My Go-To Dairy-Free Cheesy Sauce (Plant-Based & Easy)
Dairy-free cheesy sauce is a plant-based alternative to traditional cheese sauce, designed to mimic that savory, umami-rich flavor without milk or cheese. Instead of dairy, it uses ingredients like nutritional yeast, spices, and acidity to create that familiar “cheesy” taste, without heaviness.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk almond, oat, or soy
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon liquid aminos or tamari
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Sea salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika optional
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the dairy-free milk and olive oil.
- Whisk in the nutritional yeast, liquid aminos, lemon juice, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking continuously, until warmed through and slightly thickened (about 3–5 minutes).
- Remove from heat and stir in smoked paprika, if using.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Notes
Yeast-Free Alternative
If avoiding nutritional yeast, replace it with:- 1½ tablespoons tahini
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- Extra liquid aminos to taste