Destination Delish

Wholesome and creative recipes for the vegetable lover

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
Home » Appetizers » Cashew Nacho Cheese

Cashew Nacho Cheese

January 30, 2018 by Krista 16 Comments

Cashew Nacho Cheese | Destination Delish - An unbelievably magical nacho cheese dip made with cashews! Vegan, gluten free, dairy free.

Today I present to you a life-changing recipe for Cashew Nacho Cheese. This nacho “cheese” is inspired by an appetizer my husband and I shared at one of our favorite restaurants, which happens to serve all raw vegetarian food dishes. Our first meal at this restaurant was seriously unforgettable mainly due to the fact that we were in disbelief the entire time that we were actually consuming raw, plant-based food. We ordered the nacho cheese and chips to start off and we were floored. Total stadium snack bar nacho nostalgia. But how? No cooking? No actual cheese?

Cashew Nacho Cheese | Destination Delish - An unbelievably magical nacho cheese dip made with cashews! Vegan, gluten free, dairy free.

That weekend, I set out on a mission to crack the cheese-less nacho cheese code. And I discovered the keys to achieving that classic nacho cheese flavor are in the cashews for creaminess and bulk, diced green chilies from the can, and a curious ingredient called nutritional yeast. Not only is nutritional yeast a source of protein and vitamins, when added to dishes, it produces a nutty cheesy flavor that’s sure to fool any real cheese lover. I’ve found it in the natural or organic food section of my local grocery store. You can also grab some right here on Amazon.

Cashew Nacho Cheese | Destination Delish - An unbelievably magical nacho cheese dip made with cashews! Vegan, gluten free, dairy free.

This Cashew Nacho Cheese is amazing on virtually any savory dish. Besides the obvious chip and dip setup, it’s also a veggie dip, pretzel dip, sandwich spread, use it to spice up your meat or fish, or top your scrambled eggs with it!

Cashew Nacho Cheese | Destination Delish - An unbelievably magical nacho cheese dip made with cashews! Vegan, gluten free, dairy free.

With Super Bowl fast approaching, you’re going to want to grab the ingredients to make this on game day. Coming up later this week, I’ll share one of my favorite game day recipes that uses this Cashew Nacho Cheese.


4.0 from 2 reviews
Cashew Nacho Cheese
 
Print
Prep time
25 mins
Total time
25 mins
 
Author: Krista
Serves: 5 servings
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup roasted cashews, soaked in a bowl of warm water for at least 20 minutes
  • 7 ounces can of green chiles, not drained
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup water
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • 1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Give the cheese a taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
3.4.3177

Cashew Nacho Cheese | Destination Delish - An unbelievably magical nacho cheese dip made with cashews! Vegan, gluten free, dairy free.

Note: This post contains an affiliate link, which means if you make a purchase via the link, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Clean Eating Adventure

This recipe was featured in my Clean Eating Adventure series. Interested in more clean eating recipes? Check these out:

  • Tuscan White Bean Spinach and Quinoa Stuffed Red Peppers
  • Chocolate Raspberry Overnight Oats
  • Roasted 8 Vegetable Soup
  • Zucchini Noodles with Kale Almond Pesto
  • Tropical Island Green Smoothie
  • Brussels Sprout, Sweet Potato, and Lentil Sauté
  • Banana Hazelnut Breakfast Quinoa
  • Lemon Rosemary Shortbread

 

Filed Under: Appetizers, Clean Eating, Gluten Free, Meatless Monday, Mexican/Southwest, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

« Crock Pot Cranberry Chicken Curry
Loaded Kale Nachos »

Sign up to receive new recipes via email!

Comments

  1. karen @ joyfuldinners says

    January 29, 2015 at 11:58 am

    I bought some nutritional yeast for a recipe and never made it, so I am all set for making this delicious looking sauce. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      January 30, 2015 at 3:21 am

      Perfect! It’s one of those ingredients that I only use a couple times a year. But it gives dishes an amazing cheese-y flavor!

      Reply
  2. Kristi Broughten says

    January 31, 2018 at 1:55 pm

    Ahhhh-mazing! Especially for my new dairy-free lifestyle!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      January 31, 2018 at 5:50 pm

      Yesss! The best dairy-free cheese ever!

      Reply
  3. Casey Ortiz says

    August 1, 2018 at 11:59 am

    I just made this and something is missing. I can’t figure out what. It kinda just tastes like spicy cashews with a hint of nooch.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      August 1, 2018 at 2:20 pm

      Hi Casey, did you use canned green chiles? I’ve found that ingredient to be key in giving it a nacho cheese flavor!

      Reply
  4. Christy says

    November 21, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    Love this recipe! It can be easily altered to suite ones own taste but I love it as is!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      November 28, 2018 at 2:17 pm

      Thanks so much Christy! So glad you like it!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe:  

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi! I'm Krista, a self-proclaimed vegetable lover who likes to put a creative spin on healthy cooking. Here you'll find a variety of lightened up recipes using fresh and wholesome ingredients! Read More…

Sign up to receive new recipes via email!

Search Destination Delish

Hi! I'm Krista, a self-proclaimed vegetable lover who likes to put a creative spin on healthy cooking. Here you'll find a variety of lightened up recipes using fresh and wholesome ingredients! Read More…

mashed cauliflower shepherd's pie in a bowl alongside the casserole dish
Meatballs with toothpicks on parchment paper
A focused view of one bowl of soup with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Sign up to receive new recipes via email!

Copyright © 2023 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress