Learn how to make this Easy Vegan Mexican Cheese Sauce with ONLY 6 ingredients and 10 minutes! Goes amazing on tacos, burritos or just as a dip. Dairy-free, oil-free and so delicious! RAVE REVIEWS by every reader!
Ok, I’m obsessed with Mexican flavors. I borderline want to carry around cumin and chili powder and salsa around with me, everywhere I go. But I’m not that crazy. This recipe was totally not what I was planning to post today, as I specifically created it as a quick cheese sauce to go with another recipe that a reader specifically requested, which is this Big Time Vegan Mexican Bowl. However, after whipping this up and tasting it, both my hubby and I agreed, it needed it’s own post. I didn’t want it to not get it’s fair share of attention, haha. Plus, can you believe this is my first time ever posting a cashew cheese?
NUT-FREE VEGAN MEXICAN CHEESE SAUCE
If you are allergic to cashews, don’t worry, I tested a nut-free version made with tahini for you too! I would say though, if you hate tahini, it may not be for you. We loved it, not as much as the cashew version, but it does have a slight tahini flavor, so keep that in mind. If you are avoiding fat or allergic to nuts, then be sure to try my super popular Nut-free Vegan Cheese Sauce. I get tagged basically daily on Instagram from you guys making it, so check it out. You could always add some cumin, chili powder, etc. to give it a Mexican flavor.
YOU ONLY NEED 6 TOTAL INGREDIENTS
As you will see, this vegan cheese is incredibly easy, as all my recipes are, but this one is like 10 minutes! Just 6 ingredients, total, including salt & water! I wanted this cheese to have a strong Mexican flavor, so a good dose of cumin and salsa is added to a base of cashews, water, nutritional yeast and salt.
The combo of the nutritional yeast and the acidity and spices from the salsa give an amazing cheese flavor and spiciness. Some people like nutritional yeast, most do, but there are a few that don’t. I personally love it. In fact, I don’t think things taste very cheesy without it, so it’s a must for me in cheese sauces. I think it’s even more important for a Mexican flavor, like with this Easy Vegan Mexican Cheese Sauce.
It’s truly shocking how darn delicious this is, considering how simple it is. It’s creamy, smooth and the perfect dip consistency. I had a couple of non-vegan friends try it and it won over big time! Give it a try. It will be great on tacos, burritos, as a dip, etc.
MORE VEGAN CHEESE RECIPES
- Best Vegan Queso
- Pimento Cheese
- Strawberry Cream Cheese
- Baked Smoky Cashew Cheese
- Baked Herbed Cashew Cheese
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Easy Vegan Mexican Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (108g) raw cashews (SEE NOTES)
- 3/4 cup (180g) salsa (I used Trader Joes medium heat, this makes it spicy, if you don't want it too spicy, use a mild salsa)
- 3/4 cup (180g) water
- 6 tablespoons (36g) nutritional yeast (I highly recommend this Sari brand, it is non-fortified with much better taste.)
- 1-3 teaspoons ground cumin (to preferred taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon + 1/16 teaspoon salt
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- First, you will need to soak your cashews if you don't have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix. Soak the cashews in a bowl filled with water overnight or 8 hours, drain and rinse and proceed.
- Starting with just 1 teaspoon cumin, add everything to your blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add any more salt if desired. I found the amount to be just perfect, based on the acidity that came from my salsa, but you may need to adjust.
- Add the sauce to a small pot and turn the heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes, just until it's thickened up some. You will notice it thickening. Whisk occasionally along the sides, so it doesn't stick too much. Don't really walk away while cooking it, as it cooks quickly. Don't worry if it sticks a little, you can always smooth it back out. It's important to cook it on low heat because if it's too high, the cheese will get too thick and turn crusty. About 5 minutes should do it.
- The tahini version will take a bit longer to thicken up. The color will darken some after cooking, to a more true cheesy color. Pour in a serving bowl and give it a good stir to smooth out. Pour extra salsa on top if using as a dip, if desired. Mine was spicy, so if yours is mild, it's a great idea to add a little extra salsa on top and it not be too hot. Serve immediately with chips, over tacos, burritos, etc.
- Store in the fridge. It will thicken as it sits in the fridge, so give it a good stir and thin out a little with water if desired (mine didn't need it), but it stays really creamy and smooth. Reheat on low.
This cheese sauce is to die for! I crave it even more than I did dairy cheese. Thank you for sharing such amazing recipes and making veganism possible.
Wow, that is so amazing to hear Nicole, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback!
Wow Brandi! I was searching through your FB page trying to decide what to make for dinner and came across this Mexican cheese sauce. I decided to make tacos with lettuce cups and this sauce. This cheese sauce is SO AMAZING!! I licked the spoon clean! My boyfriend loved it too! Definitely a staple. Cumin is probably one of my favorite spices. You’re a genius!!
aww thanks so much Lindsay! This is hands down my favorite cheese sauce too, so I’m so glad to hear you both loved it so much! I pretty much put it on everything and anything I can find, lol!
