When I published my popular Easy Cheezy Sauce and Vegan Cheddar Cheese Sauce recipes, I immediately got requests for nut-free versions. It seems quite a few of you have allergies or want a lower fat recipe. I’ve been playing around with a bunch of ingredients, but this Chickpea Cheese Sauce has stolen my heart.
Why I Love This Nut-Free Chickpea ‘Cheese’ Sauce
This chickpea cheese sauce has so much going for it. Let’s break down the healthy, whole food plant-based goodness:
First, it’s low in fat and high in fiber thanks to the chickpeas. In fact, it has about half the fat as a nut-based cheese sauce. And of course, it’s oil free.
Second, it’s budget friendly. Let’s face it, chickpeas are way cheaper than cashews. At least where I live.
Third, it’s full of beans! (Or legumes, in this case.) According to Dr. Greger’s recommended Daily Dozen, we should all get about three servings of beans and legumes a day. What a tasty, creamy, satisfying way to fit more in.
Fourth, if you have nut allergies, or your kid does, or your co-workers—no worries here. This one is nut allergen free.
Finally, I never expected this recipe to become a Shah family favorite, but indeed it has. I mean, it’s got some pretty stiff competition with the other cheese sauces in our repertoire. 🙂 But this chickpea cheese sauce is so darn tasty and satisfying, we keep coming back to it again and again.
How to Make this Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce with Chickpeas
Just like my Eazy Cheezy Sauce, this chickpea cheese sauce is incredibly simple to make.
You’ve got just seven required ingredients in this recipe. You simply dump everything together in a blender and process for a half a minute or so.
Then, I like to cook this sauce gently for a few minutes to marry the flavors. Most dishes you’ll probably make this sauce for—pasta, baked potatoes, a cheese dip—all taste better with a warmed sauce anyway.
That’s it—instant, easy, cheesy done! And probably one of the healthiest ‘cheese’ sauces you can put in your mouth.
Chickpea Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpeas 1 15 ounce can LIQUID RESERVED
- 1/4-3/4 cups low sodium vegetable broth adjust for desired thickness
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup lemon juice about 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- Sea salt to taste
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon turmeric for color
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process on high speed until thoroughly blended, about 20-30 seconds. Add a little of the reserved chickpea liquid ('aquafaba') to thin the sauce if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- For the best results, gently cook the sauce for a few minutes to combine the flavors.
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