made this tonight and it was quite good. I was so amazed by the chemistry of the whole thing turning into stretchy cheese. How incredible! I only had two issues that maybe you can help me with. I used a darker which made my cheese I believe more brown. I would love to get that orange color you achieved. Also, I am gluten free and I realized after that the miso contained barley. Do you know if there are other miso pastes that are gluten free? Thank you so much!
Sam says
So happy you loved it Tanya! Yes, there are absolutely miso pastes that are gluten free and light in colour. I use a white soy miso, but you could also try a chickpea miso. Enjoy!
Vittorio says
Sorry for my English...
I'm from Italy, Italian food is delicious but Italian vegan recipes are tasteless ☺
I just tried to make your cheese... Super super delicious! I couldn't believe it really tastes like cheese.... Thank you thank you thank you for this wonderful recipe, I'm going to try all other recipes of your site!
Great day all! ☺
Ciao
Sam says
Thank you so much Vittorio!!!! So happy my cheese is being enjoyed all the way over there in Italy! Saluti!
Katherine says
I love the complex flavors that come together to make this vegan cheese. I have to practice great restraint to avoid eating all of it at once. I liked it on nachos but I love it in grilled cheese sandwiches.
Sam says
Haha!! Don't restrain yourself! Dig in 🙂 haha. Really happy you loved it Katherine. 🙂
lillian says
I just made this and it is so good! I love melty cheese. Thanks for the great recipes
Sam says
You're very welcome lillian! So happy you loved the recipe 🙂
Valerie says
I tried it and it's delicious, the consistency remembers me of a cheese fondue from the old days. Mine turned quite red though, maybe my paprika is too red 😛 But anyway, it's worth a try and get something cheesy and melty for your nachos!
Sam says
So happy you loved it! Yes, it's totally possible that your paprika is more red than the one I used. If you want a more orange colour, you can cut back on the paprika next time without effecting the taste too much. 🙂
Geoffrey Levens says
Excellent! Just made a batch. I have made a lot of different vegan cheese sauces and this is far better than any other. I used smoked paprika which I think kicks it up a notch but I am sure great w/ regular paprika. Could add a big pinch of chipolte powder if you like ti hot. Nachos for lunch tomorrow!!!
Thank you
~G
Sam says
Yay! That's awesome! So happy you loved the recipe so much Geoffrey!
Jess says
I made this for some friends and family tonight and it was a huge hit! We scraped the saucepan clean. Even my committed carnivore/vegan-sceptic brother came back for seconds. The kids adored it too. I looked for white miso in my local supermarket but not sure if what I ended up using was the brown or white variety as it was all in Japanese, was quite miso-y but delicious nonetheless and once we poured it over our quinoa and black beans, brown rice salad and corn chips it was incredible. Thank you, thank you!
Sam says
Yay!! So happy you, your friends, and your family loved the recipe so much! It makes me so happy especially when non-vegans love vegan recipes! We will woo them one delicious dish at a time, muhahaha!
Diane says
Where do you find miso paste, and if it's unavailable what can you substitute?
Guylaine says
You can find miso paste at any health food store
Sam says
Thanks Guylaine,
That's right, it can be found at a health food store, but if you have trouble finding it, it is just a flavour and adds a nice umami. If you needed to skip it, I am sure the recipe would still taste pretty good. Enjoy!
Sherri says
We topped a plate of nachos with this cheese tonight to eat while watching the football game, and we are happy to report that the recipe is a winner!
I didn't have miso paste so I just omitted that ingredient (it tastes salty enough without it so I don't think I'd worry about buying some for the next batch.) I might also cut back the lemon juice ever so slightly, maybe by just a teaspoon, so the flavor is slightly more creamy than tangy.
Thanks for putting the nachos back into football night!
Sam says
Yay!!! So happy you loved the nachos Sherri 🙂 Yes, absolutely, feel free to play around with your own measurements and seasonings to get it just as you like it. So happy you have have nachos on football night again too! 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Sam! This looks aaamazing, congratulations!! 🙂
I only have "Mame Miso" on me and was wondering if you knew if this could work instead of the white. It's a very dark brown miso and ingredients are: Whole soy beans, sea salt, water & koji. Again, incredible job, cannot wait to try this! xx
Sam says
Hi Olivia, Thank you!
Yes I think that will work fine. It might alter the colour a bit, so just be aware of that. Enjoy!
Jim says
Hi
Living in the land of metric, I've converted the cups to grams and ml and tried them out (it worked!)...
35g Raw Cashews
235ml Hot Water
I know I'll be back here for the recipe again, so this is a note to self.
Is it possible to get metric-ized versions of the recipes on the site too, for your European followers?
Jim
Jim says
PS Made the cheese to go with nachos and blackbeans. Excellent stuff, will definitely use again!
Sam says
Haha, perfect!!
Sam says
Hi Jim,
I'm glad it worked! I don't actually have a kitchen scale (I know, shame) but here is a handy dandy chart that converts cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons to Ml. Does that help?
Notes to self in the comments are a great idea. I am sure other people will find it helpful as well. 🙂
Brandy says
Hi, thank you for all your hard work and then sharing with us all! I am dying to try this recipe but I have a ton of allergies... Can the miso paste be left out or is it critical to the cheese flavor? Thank you for your advice!
