Full disclosure: We came upon a recipe for a vegan cheese sauce that was low in carbs, oil and nut-free and super easy to make. However, we had to put our spin on it, because it was too bland for our liking (SORRY)! It’s recipe time, friends! Introducing our Smoky Veggie Cheeze Sauce!
Last year, there was a lot of hype around a cheese sauce made with potatoes, carrots and onions. We tried it too. Pretty good! But what if you don’t want all the starch and carbs (for a change)? Well, we came upon a cool recipe for one that switched out the potatoes for a head of cauliflower. We thought we’d give it a try, but it sure was bland. We’re all about the flavors here! So, we reworked the recipe to amp up the flavor and make it smoky.
Boiling veggies, blending them up with white miso and spices made a solid base. But we love smoked cheesiness here. So, in went liquid smoke, cayenne, paprika and cumin! BAM! Liquid gold in the form of this Smoky Veggie Cheeze Sauce that will make you want to swim in it.
The recipe yields about 6 cups. It’s great on top of veggies, in a quick mac & cheese, mixed into a tofu scramble or a dip. Oh and of course, it would be great for nachos and chili.
Want to give it a try? Here we go, friends! Give it a whirl and let us know what you think about our Smoky Veggie Cheeze Sauce!
- 1 head of cauliflower (medium)
- 6 carrots, peeled (medium)
- 1 sweet or Vidalia onion (medium)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 6 c. water
- 1 c. nutritional yeast
- 2 Tbsp white miso paste
- 1 Tbsp liquid smoke
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- Salt to taste (optional)
- Roughly chop the cauliflower, carrots and onions into large pieces, place in a pot and cover with the water
- Bring pot to full boil and then simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender
- Reserve 1/2 c. of water before draining the remaining water from the pot
- Place vegetables to blender with 1/2 c. of reserved water, and add the remaining ingredients.
- Blend on high until smooth. You may need to stop blender to scrape down sides.
- Pour over your favorite dish or serve as a dip!
- Yields approximately 6 cups
- If using a Vitamix, blend using the Soup setting and let it run for 6 minutes. Definitely gives you a warm yummy sauce ready for chips
- If not using the entire batch, you can store in an airtight container. It should last approximately 4-5 days
- To warm up, place in a microwave safe bowl for 60-90 seconds or heat in a pot on the stove until it boils
- Want more of that nacho cheese flavor, add about 1/2-1 Tbsp of chili powder!