Easy Nacho “Cheese” Dip (Vegan+GF)

I didn’t think it could be done……

A cheese-less cheese sauce my friends, it’s real, it’s possible, and you can easily do it for yourself. You may be familiar with this kind of thing already, or you might be thinking “What do you do you even start with to make something like this?”

You ready for it? It’s actually a dip based on cashews! The ingredients are similar to what I made this mac and cheese with a while back but it’s way easier. Let me just tell you that, only a few years, ago I wasn’t familiar with this concept at all. Even then, the first time I did learn about such a thing I was very skeptical. I mean, cheese made from nuts? That sounds a bit crazy, don’t you think? Surprisingly though, it works!

One of my favorite parts about this dip is how party-friendly it is. These days it seems that we all have at least one person in our lives who has a food allergy to something like gluten or dairy. If not they’re still probably avoiding at least one food or food group. That’s why I found this to be such an awesome find because it contains no gluten, no dairy, and no oil. Of course, there are those with an allergy to cashews, so that’s one that this isn’t free of, but still, it’s doing pretty well otherwise.

This is a recipe I’d recommend trying to anyone though, not just someone who avoids gluten or dairy. I don’t know what it is exactly, but there is just something really satisfying about seeing the surprise on people’s faces when you tell them this “cheese” sauce has no cheese.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, this dip has gotten high ratings from everyone who I’ve shared it with. It’s also amazing to use in any recipe you’d use nacho cheese sauce with. An obvious one being nachos (duh), but then you can also use it for mac’n’cheese, cheese fries, tacos, sandwiches, and so many other things. Basically, it’s a sauce worthy of a revolution and I can’t wait to know what you think.

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Easy Nacho "Cheese" Dip (Vegan+GF)

Ever wanted to make a cheese sauce without the cheese? Well it's totally possible and super easy!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium red onion peeled
• 1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight
• 1 medium potato peeled and cubed
• 1 cup carrot chunks
• 1 4.5 oz can diced green chiles
• 6 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Delicious but not 100% necessary:
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• green onions or chives

Instructions

1. Place the carrots and potato in a small saucepan with a lid and fill the pan with enough water to cover them. Place over medium high heat and boil until the carrots are fork-tender, about 12-15 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and drain through a colander then set aside to cool for at least 5 minutes.
2. Combine the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Top with fresh chives or green onions if desired.
3. Serve hot or cold with chips, crackers, veggies, or anything you'd like.