Oil-Free Cheese Sauce – Creamy, Healthy, and 100% Vegan

If you’re craving a creamy and flavorful cheese sauce but want to keep your meals light and wholesome, this Oil-Free Cheese Sauce is the perfect solution. It’s fully vegan, incredibly smooth, and made without any added oils — just like our popular Oil-Free Alfredo Sauce and Oil-Free Ranch Dressing.

Oil-Free Cheese Sauce

A creamy, flavorful, and completely oil-free vegan cheese sauce made with cashews and nutritional yeast. Perfect for pasta, vegetables, casseroles, or dipping.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings of 30 g

Course: Sauce Condiment Vegan Basics Meal Prep

Cuisine: American Vegan Plant-Based Oil-Free

Calories: 80

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup raw cashews soaked 2 hours or overnight
• ½ cup water or vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika optional
• ¼ tsp turmeric optional, for color
• Salt to taste

Equipment

• 1 Blender
• 1 Saucepan
• 1 Whisk
• 1 Measuring cups & spoons

Method

 

1. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.
2. Add cashews and water/broth to a blender. Blend until ultra-smooth.
3. Transfer to a saucepan and heat over medium for 3–5 minutes, whisking.
4. Add nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, paprika, and salt.
5. Adjust the thickness with more water if needed.
6. Serve warm or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 30gCalories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 150mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1g

Notes

• Adjust Consistency:
  Add more plant milk for a thinner pourable sauce (great for pasta), or simmer 1–2 minutes longer for a thicker, dip-style texture.
• No Nutritional Yeast?
  Replace it with 1–2 tsp of miso paste for a savory umami flavor. The sauce won’t taste cheesy but stays delicious and creamy.
• Make It Spicy:
  Add smoked paprika, chili powder, or a pinch of cayenne for a nacho-style sauce.
• Salt to Taste:
  If you use vegetable broth instead of water, reduce added salt.
• Blender Tip:
  A high-speed blender makes the smoothest result, but a regular blender works if vegetables are cooked until very soft.
• Storage:
  Store up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Freezing:
  This sauce freezes well for up to 2 months. Stir after reheating; add a splash of plant milk if it thickens too much.
• Reheat Gently:
  Warm over low heat and whisk to restore creaminess. Avoid high heat — it can make the sauce grainy.
• Oil-Free Tip:
  To sauté vegetables without oil, use a splash of vegetable broth or water and cook until softened.

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Why Choose Oil-Free Cheese Sauce?

Traditional cheese sauces rely heavily on butter, oil, and dairy, making them high in saturated fat. This oil-free version uses whole-food ingredients to keep things creamy yet healthy.

If you’re building a plant-based kitchen, this recipe fits perfectly into our oil-free sauce collection, along with the Oil-Free BBQ Sauce and Oil-Free Tahini-Free Hummus Dressing.

With cashews, nutritional yeast, and spices, the flavor is rich, cheesy, and satisfying without the heaviness.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You only need simple, whole, plant-based ingredients:

• Raw cashews (soaked)
• Water or vegetable broth
• Nutritional yeast
• Lemon juice
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Turmeric (optional for color)
• Smoked paprika (optional)
• Sea salt to taste

This same minimalist approach is also found in our Oil-Free Teriyaki Sauce — maximum flavor, simple ingredients.

How to Make Oil-Free Cheese Sauce

1. Soak the cashews in warm water for at least 2 hours, then drain.
2. Blend cashews with water or broth until silky smooth.
3. Heat the mixture in a saucepan over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, whisking to prevent lumps.
4. Add nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
5. Adjust the consistency by adding more liquid if needed.

For a more decadent pasta-style sauce, pair it with ideas from our Oil-Free Creamy Pasta Sauces guide.

Ways to Use Oil-Free Cheese Sauce

This sauce is incredibly versatile and fits perfectly into an oil-free lifestyle.

Vegan Mac & Cheese

Toss it with macaroni for a rich and comforting plant-based mac and cheese.

Vegetable Dip

Use it as a creamy dip for broccoli, baked potatoes, or roasted cauliflower.

Nourish Bowls

Drizzle over grain bowls, roasted chickpeas, or veggies.
Try it with our oil-free salad ideas from the Oil-Free Salad Dressings article.

Pasta and Casseroles

Great for baked pasta dishes and vegetable bakes — a healthier alternative to traditional cheese sauces.

Conclusion

This Oil-Free Cheese Sauce is creamy, wholesome, and incredibly versatile. It’s perfect for dipping, drizzling, and mixing into your favorite dishes. Continue exploring healthier condiments by checking out our Oil-Free Caesar Dressing and other recipes in our Top 10 Oil-Free Vegan Sauces collection.

FAQs About Oil-Free Cheese Sauce