This is a recipe for a quick and easy homemade vegan Cheese Sauce. Give this Nooch Cheese Sauce (made with Nutritional Yeast) a try because it's perfect for lasagne, pizza, mac & cheese or as a dip for tortilla chips! It's also nut-free and you don't need a blender!
This is a recipe for a basic Nooch Cheese Sauce. I make this cheese sauce quite often and use it mostly for lasagne, pizza, as a dip for tortilla chips or for mac and cheese.
It's really simple to make and it comes together quite fast - it will only take about 10 to 15 minutes. Then get your tortilla chips ready because it's dipping time!
I love this cheese sauce because it's
- vegan (and therefore dairy-free and lactose-free)
- without nuts (my wallet says thanks!)
- super quick to make
- made with only a handful of ingredients (I always have these at home!)
- so versatile! Lasagna, pizza, mac & cheese, or as a dip are my favorite uses for the sauce!
- ooey-gooey and stretchy
When I started following a vegan diet in 2012 supermarkets didn't offer any vegan cheeses. So making vegan cheese at home was the only way to go. I have been making this cheese sauce countless times!
Now, there all kinds of vegan cheeses in the stores and I really enjoy trying these new products, however, I still make this cheese sauce a lot because it's my favorite for pizza and lasagna - I love it!
But wait... What is Nooch?
Nooch is short for nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast and can be bought in the form of powder or flakes.
It is often used for vegan sauces because of its super cheesy taste. Nutritional yeast is something that should not be missed in a vegan household. It's one of my secret (but not so secret) ingredients for vegan cooking.
How to make Vegan Cheese Sauce with Nutritional Yeast (Nooch)
The Ingredients for the Nooch Cheese Sauce
The ingredients you'll need are rather basic. You probably have them at home already!
- coconut oil or vegan butter - both will work just fine
- all-purpose flour - makes the cheese stretchy
- spices - I used salt, paprika powder, curry powder, ground pepper, and garlic powder (but feel free to experiment with different spices!)
- nutritional yeast flakes - adds the cheesy flavor!
- water
Most vegan cheese recipes use nuts (oftentimes cashews or almonds). This one doesn't. So if you're allergic to nuts (or you don't want to spend all that $$ on expensive nuts), this sauce is for you!
Step by Step Instructions
This is the process of making the cheese sauce! Basically, it's like you would make a Bechamel Sauce - but with a cheesy twist!
Tip: If you don't use the sauce immediately, it will thicken up quite a bit. Add a bit more water and whisk again. Then it's good as new!
My favorite uses for this vegan Cheese Sauce
More Vegan Cheese Recipes
I hope you love this 'cheesy' sauce as much as I do! Let me know if you give it a try!
Cheers, Bianca
Nooch Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegan butter e.g. EarthBalance, Alsan,...
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika powder
- ground pepper
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil or butter in a small pot on low heat.
- Add the salt, pepper, paprika powder, curry powder & garlic powder.
- Add in the flour and whisk.
- Add nutritional yeast, whisk again until clumpy.
- Add the water and whisk on low heat for a few minutes. If it gets too thick you can add a little bit more water and whisk again.
- Use it as a dip, pour it over some lasagne or pizza or whatever you like. Enjoy!
Ryan says
Just made this; it's awesome. It's been a long time since I've had real cheese, so I can't remember what it even tastes like, but this is delicious in its own right. (Great with tortilla chips.)
Bianca says
Hi Ryan, thank you so much for your comment! I'm glad you liked the cheese sauce!
Garth says
can i use coconut flour instead of regular?
Leisa says
@Garth, I need gluten free and wondered the same!
Jake says
Excited to make this do you know how long it keeps in the fridge? or is it a make for use immediately type thing?
Bianca says
I usually use it immediately. If you let it sit for a while, it thickens up and depending on what you're using it for, you might have to re-heat it and add a bit of water.
Tiffani says
This sauce is SO GOOD. I've tried other nooch sauces, but this might be my favorite. I actually licked the whisk! I didn't have any curry powder on hand, but I'm excited to try it with next time (because I will definitely be making this again)! I can also verify that gluten-free flour works just fine:)
Bianca says
I'm so glad to hear that, Tiffani! Thank you so much for the amazing feedback! :) Which gluten-free flour did you use? Rice flour? Buckwheat?
Tiffani says
I used a blend from Bob's Red Mill:)
Bianca says
ah, good to know, thanks! :)
Rosa says
Tiffani... Do you remember which Bob’s Red Mill you used as they have several blends?
