This yummy cheese sauce is what grew out of a recipe I found online for vegan “Mac & Cheese”. Of course it contains neither mac nor cheese. But I was at the start of my vegan journey and craving comfort foods.
Although the finished meal of Not-Mac & Cheese was edible, it wasn’t delicious. That was due to the cauliflower that, in this case, was the substitute for said macaroni.
Cauliflower, however, is a crucial ingredient for the amazing sauce which, as previously noted, is not cheese. But it is yummy, thus its new moniker.
This recipe is for a basic serving. It might make it as a dip through a plate of crudities, or over a piping heat baked potato, bowl of rice or actual macaroni. But you’ll soon find yourself making another batch. I usually quadruple everything and make two huge batches. One goes in the fridge, the other in the freezer so we always have some available!
Ingredients (for one small batch)
½ cup cashews, soaked in hot water
1 cup very soft cooked cauliflower
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast*
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup hot water (optional)
Put all of the ingredients into a food processor. Blend on high until smooth, adding hot water if needed. You want the final consistency to be thick but pourable.
Pour some over a plate of vegetables, rice, a baked potato or whatever form of macaroni you prefer. Even cauliflower!
*Nutritional yeast is a staple with vegan cooking. The link supplied above is the brand I’ve been using. It’s good quality and a good deal. (If you click on the link and purchase through them, I get a small commission from Amazon, but don’t feel compelled to purchase it here.)
