I’ve got something fantastic to share with you today… This cheese sauce, folks, this cheese sauce! Let me tell you, it’s guaranteed to add a little burst of joy to any day!
First off, if you haven’t tried it yet, you’re in for a treat with my Butternut Squash Roasting Technique — totally life-changing, if you ask me. And secondly, this vegan cheese sauce? It’s pure bliss. It’s so good, so thick, so creamy, so smooth, so cheesy, and sooo delicious!
It instantly transforms any plain old plate of steamed veggies into a real celebration, makes a stellar Mac & Cheese when tossed with pasta, and doubles as a dip, whether hot or cold, for fresh veggies, crackers, or chips.
I think it’s about to become your new favorite in the kitchen…
Since you’ll need some roasted butternut squash as the base for your sauce, that’s the first step. It’s super simple, though, I promise; just follow the detailed instructions here or check the recipe card below!
You’ll want a medium to large squash for this, as you’ll need about 2 cups (400 grams) of cooked flesh. Make sure the raw squash weighs a bit more to account for peeling and waste. When in doubt, go bigger: leftover roasted squash is always handy… at least in my house!
Once the squash is roasted, take it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes until it’s safe to handle.
Once it’s cool enough, use a large spoon (I love using an ice cream scoop for this!) to scoop out the flesh and measure about 2 cups (400g).
Now, the rest of the process is quick! Put the cashews, boiling water, and garlic cloves in a high-speed blender.
Note:
You really need a high-powered blender for this recipe to turn out perfectly. A regular blender or food processor might work, but it won’t be as silky and creamy.
Blend on high speed until super smooth and creamy, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed.
Next, add the roasted butternut squash, along with nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, turmeric, onion powder, paprika, salt, and white pepper.
Blend again until the sauce is ultra smooth and silky.
Your sauce is now ready to use! If you prefer it warm, transfer it to a small saucepan and heat it over low heat. Be cautious, as it can scorch easily; stir often.
Now, all that’s left is to enjoy this incredible cheese sauce you just made. Pour it generously over your favorite steamed veggies, or try it in a Mac & Cheese, or as a dip — hot or cold — for fresh veggies, crackers, or chips. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 cups oven baked butternut squash
- 1 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
EQUIPMENT
- High Speed Blender
INSTRUCTIONS
*To make the oven baked butternut squash*
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the guts and seeds with a spoon; place them in a dark roasting pan and drizzle them with a generous amount of extra-virgin olive oil, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
- Turn the squash flesh side down and pour about 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of the pan.
- Bake in the oven, uncovered, for about 40-45 minutes, until the squash becomes really soft and can easily be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
- When the squash is fully cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes until you can safely handle it, then, with a large spoon, scoop the flesh out of the squash and measure out 2 cups (400g)
*To make the cheese sauce*
- Put the cashews, boiling water and garlic cloves in the container of a high-speed blender and process on high speed until super smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as needed.
- Add the oven baked butternut squash, along with the nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, turmeric, onion powder, paprika, salt and white pepper. Process on high again until the sauce is super smooth and silky.
- Serve immediately or transfer to a small saucepan and heat over low heat for a warmer sauce; be extra careful as the sauce will scorch fairly easily, so be sure to keep a close eye on it and stir often!
- Pour liberally over freshly steamed broccoli or your personal favorite veggies. This versatile cheese sauce also makes an excellent Mac & Cheese and can be used hot or cold as a dip for fresh veggies, crackers or chips.
NUTRITION INFORMATON: calories: 154kcal, carbohydrates: 13g, protein: 7g, fat: 9g, saturated fat: 2g, sodium: 194mg, potassium: 378mg, fiber: 3g, sugar: 2g, vitamin a: 3782iu, vitamin c: 8mg, calcium: 28mg, iron: 2mg
If you’ve tried this recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and let me know how things went for you in the comments below. It’s always such a pleasure to hear from you!
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