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You are here: Home / Dinner / Butternut Squash Vegan Cheese Sauce

Butternut Squash Vegan Cheese Sauce

January 21, 2020 By Taesha 14 Comments

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A good creamy cheese sauce makes pretty much everything better. And this butternut squash vegan cheese sauce is pure magic! Drizzle it over veggies, baked potato or pasta. Use it to make a batch of healthy nachos or just dunk your favorite tortilla chips in it! However you use it, keep a batch on hand for adding a little vegan cheese-y goodness to every meal.

Jump to Recipe
a bowl of vegan cheese sauce with a hand dipping broccoli in it

I have been making this sauce for years. And years. And years.

It is actually the base of my silly delicious Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese that was one of my first veggie-loaded recipes, however some many people shared with me that it is their favorite vegan cheese sauce recipe and use it for so many other dishes that it totally needed a post all its own, highlighting its cheesy wonderfulness.

How does that vegan cheese sauce taste cheesy without dairy?

Nutritional yeast! The nutritional yeast in this recipe gives the vegan cheese sauce that lovely earthy taste that a traditional cheese sauce has. It is also high in B-12, which is something important to make sure to add to a vegan diet.

On top of being good for you, when you combine nutritional yeast with the natural sweetness of butternut squash, a little garlic and a few other real food ingredients, you have a next-to-the-real-deal vegan cheese sauce that will rock your socks and is so family friendly.

A pot of butternut squash and cashews with water being poured on it

Ways to enjoy this butternut squash vegan cheese sauce

Cheese sauce is a classic comfort food staple for adding a little pizzazz to all kinds of foods. So use this vegan version in any way you love to use traditional cheese sauce. Some of my favorite ways are:

  • over cooked pasta for an easy vegan mac and cheese
  • drizzled over roasted broccoli
  • over roasted cauliflower
  • as a dipping sauce for roasted Brussels sprouts
  • with my favorite tortilla chips
  • as part of homemade nachos
  • in tacos

Tips for making butternut squash vegan cheese sauce

  • For a little extra punch of flavor, sub vegetable broth for the water.
  • Use a high-speed blender or food processor. If you love the smooth, creamy texture of regular cheese sauce, the high speed blender/food processor is a must. It really makes such a difference. If you don’t have a high-speed on, this sauce will still come out delicious but won’t be as smooth as it is pictured here.
  • Make it your own. We all have a different palate with different preferences. So as much as I love this sauce as is, I encourage you to make it magical for you. After you blend it up, taste and adjust the flavors as needed…blending again.

Other butternut squash recipes you are going to love…

  • Instant Pot Black Bean & Butternut Squash Soup
  • Sunrise Butternut Squash Smoothie
  • How to cook butternut squash (6 ways!)
  • Slow Cooker Butternut Squash + Apple Soup
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Butternut Squash Vegan Cheese Sauce

A good creamy cheese sauce makes pretty much everything better. And this butternut squash vegan cheese sauce is pure magic! Drizzle it over veggies, baked potato or pasta. Use it to make a batch of healthy nachos or just dunk your favorite tortilla chips in it! However you use it, keep a batch on hand for adding a little vegan cheese-y goodness to every meal.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy-free cheese sauce, healthy cheese sauce, Paleo cheese sauce, vegan cheese sauce
Servings: 1 cups
Calories: 1224kcal

Equipment

  • High-speed blender or food processor

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes.
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup water or vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 cup almond milk unsweetened and plain
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp  paprika
  • 3 tbsp olive or avocado oil
  • 1 large clove garlic or to taste. Sub 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, combine butternut squash, cashews and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until squash is for tender.
  • After the butternut squash and cashews are done cooking, scoop into a high-speed blender or food processor blender, reserving remaining cooking liquid. Add remaining ingredients to blender too. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add some of the butternut squash/cashew cooking liquid to make for a thinner cheese sauce.
  • Store in an air-tight container in fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 1224kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 101g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 1942mg | Potassium: 1611mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 15375IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 265mg | Iron: 10mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Dinner, Sides, Vegetarian, Veggie-Loaded Tagged With: butter nut squash, cheese sauce, dairy-free sauce, paleo cheese, vegan, veggie-loaded sauce

Previous Post: « 32 Vegetable Recipes For Kids
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jessie Root

    January 21, 2020 at 8:35 pm

    5 stars
    This. Stuff. Is. Bomb.

    I am not vegan and I most definitely AM a cheese lover, and I can’t get enough of this!! It may be the reason I’m stockpiling butternut squash like it’s cool.

    Plus it’s so easy and quick to make. 👍🏼

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 21, 2020 at 8:46 pm

      Ha! I love that!

      Reply
  2. Rebecca Sullins

    January 21, 2020 at 8:38 pm

    So excited about this–Aldi had frozen butternut squash cubes and I got them because I knew I’d find some delicious vegan recipe on here to use them! Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 21, 2020 at 8:45 pm

      Yes! Using frozen butternut squash makes this recipe extra easy!

      Reply
  3. Anna

    January 21, 2020 at 9:36 pm

    5 stars
    OMG. I just made a batch and I’m licking it out of my blender. I can’t wait to have it tonight for dinner over everything! And I do mean everything!

    Reply
  4. Serina

    January 22, 2020 at 1:58 am

    5 stars
    I have made this twice nkw. SO GOOD!!

    Reply
  5. Tanu Shrivastava

    June 8, 2020 at 3:37 pm

    What can I replace nutritional Yeast with?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      June 8, 2020 at 4:35 pm

      Hmmm. Tricky question. I have never tried it with anything else and nutritional yeast is kind of a unique ingredient. You could do regular cheese instead of the cashews and the nutritional yeast if vegan/dairy-free isn’t needed or vegan cheese (though they all melt and behave a bit differently).

      Reply
  6. Lily

    July 28, 2020 at 1:52 pm

    Is there something I could sub the cashews for? My so has eoe and has to be top 8 allergen free.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      July 28, 2020 at 4:16 pm

      I haven’t tested it with anything different. I know a reader once made it with chickpeas and enjoyed it, but I haven’t tried that sub for myself.

      Reply
  7. Billie Haines

    January 17, 2021 at 10:45 pm

    What do you recommend for a cashew substitute? My daughter is highly allergic but this looks good!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 18, 2021 at 5:53 pm

      While I haven’t tried it with this recipe, I know some people with allergies find using cooked chickpeas instead of cashews in vegan “cheese” to be successful.

      Reply
  8. Claire

    January 31, 2021 at 12:42 am

    Soooperb sauce. I subbed in almonds instead of cashews and oat milk for almond milk.. Go raibh mile maith agat thank you in Irish gaeilge.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      February 1, 2021 at 12:42 am

      I am so glad, you liked it, Claire!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe that real food should taste amazing AND be easy to make!

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