Chickpea Cheese Sauce - WFPB Recipe • Healthy Midwestern Girl (2024)

Last updated: · Published: by Elizabeth Shah. This page may contain affiliate links.

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When I published my popular Easy Cheezy Sauceand Vegan Cheddar Cheese Saucerecipes, 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.

Chickpea Cheese Sauce - WFPB Recipe • Healthy Midwestern Girl (1)

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 - WFPB Recipe • Healthy Midwestern Girl (2)

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 makes the BEST low fat, high fiber nut free vegan mac and cheese! 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.

Chickpea Cheese Sauce - WFPB Recipe • Healthy Midwestern Girl (3)

Second, 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.Third, it’s budget friendly. Let’s face it, chickpeas are way cheaper than cashews. At least where I live.

Fourth, 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.

Chickpea Cheese Sauce - WFPB Recipe • Healthy Midwestern Girl (4)

How to Make the BEST Nut Free Vegan Mac and Cheese

This cheese sauce is great on baked potatoes, nachos--wherever you want to add creamy cheesiness. But we love in as a healthy mac and cheese sauce.

I like to use a whole food, plant-based compliant pasta, like a brown rice pasta or even a chickpea pasta. And while it's great with just the sauce, I love adding extra flavors like:

  • fresh parsley (so simple, and my favorite)
  • crushed red pepper flakes
  • diced sun-dried tomatoes (rehydrated)
  • fresh basil
  • Italian seasonings
  • and if you don't mind a small amount of nuts, a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese

Chickpea Cheese Sauce - WFPB Recipe • Healthy Midwestern Girl (5)

With this simple sauce and a pot of pasta, you can have dinner on the table in 15 minutes!

If you like this whole food plant-based recipe, you might also like:

  • 5-Minute Vegan Chickpea Alfredo Sauce
  • Vegan Easy Cheezy Sauce
  • Vegan Cheddar Cheese Sauce
  • Easy Vegan Oil Free Pesto Sauce
  • Vegan Oil Free Mayonnaise

📖 Recipe

Chickpea Cheese Sauce - WFPB Recipe • Healthy Midwestern Girl (6)

Chickpea Cheese Sauce

A low fat, high fiber, nut-free Chickpea Cheese Sauce that's great on pasta, potatoes--or any dish that tastes better with cheese! Vegan, WFPB, GF.

4.63 from 97 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 91kcal

Author: Elizabeth Shah

Equipment

Blender

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15-ounce can, LIQUID RESERVED
  • ¼-3/4 cups low sodium vegetable broth adjust for desired thickness
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • ¼ cup lemon juice about 1 large lemon
  • 2 tablespoons white miso paste (see notes for substition and info about miso + sodium)
  • ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoons onion powder
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Optional: ½ teaspoon turmeric for color

For Nut Free Vegan Mac and Cheese, serve over macaroni or pasta shells

    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 2-3 minutes to combine the flavors.

    Notes

    • Nutritional information shown is for sauce only
    • Sodium:the sodium in this recipe may seem high, but is primarily from the miso paste, which is a healthy "green light salt" according to Dr. Greger. You can read more about miso here.
    • I use mellow white miso paste for this recipe. If you can't find it or are allergic to soy, you can substitute 1 tablespoon tahini + 1-2 teaspoons of low sodium soy sauce, tamari or Bragg's aminos.
    • If the sauce gets too thick (especially after refrigerating), thin it out with a little reserved chickpea liquid, how pasta water or hot tap water
    • To add extra flavor to your mac and cheese, add:
      • fresh parsley (so simple, and my favorite)
      • crushed red pepper flakes
      • diced sun-dried tomatoes (rehydrated)
      • fresh basil
      • Italian seasonings
      • and if you don't mind a small amount of nuts, a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese

    Nutrition (approximate)

    Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 3.5mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1.5mg

    Tried this Recipe? Please share it!Mention @HealthyMidwesternGirl or tag #HealthyMidwesternGirl!

    Chickpea Cheese Sauce - WFPB Recipe • Healthy Midwestern Girl (2024)

    FAQs

    Can I thicken a sauce with chickpea flour? ›

    Alternative uses for chickpea flour

    This can be in the form of: Thickener: When used instead of cream, cornflour or wheat flours in soups, sauces and curries, it thickens and helps prevent curdling, especially in warm yoghurt based sauces.

    How to thicken nacho cheese? ›

    Making a slurry with cornstarch and cold milk is how you will thicken your queso. A traditional slurry is a 1:1 liquid to cornstarch ratio, but for our queso purposes I used 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of milk.

