Without the use of dairy free cheese substitutes or a super-powered blender, you can create gluten free dairy-free cheesy vegan nacho sauce using vegetables as a base. The best part about this sauce is that it doesn’t harden like real melted cheese. It keeps its creamy consistency throughout your munching experience. It’s yummy too!
Vegan Nacho Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash* sliced in half*
- 1 cup cashew milk (or Homemade Gluten Free Oat Milk) https://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-oat-milk-recipe/
- 1/4 cup gluten free nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons cashew butter (omit for nut-free)
- 1 tablespoon gluten free tomato paste** (Del Monte) (mainly for color and a little sweetness)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or chipotle powder)
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Add the sliced squash to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, face down. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 10 minutes or until you can comfortably handle the squash.
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Scoop out the squash and add it to your blender. (If you plan on using a hand blender, you can place the potato meat in a large bowl that can withstand the blade of your hand blender.)
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Add the remaining ingredients (dairy-free milk, nutritional yeast, cashew butter, tomato paste, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt and puree until smooth.
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Top gluten free tortilla chips with the sauce and if not vegan, you can sprinkle with cooked and seasoned ground beef. I like to add salt, chili powder, and cumin. You can also add sliced jalapeno peppers or salsa. For a vegan beef alternative, use roughly chopped walnuts sprinkled with similar seasonings in an oiled skillet. Just roast until fragrant.
Tips
*You can also use peeled, cubed, boiled, and mashed Yukon (gold flesh) potatoes for a creamy consistency, but squash is healthier. You can even try using half of each. Potatoes especially work well for those without a blender.
**Omit tomato paste for nightshade-free.
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