Sam says
Hi Brandy,
You're very welcome 🙂
Yes, you can leave the miso out and there shouldn't be a problem.
Enjoy!
Sam
Amy says
This was delicious and made a kick @ss grilled cheese sandwich and some very good chips & cheese snacks. It was a bit "sharp" for my taste but I think that's the miso I have. I'll probably reduce the lemon a smidge next time to compensate. SO GOOD! I'm drizzling the last of it over my chili tonight.
Sam says
Yay!!! So happy you loved the recipe Amy, and yes, feel free to adjust the flavours to your own taste preference 🙂
Beth says
You were right. Nothing left to refrigerate! Delicious!
Sam says
Haha, so happy you enjoyed it Beth!!
Meg says
Hi, thank you for this recipe and mozarella recipe. I am in transition from vegetarian to vegan and looking for recipes of my favourite dairy products.
Do you know why it is so high in sodium? Is it because of salt?
Sam says
Hi Meg,
Your super welcome!!
Yes, most of the sodium is from the salt, and a little from the miso paste. You can adjust those to your preference if you like, it won't affect the texture, only the flavour.
Let me know if you have anymore questions or if there is anyway I can help you with your transition! 😀
Carolyn says
Thank you for the recipe, will try on my Seventh Day Adventist family. They are trying to
lose weight and stay away from most meat. All love Mexican food and Nachos are just
what they love.
Sam says
You're welcome Carolyn! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Martha says
Thank you for this recipe, I made it and it was actually delicious, so good to have nachos again!
Sam says
Yay! So happy you liked the recipe Martha. Thanks for commenting! 😀
Kristi says
I finally made this tonight. It was so delicious! I made it to use on tacos. One of my kids said it reminded him of queso dip, so I'm seeing something like that in our future.
Sam says
Yay! So happy you and your kids loved it. Thanks for sharing Krisit!
Paige says
This was great, as was the mozzarella! I did not have the tapioca flour or starch. (I live in Costa Rica with limited resources), but used a good organic cornstarch brought back from US. I only used 1 1/2 tablespoons, checked some equivalency charts. As you said, not as much stretch but still very cheesy, and tasty, and gone in a flash! Thanks!, P.s. I harvest my own cashews here as you really can't buy them. I also get cashews when I go to Nicaragua that are harvested and sold buy local families. So, that fact that this recipe uses only 1/4 cup is great!
Sam says
Yay! So glad you loved it Paige and that you were able to make adapations as needed. Harvest your own cashews? That's neat, they are the funniest looking plants! 🙂
Amanda says
OMG, I just looked up images for Cashew plants, lol..... so strange looking! They seem labour intensive to harvest, perhaps this explains why they are so expensive lol
Sam says
Haha right!? Weirdest looking things. I am sure that's exactly why they are so expensive.
christophe says
cant wait to try it! I bet its even better than the other mozarella cheese 🙂
have you ever thought of making one specific for pizza?
Sam says
I have now! haha! That's a great idea. I think a pizza specific cheese would have to get firm enough to grate, and then be melty and stretchy coming out of the oven... now there's a challenge. I love it!
Eibhlin says
I am looking forward to that email 😉
I am trying this one out at the weekend. Your mozarella is already a firm favourite.
Sam says
Haha, great! I will work on that one too.... 😉
Eibhlin says
I love and admire your creativity 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend.
Sam says
Thank you so much Eibhlin! 😀
Kristi says
This looks amazing!!! I'm leaving work and reading email as I walk out. Now I need to stop at the grocery store for cashews. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Sam says
Be careful where you are walking! Haha. I hope you like the recipe Kristi!
Jenn says
There is nothing better than tortilla chips and gooey cheese sauce! This looks incredible! Must try!
Sam says
Agree. Haha! I hope you love it 🙂
Delia says
How did you know what I have been thinking of lately? I can't tell you the last time I ate nachos but earlier this week I made an enchilada bowl (faster than real enchiladas as you don't have to roll up the filling in the corn tortillas and then bake and since I haven't found Non GMO corn tortillas I don't mind skipping that part - instead I just put the yummy stuff on a rice quinoa blend and eat it that way. I was thinking this would make for good loaded nachos. And then I thought heck I would be happy with some plain nachos (with Non GMO corn chips of course). Sounds yummy! Also I would like to have some grilled cheese vegan style. I am at work right now though so I can't make anything so yummy. Bummer! I look forward to making this later on though.
Sam says
Haha, apparently I have magical brain wave sensing powers. That enchilada bowl sounds delish!
Katie says
I had (vegan) nacho's for the first time in a long time at the Toronto Vegan Food and Drink Festival last weekend and I would love to try to replicate that, so this is very timely. Thanks, I will be making this very soon.
Sam says
Oh I was there and I didn't get to try the nachos there. I hope mine are up to snuff!
Honey's Quilling says
Yum! I made a recipe very similar to this, I'll have to try your exact spice ratio! After having the mozzarella version I knew I had to have a cheddar version! It makes delectable grilled cheese sandwiches too!
Sam says
Yes, I love vegan grilled cheese! In fact, I might just have to have one for lunch. 🙂
Emma says
My family LOVES the melty stretchy mozarella, and I've actually been using it on nachos up until now. I can't wait to try this!
Sam says
Yay!! I hope you like this recipe as well. It is a bit more flavourful and is perfect for nachos. Omnomnom.