    Why is my cheese sauce not thickening? ›

    You can thicken cheese sauce further by adding more flour or even using a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch or flour with a cup of water. The cold water will create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the cheese sauce over medium heat, and let the sauce boil and thicken.

    How to fix grainy cheese sauce? ›

    Adding an acid such as a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice or white wine and whisking like the Hounds of Hell are snapping at your fingers may emulsify the fat molecules back into the sauce while detangling the protein molecules that have merrily clumped into unappetizing grainy clusters.

    What is the healthiest flour for thickening sauces? ›

    Quinoa flour is a grain-based, gluten-free flour that's high in protein, iron, fiber, and unsaturated fats. It gives a fluffy texture to baked goods, as well as pizza and pie crusts, in addition to serving as a thickener for soups and sauces.

    How to get rid of bitter taste in chickpea flour? ›

    You can also use an equal amount of it if you're substituting smaller amounts of plain flour, such as for binding a burger or thickening a sauce. Remember to toast the chickpea flour in a dry skillet or oven beforehand to eliminate any bitterness in the final dish.

    How to keep cheese sauce creamy? ›

    Starch (such as all-purpose flour, cornstarch, or potato flour) will keep the cheese from curdling. If using all-purpose flour, add it to the mixture before the cheese; it needs to be cooked for a few minutes to remove the starchy taste.

    How do you thicken cheese sauce without cornstarch? ›

    1. All-purpose flour: You can thicken sauces with all-purpose wheat flour. For every tablespoon of cornstarch, use three tablespoons of flour. Combine raw flour with cold water in a small bowl to form a paste, then add it into the sauce as it's simmering.

    How to make cheese sauce that doesn't harden? ›

    For Smooth, Stable Cheese Sauces, Cornstarch and Evaporated Milk Are Your Friends. How to make a stable emulsion of melted cheese using two basic pantry staples.

    What is the best cheese to thicken sauce? ›

    Grated cheese, such as cheddar or parmesan, can also act as a thickener in a cheese sauce and becomes a great binding agent in the cooking process.

    How do you keep cheese sauce thin? ›

    You can determine how thick or thin the sauce will be by controlling how much milk and cheese you add. More milk will give you a thinner sauce. More cheese will give you a thicker sauce. It really is that simple.

    Why is my cheese sauce like glue? ›

    Q: "Every time I make homemade mac and cheese the sauce is smooth at first but then gets grainy (paste-like) as it cools. What am I doing wrong?" A: "Your ratios—from your roux to the fat content in the cheeses that you're using—may be a little off," Rach says. "You also just may be overcooking it."

    What makes cheese sauce smooth? ›

    Sodium citrate isn't just a fancy name. It's a culinary superhero, playing the dual role of emulsifier and stabilizer in our cheese sauce. This dynamic duo works wonders by preventing proteins from coagulating, ensuring our sauce stays smooth and velvety even at high temperatures.

    What can I use instead of sodium citrate? ›

    substitutions. Flour and butter in a cheese sauce. If you are out, but find you have citric acid available and are in a pinch for time, you can also utilize the citric acid by mixing it with baking soda, which in the foaming reaction that follows, will neutralize the acidity which will then be aqueous sodium citrate.

    How to get rid of flour taste in cheese sauce? ›

    The flour taste comes from a roux. When you make your roux you should cook it for a few minutes to develop some color and flavor, as well as eliminate any floury flavor. Once added to a soup or sauce, the soup or sauce should be simmered until properly thickened, which will also work to eliminate any floury taste.

    Can I use chickpea flour instead of cornstarch? ›

    Substitute equal amounts of chickpea flour for the flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot powder called for to thicken sauces and gravies.

    Can you use chickpea flour to thicken soup? ›

    A staple of South Asian and Greek cuisine, chickpea flour is an excellent thickener because it has a naturally creamy feel that adds a smooth yet rich texture to soups.

    How do you thicken curry with chickpea flour? ›

    Add the chickpea flour and pour in the water. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens and reaches your desired consistency. Add more water to the pan if necessary.

    Can you use chickpea flour to make a roux? ›

    In fact, you can use it just as you would flour, directly in fat or butter to create a roux for your gravy, stew, or soup. And bonus, you don't have to wait as you do with wheat flour for the browning of that flour to receive those deeply nutty flavor notes, as they are already naturally present in chickpea flour.

    References

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