I just made this for a party tonight. I doctored it up by putting garlic powder, pepper, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. I have a tiny crockpot to heat it in. Delicious! I was licking the spatula (after it was all in the crockpot- no double dipping LOL). I boil my cashews for 20 minutes because I never like waiting for them to soak. I also think boiling results in creamier sauce faster.
Wonderful Marni! An extra spicy version sounds lovely! I sometimes add cayenne to mine too for an extra kick, but I have to save it for myself because my daughter and hubby don’t like too spicy, lol!
Amazing!!! I just made a batch for the first time and had to slap my own hand to stop eating it. I was dipping my homemade oil-free corn chips in it. What a great combo! Thanks for your work inventing and protecting good, healthy vegan recipes.
Is it possible to replace the cashews with almonds?
Hi Holly! Unfortunately, I have never been able to get almonds nearly as smooth as cashews because they have skins on them and the texture is different so it would really change the taste and texture. I have provided another alternative to the cashews, with tahini that I tested, but those are the best versions.
Omg!!! I just ordered the nutritional yeast from your link and as soon as it arrives I will make Mac and cheese with black beans. I love your recipes. I am going to try your confetti cake next just waiting for the cake pans and vanilla powder from Amazon to arrive. I love that you provide links to your ingredients. Thank you Brandi you are awesome!!!
Yay Molly! Can’t wait to hear what you think! So glad it is helpful to you!
BRANDI! This is BETTER than any Nacho Cheese sauce I’ve never eaten! I’ve got a party this Friday with my carnivore friends..gonna trick them! Ha ha…love you for your creations. You really are a food artist! Thank you!
Oh that makes me so happy to hear Carol! Thank you so much for the feedback! Woohoo!
Well I FINALLY got around to making this tonight. Wow, this is the quickest and easiest-to-make cheese sauce that I’ve ever made! Oh…..did i forget to mention TASTY??!!! This was SO tasty! So I made a huge platter of nachos for dinner tonight (yes….dinner lol). I topped it with this cheese sauce, some refried beans with taco seasoning mixed in and topped with black beans and diced green chilis. These nachos were gone in record time and my husband kept saying over and over “wow these are so good….these are SO good” and he also kept saying “I feel like I cheated on our vegan diet” lol. As always….I’m blown away by the easy and tasty recipes you so lovingly share with all of us!!!
Aww Samantha I’m so very happy to hear you loved this so much! Sorry I missed this comment somehow before but thank you very much for the feedback!
OMG!!!! This is heaven. I loved this. I just doubled the recipe and poured it straight out of the blender over noodles, corn, black beans and broccoli. I love this. I was licking the extra sauce out of the blender. Amazing!!!
Wonderful to hear that Molly, so happy you loved it! Thank you for the feedback!!
Is there a substitute for the nutritional yeast? I just started experimenting with it and do not care for the flavor.
Hi Laura, unfortunately not. Since there is 6 T of the yeast in here, without that, it will really not have the right cheesy flavor. I think it is hidden well with the salsa, but if you don’t like it then you may notice it. I am experimenting with a cheese that doesn’t have any nutritional yeast. You could try adding a Tbsp of lemon juice and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar instead of the nutritional yeast and that may work.
Made this for vegan nachos for a non vegan friend and this sauce blew both of our minds! Soooo amazing ! thank you !
Yay! So glad to hear that, thank you so much for the feedback!
This was absolutely incredible. A huge hit at a party I threw this summer. When I stored it I put it in a container with guac & OMG the combo of the 2 was orgasmic! Making this again for a Christmas party. Thanks for the fab recipe!
That’s so awesome to hear Jocelyn, haha! Thank you so much for the feedback and so sorry I’m just seeing this comment!
If I have a really good blender like the new ninja do I need to soak the cashews at all? Thanks so much :)!
Hi Aysha, I have never used a Ninja, so I’m not sure if it would get the cashews 100% as creamy as a Vitamix. I would just heat them up for 10 minutes in boiling water, drain and then blend and that should do it 🙂
Hey!!!! I’ve discovered your website and I’m so happy to have stumbled across it because I’ve tried many of your recipes and they have turned out great. This one in particular I was curious about but worried because of the tortillas.I had a bad experience with some that I tried to bake at home and they tasted gross…had a really processed flavor. I’m doing my best to avoid oil so baking tortillas are a must for me right now. I was fortunate enough to have found a pack at Whole Foods in the freezer section that had no wonky ingredients and they worked perfectly. The sauce…love love. I made it with a few adjustments like adding cayenne pepper, chilli powder, and paprika along with the ones you listed. It had a nice flavor, but to add a twist to it, I added black beans, guacamole verde, chunky salsa, and fresh cut onions to top it and to made it into a “cheesy” black bean dip. Added lemon juice and sea salt to the tortilla chips before baking for crisp. Had a big plate of salad with NO DRESSING and ate everything with my fingers, it was delicious and so filling. Will most definitely be making this again!! Thank you very much for this recipe!!
