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This silky smooth homemade cheese sauce is made from whole-food ingredients like carrot and potato. A non-dairy, 100% plant-based cheese that’s flavorful and perfect for topping steamed veggies, tossing with pasta, or drizzling over a baked potato.

Prep: 15 minsCook: 30 minsTotal: 45 mins
Servings: Makes ¾ cup sauce (serves 4) 1x

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 small Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces (4 ounces)
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces (about 2 ounces)
  • ½ cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened, plain almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 1 (12-ounce) bag Ocean Mist Farms Floret Medley (or other fresh steamed or steam-in-bag veggies)
  • Seasonings for veggies: Fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, and/or spices of choice 

Instructions

  1. Place the cashews in a small heat-proof bowl and pour the 1 cup boiling water over the cashews to cover them completely. Place a plate or lid over the boil and set aside to soak for 30 minutes. 
  2. While the cashews are soaking, place the potatoes and carrots in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables by about ½ inch. 
  3. Bring the vegetables just to a boil then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 17-20 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender. Drain any remaining water from the pan and add the vegetables to the container of a blender. 
  4. Drain the cashews after 30 minutes of soaking and place the drained cashews in the blender along with the cooked potato and carrot. 
  5. Add the almond milk, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, mustard, and black pepper to the blender; blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. 
  6. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more almond milk and continue to blend until smooth. 
  7. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  8. To prepare the steamed vegetables, open the Season and Steam bag. Add seasonings of choice (we like a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper). Reseal the bag and microwave for 3 minutes on high, adding additional time as needed until florets are tender to your liking. 
  9. Transfer florets to a serving bowl. Spoon dairy-free cheese sauce over steamed florets and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size: about 2 tablespoons sauce
  • Calories: 94
  • Fat: 6 g
  • (Sat Fat: 1 g)
  • Sodium: 317 mg
  • Carbohydrate: 9 g
  • (Fiber: 2 g
  • Sugar: 1 g)
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Dietary

© The Real Food Dietitians
Recipe By: Jessica Beacom