Robin says
Thanks for that tidbit. I was going to ask if gluten free flour would be okay
Patti says
@Robin, I just made it tonight and had that Bobs red mills gluten-free flour also and it turned out great. I have to be very low salt with but was able to use some no salt options, and some Mexican spices to spice it up.
Susan says
@Tiffani, thank you for saying it works with gluten-free flour!
Adriana says
I used chickpea flour and it’s great too 😁
merit says
have been using this sauce for a long time and works every time, is DELICIOUS with everything!
Bianca says
I'm soo happy to hear that, merit! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback <3
Brandi says
Oh my gosh! I just used this to dip baked cauliflower and broccoli! Whoa! So good!
Bianca says
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback, Brandi! I'm glad you like the Cheese Sauce! :)
Lily says
Hello! Great idea to add curry powder, I'll have to try that! I make mine with coconut oil and cornflour (Cornstarch some people call it, the very fine white flour.) It comes out really well :) Yay nooch sauces!
Bianca says
Hi Lily! Thank you! I add curry powder for the color and taste :) Your version of nooch cheese sounds really good too, I have to give it a try sometime :)
Christy says
Hi can you send me that recipe too? I already have those on hand!
Jaine says
Thank you thank you thank you, with 2 vegetarians, 2 lactose intolerant and one gluten intolerant in our family of 5 I'm always looking for ways to satisfy everyone. This web site has done that. I'm going to pin your recipe to my foodie board and sign up to your updates and recipe book. Thank you.
Bianca says
Oh thank you so much for your sweet comment, pinning and subscribing, Jaine! I'm glad you like the recipes and I'm always happy to help :)
Ashley says
Yay for this cheese sauce! I transitioned to a vegan lifestyle about 8 months ago and cheese was the thing I missed most. I have tried so many different premade cheeses and also another one homemade. I have not liked any of them! I have a 3 year old son who I transitioned as well and while he has loved all of the cheeses I wanted to be able to enjoy something cheesy together. This sauce definitely gave me what I was missing, we made tacos for dinner and this was a great addition. I can definitely see myself making many meals with this sauce & cannot wait to try it for mac n cheese which is my sons favorite. Thank you so much!!
Bianca says
Thank you, Ashley! Your comment means a lot to me :)
I've made the same experience with store-bought cheeses, most of them just taste super artificial and weird. So this cheesy sauce is a good alternative.
It's my favorite cheese sauce to put on lasagna and I often use it for pizza too - when I've got the craving for cheesy pizza. I've also had it in mac & cheese and I really liked it, so I hope you do too :)
Christy says
Hi can I sub coconut oil? Vegan butter is hard to find here
Bianca says
Hi Christy, I haven't tried it with coconut oil yet, but it could work :) Although the consistency will probably stay thinner. Let me know if you give it a try :)
Liz says
This was so good and unbelievably easy. I also added a little bit of agave to it and it turned out great!
Bianca says
So glad you liked it, Liz! I love the addition of agave! This is such a good idea! The last time I made the cheese sauce, I added a bit of liquid smoke and it was so good too :)
Heather says
Could you use almond milk in place of water?
Bianca says
yep, I think that would be a good substitution. Just make sure it's unsweetened almond milk :)
Rachel Townsend says
Do you think that I could make and store this in the fridge? Will it keep for 4-5 days? Or does it need to be used immediately? I'm new to nooch as a part of my diet so any thoughts would be helpful!
Bianca says
It depends on what you want to do with it. After a couple of minutes, in the fridge or not, the sauce will set. After that you will want to re-heat it again and add a bit of water to make it pourable again. I haven't had it in the fridge for 4-5 days, but I've had it 1-2 days and it was fine. Just re-heat and add water until perfectly creamy :)
Joann says
Love, love, love this!! Really good on a baked potato :)
Bianca says
So glad you like it! :))
Luis espada says
Can I make it without Curry powder I don't have any
Bianca says
yep, you can add in any spices you like or simply omit it. do you have turmeric at home? it would give it a nice yellowy color!
Peggy says
Wow, my vegan daughter and I were just having our eleventeenth discussion on why mommy wasn't making mac 'n cheese with vegan cheese but this sauce looks great and it just the ticket since I'm used to making a roux and well, using that hated butter stuff. Thanks so much!
Bianca says
Yeay, I hope you guys like it! :) It's perfect for mac and cheese!
LaTrice says
Hi I was just reading that vegan cheese is not good help me I am getting so confused as a new vegan.
I am super excited to try this also thanks!
Bianca says
Do you mean that most of the store-bought cheeses are not particularly healthy? They are often still loaded with fats. Homemade cheeses are definitely the better option. There are also recipes for vegan cheeses made with cashews.