So glad you loved it Geneka, thank you so much for your kind comment!
OMG!!! just made this to put on top of nachos….amazing!!!! so easy to make too
Yay! Thank you Lizzette, glad you loved it!
Thanks for this yummy recipe. I followed it exactly as written except as it was on the stove I added a small can of diced green chilies just for the heck of it. My husband, who hates anything “meatless” or “vegan” dipped a tortilla chip into it, cursed loudly and said he could eat the whole bowl! We love it!
Haha, love it Laura!! So funny! So glad you both loved it and green chiles sound really yummy!
I have to say I was skeptical…I’ve tried faux cheese sauce before and haven’t liked them. I was happily surprised to taste this recipe! Sooo good!! I can’t wait to try it over my jackfruit nachos this weekend!! Thank you for my new go-to “cheese” sauce!
So very happy you loved this cheese Christine, thank you so much for the feedback!
I want to make this for a party, but do you have any suggestions of how I can keep it warm without over cooking it and having it get crusty??? TIA!!
Hi Kelly, I have never tried keeping it warm like that, I just heat it up and then serve it up in a bowl and stir it a few times while it sits. Like with regular cheese it will form than thin skin at top as it sits, but a quick stir fixes it right up. As far as keeping it warm, it would have to be a really, really low heat because otherwise I would imagine it would continue to cook it and with cashews, that as I’m sure you know will just continue to make it thicker and crust up the bottom. Maybe just a warming plate would work?? Not sure, let me know if you try something!
Wow!!!! I printed out your “cheese” recipe weeks ago and have been too nervous to make it…. I’m not that confident in the kitchen…. yestetday I finally made your sauce for our enchiladas! Why oh why did I wait sooooo LONG!!!! It waz ah-mazing and super easy to make! For those of you like me putting off attempting NEW recipes, don’t wait ANY longer…. just go and make it!
Thanks Brandi for a delicious recipe…. one that even my NON-vegan husband enjoyed!!! I didn’t change a thing and it turned out super YUMMY!
Yay Brenda! This is like the best feedback ever! Thank you so very much for making it and leaving your awesome review, it really made my day!
Hi – can this be made without the salsa?
Hi Nancy, no that is a large portion of the recipe and what gives a big portion of the liquid and taste that helps it taste so cheesy. It won’t taste nearly the same without it. Salsas can be found at any grocery store.
Love, Love, Love this Mexican Cheese Sauce! It was so quick and easy to make! I couldn’t keep my finger or spoon out of it and wanted to eat the entire batch! I made the Mexican Black Bean Cheesy casserole and used this cheese sauce! I will be making it every week for awhile! My family loves it! Thank you so much for all the time you take for creating so many delicious recipes!
Yay!! So happy to hear that Jeanette! Thank you so much for the lovely review!!
I make many recipes on your site and always have success. Why didn’t I come to your site first when I was looking for a cheese sauce for a 7 layer dip???? I went through two other recipes that 1) Did not taste good and 2) Were not this easy. I made this in my NutriBullet and did not soak the cashews and it came out perfect. THANK YOU for another tasty and easy recipe!
Very, very good. I made this with the Mexican bowl — it was very attractive, and the whole family ate everything in their bowls. I call that a win. Thank you!
That’s awesome, thank you so much for the review Thera! Great that the whole family ate it all up!
Just have to comment again because it’s so good and I Love how EASY this is to make! Easiest and tastiest cheeze sauce ever. HANDS DOWN! My only problem…..I keep forgetting to double the recipe because we just can’t stop eating it and one batch isn’t enough for my family of 5! Lol
Thank you so much Samantha for this awesome review, love hearing that!! I really appreciate it! Haha, yes double it for sure! Would you mind star rating it if you get a chance? Thank you!
This sauce is so delicious. I make it weekly and the whole family enjoys.
That makes me so happy to hear, thank you Erin!
Delish and amazing!! I am always looking for a cheesy sauce or home made cheese that is GOOD. This is it!!
I made vegan tacos with walnut mushroom chorizo and this sauce with red cabbage, cilantro and avocado. They were GREAT. My hubby and I-don’t-like-your-vegan-food daughter had seconds!!!
It was all about the queso.
You are a wizard.
S
Oh yay! So excited to hear that Sue! So glad everybody loved it! Thank you for the awesome review! Would you mind star rating the recipe as well, I would really appreciate it! You have to leave a comment to do so, thank you!
