Macadamia And Sunflower Seed Vegan Cheese Sauce
Vegan cheese sauce has been a life saviour for me. Before discovering I was lactose intolerant and don’t even possess the lactase enzyme, I used to eat cheese like it was going out of fashion. I’m talking thick slices of cheddar cheese, cheese toasties, pasta cheese and of course pizza. It took me a while to find replacements for my cheese obsession but over the years I found some great alternatives, one of my favourites being nut cheese sauce; perfect for baked potatoes, pasta, burgers and pizza.
I love it so much I have to have it at least once a week. In fact, even my sister, who eats dairy, loves nut cheese sauces. I love mixing it into my courgetti, pouring it over a baked sweet potato, adding a dollop to a nourish bowl or baking it on top of my paleo pizza.
What Is Vegan Cheese Sauce Made Of?
Most vegan cheese sauces are made with cashews, nut milk, nutritional yeast, a squeeze of lemon or apple cider vinegar, a little flour, and salt and pepper. The yellow colour is usally due to a tiny bot of turmeric powder being added.
I was going to use cashews to make this mozzarella style cheese sauce but after experimenting, I think I may have discovered an even better nut for the job: macadamias. So damn creamy!
The sunflower seeds where a trick I noticed my sister doing. Let me tell you, she was onto a winner. Sunflower seeds add extra creaminess and blend well into a smooth, lump free cheese sauce. Plus, they provide healthy fats, vitamin B-6, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, selenium, copper and iron.
FYI if you have a nut allergy sunflower seeds make a great alternative to nut cheeses.
What Does This Vegan Cheese Sauce Taste Of?
The secret to creating a cheesey flavour in vegan cheese sauces is nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast that is high in B vitamins and has a nutty cheesey taste. It is also yellow/ orange in colour which helps replicate the traditional cheese colour.
Ingredients
¼ cup soaked macadamias
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp turmeric
1 tsp arrow root powder
Pinch Himalayan/sea salt
Pinch black pepper
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp cup almond milk
Method
- Soak the macadamias for 4 hours, or overnight, to soften. Or, boil for 10 minutes if you’re impatient.
- Add all the ingredients to a jug and use a hand blender to blend until smooth.
- Heat a pan on a low heat and add the cheese mix.
- Stir regularly. It should start to bubble and thicken.
- Once thick and heated through (takes approx. 5 mins) serve with your desired accompaniments. Or bake on top of your pizza/lasagne/potato/roasted courgette boats for 10 mins.
- Enjoy!
Notes:
- Try adding different herbs to your cheese. I love basil, but smoked paprika or chives could work great too. You could also try garlic or onion.
- Too thick? Add more milk or a splash of water.
- Too thin? Add more flour to thicken it.