Easy and excellent! Will be in heavy rotation in my (lazy) vegan household. I also added a LOT of black pepper. YUM!
SO awesome to hear Chenell!
HI and many thanks for your website and work, much appreciated.
Forgive me my ignorance but I’m not imaginative in the kitchen.
I’m from, and live in the uk. When you say salsa for this recipe what
can I do for this here?
Thank you.
Another recipe score from you!! I made this last night, and we had it again tonight for Sunday night leftovers 😀. I followed the recipe exactly, except I used Newman’s own mild salsa. Truly easy peasey and yummy. Thank you!
So glad to hear that Lisa!
Ah-maz-ing. Make it all the time. If I do decide to post it somewhere online I will definitely link you! Thank you!
Yay! Wonderful feedback Roanne, thank you!
I was thinking of using this on top of a casserole. Will this cheese crisp up nicely to form a nice crust if placed under the broiler for a couple of minutes on top of my mexican quinoa casserole?
Hi Jen, yes it should brown along the edges and firm up since it is cashew based!
Looks like I’m 3 years late, but had to gush because it’s so delicious! I added 2 extra tablespoons of nutritional yeast, and used 3 teaspoons of cumin. I add the water slowly so the cashews breakdown better. The whole family loves this…they simply eat it with chips. My new obsession is eating this on top of seasoned black beans & diced tomatoes (cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper…all to taste)….it takes all of 10 minutes to make and I’m told it tastes like chili…I call it heaven!
SO very glad you loved it Rach, thank you!
Thanks for the recipe!
I’m surprised. it’s pretty dang good! doubled the recipe and will try freezing half. it has a really nice consistency and texture to it. it feels just like a cheese type dip, and tastes pretty comparable to real ‘nacho’ cheese. I keep dipping chips into it before putting it away >.<
I will definitely keep remaking it.. plan to use for taco salad dressing etc….
I am clearly late to the party as I see this was posted a few years ago. I rarely comment on the recipes I find online, BUT this is an exception. I just made this tonight and was amazed at how delicious this was! Literally the BEST vegan cheese dip I’ve made. In addition to following your recipe, we simply added some hot sauce since we like our food with a little kick. Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe. For the super bowl tomorrow, we are trying your queso and cannot wait to taste that. Thanks for the simplicity!
Woohoo Marie, I’m so glad to hear this is the best you’ve ever made! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the queso too! That one is my favorite!! Thanks for the amazing review!
This was super yum! It would be AWESOME to have the nutritional info?
I’ll add it today Juliet, thank you!
So delicious & cheesy! It reheats well & is great for a burrito bowl.
Can this be used to make mac and cheese?
like to mix the sauce into cooked pasta?
Yes, I believe so, but it is kind of thick, so you may need to thin it out a little with milk or water. Also, it is a Mexican cheese flavor. Or, you can make a mac n cheese with my mozzarella sauce, it is SO good! https://thevegan8.com/best-vegan-mozzarella-cheese-no-oil/
One of the things I have missed the most is cheese – I put it on everything! This cheese sauce made me do a happy dance for the first time in awhile – it is so good! I made a nacho bowl and doused it with this sauce. It was so good! I may have eaten a few extra chips just dipped in the sauce. I am looking forward to using this to make an enchilada casserole soon! Oh, and the quesadillas!
WoW WoW WoW , seriously this is addictive !!! Why eating animal products when we can achieve even better and healthier food …I didn’t have salsa so I drained à can of Rotel measured 3/4 thank i used the drained juice and I added more water to measure 3/4 cup. I only used 1 tsp cumin and 4 table spoons of nutritional yeast this was plenty for me , maybe a tad more cumin but I can always add more in the saute veggies ..thank you , I can imagine eating this with nachos .
Made this today and I loved it! Best cheese sauce hands down flavor wise. Now I need to calculate calories per serving!
This is by far my favorite vegan nacho cheese sauce! I love throwing it on tacos, nachos, dipping chips in it! It smells amazing, tastes delicious, and is so quick and easy to make!
OMG!!! I literally just made this cheese sauce and just came up for air to rate it. If I could give it 100 stars I would. This is delicious 😋 I made your vegan ranch dressing the other day and just knew that whatever you put your stamp on would be outrageously delicious, and I was right! I’m so glad you’ve come into my life 😊 I’m a newbie to eating vegan and you make heating healthy very easy. Thank you 🙏🏽
Woohoo!! Yay!! Thank you Claire!
Thankfully I didn’t use the amount of suggested cumin! I only used 1 teaspoon and it’s still very overpowering, I would use half next time. I can’t imagine three it would be inedible.
I like the amount, but we are all different, so definitely use what you prefer!
How would I just this recipe if I wanted to use cash you butter instead of Rock cashews?
Use the same gram weight amount, which would equal close to 7 tablespoons cashew butter.