What is your favourite cheeze sauce?
Posted by laurabs on Nov 01, 2008 · Member since Jul 2006 · 2610 posts
I really want to love nutritional yeast cheeze, but any attempts I've made have been culinary failures. I have a childhood recipe that I'd like to veganize, which originally uses cheese sauce (like Cheese Whiz), and I'm on the hunt for a yummy repacement.
Please help! What''s your favourite - on this site or another?
Dragonfly's uncheese sauce. Recipe on this site.
I think the sauce that goes with the Cheesy Bean Enchiladas recipe on this site is the best I've had yet. No cashews in it either!
This is my favorite: http://veganyumyum.com/2007/10/mac-and-cheese-cheeze-yeast/
We had it last night for dinner, in fact. I usually use more soy milk (because it thickens up quite a bit), less tamari (I puff up with too much sodium), and some garlic powder sprinkled in there. I also usually don't have lemon juice, so I just splash a bit (really just a small sprinkle) of white wine vinegar in there.
This is my favorite: http://veganyumyum.com/2007/10/mac-and-cheese-cheeze-yeast/
We had it last night for dinner, in fact. I usually use more soy milk (because it thickens up quite a bit), less tamari (I puff up with too much sodium), and some garlic powder sprinkled in there. I also usually don't have lemon juice, so I just splash a bit (really just a small sprinkle) of white wine vinegar in there.
wait a minute....did she ever tell how she made that block of cheddar looking cheese?
PS Im excited were friends on FB!!!
Laurabs, what are you making? i have a couple of recipes that i use for different things. If I knew what it was, I could help more.
The most cheese whizziest thing ive ever made is really simple (I like this but never liked cheese whizZ)
take equal parts NY and all purpose flour and combine. add sea salt (lots_) then add enough water to mix it up. then heat over low-med and stir-it will thicken up like peanut butter. then you can spread on crackers or bread. it takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish. i use it for grilled cheese all the time.
i have better sauces than this though-that i use!
I've said it before and I'll say it again ;) that I like to toast my nooch flakes in a little oil before adding the liquid and thickener (I use arrowroot) for the sauce. It makes it taste quite nice and cheddary if you do it right. But it only takes half a minute or so, over medium heat. It is very very easy to burn it, so take care. ;)b
Ooooh Heli, I've never tried that - I'll give it a go next time I make cheeze sauce (if I remember!)
I've said it before and I'll say it again ;) that I like to toast my nooch flakes in a little oil before adding the liquid and thickener (I use arrowroot) for the sauce. It makes it taste quite nice and cheddary if you do it right. But it only takes half a minute or so, over medium heat. It is very very easy to burn it, so take care. ;)b
Good idea! My favorite gravy recipe involves toasting the nooch, but I've never tried it for cheeze sauce. Laurabs, I use the one from the enchilada recipe here too. Jo Stepaniak has this Gee Whiz Spread recipe that might be what you're looking for: http://www.vegsoc.org.au/recipe_details.asp?RecipeID=77 I haven't tried it, though.
wait a minute....did she ever tell how she made that block of cheddar looking cheese?
It was Sheese... I got SO excited when I thought it was homemade, but alas...
The first one I ever made is this one: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7057.0
It's just a basic recipe that can be modified with any kind of spices, herbs, etc. I like it best for nacho type things.
Now the most common thing I do is just mix NY with water..maybe add some onion powder, garlic salt..and add that to whatever.
I like L2A's mix also..great for sandwiches, and such things.
For a cheeze whiz type thing..it seems like the best thing to do L2A's-with the lots of salt. You don't want any other flavorings for cheeze whiz..
You might want to make it a bit thinner though..if you're going to bake it all (I don't remember if you bake it..). It will thicken up in the oven.
Laurabs, what are you making? i have a couple of recipes that i use for different things. If I knew what it was, I could help more.
The most cheese whizziest thing ive ever made is really simple (I like this but never liked cheese whizZ)
take equal parts NY and all purpose flour and combine. add sea salt (lots_) then add enough water to mix it up. then heat over low-med and stir-it will thicken up like peanut butter. then you can spread on crackers or bread. it takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish. i use it for grilled cheese all the time.
i have better sauces than this though-that i use!
The "recipe" I want to veganize is something my mom used to make - we called it cheesy noodles. Just noodles, cheese, sliced up weiners, and lotsa garlic powder. It'll be very easy to make vegan, I just want to find a cheeze that I like. I've tried the simple recipe you suggested, l2a, but... it just wasn't what I expected. At first I added too much salt - it was overpowering - then I didn't add enough. I think what I need to do is add other things to it... garlic, mustard, maybe soymilk, EB, or something.
the flashback mac and cheese sauce! mm.
I really like the "fondue" on veganlunchbox.blogspot.com for things like nachos and taco salad (and would use it on enchiladas, too) and Bryanna Clark Grogan's Melty Pizza Cheese (you can find it online but it's also in her cookbook 20 Minutes to Dinner for pizzas and the firmer form for quesadillas. Mmmmmmm....
This is my favorite: http://veganyumyum.com/2007/10/mac-and-cheese-cheeze-yeast/
I'm thinking about this again, because I tried that recipe and found it too rich. But perhaps with all the flavourings and miso and tahini, my usual trick of toasting the nooch made it just... too much. I think I'll try it again (or the one from FFV which is pretty similar) with 'raw' nooch. :)
I find that the Cheezy sauce in Veganomicon is fantastic. But I just follow the gist of it.
Equal parts earth balance and all purpose flour, typically 1/4 cup. Melt the EB in a pot on medium heat, sprinkle on the flour, mix together with a silicone spatula or whisk. Allow to cook for a min or two, it will look like a pale playdough concoction. Add in 1-2 cups veggie broth a 1/4 at a time, mixing to combine well and get it back to bubbling each time. Add in 1-2 cups milk of choice (soy and oat are fab here but rice is good too) in the same slow manner. This will be more sauce than thick dough. Add in your nooch to taste, 1/2 - 1 cup. Spice it up with thyme, salt, & pepper. Simmer till the nooch is all absorbed into the sauce.
I use this sauce for anytime I want a cheezy base. Making a roux is kind of key in my opinion for a smooth creamy consistency. Adding more broth gives you a thinner lighter sauce. Adding more milk gives you a thicker creamer sauce. Adding more nooch gives you a darker cheezier sauce. Its something to experiment with really.
The Next Day.......
......naw, I still didn't like that FFV mac'uncheese (the one with tahini and miso). I think the miso might be part of my problem with it - cheeze sauce should not be sour/tangy. *scratches head* ???
My favourite cheeze sauce - winner and still champion - is cashew alfredo. It's more creamy than cheezy, I know. But it was the first nooch sauce I tried, a few days after going vegan, and I love love love it. I am as impressed each time I make it as I was the first time. ;)b
The Next Day.......
......naw, I still didn't like that FFV mac'uncheese (the one with tahini and miso). I think the miso might be part of my problem with it - cheeze sauce should not be sour/tangy. *scratches head* ???
My favourite cheeze sauce - winner and still champion - is cashew alfredo. It's more creamy than cheezy, I know. But it was the first nooch sauce I tried, a few days after going vegan, and I love love love it. I am as impressed each time I make it as I was the first time. ;)b
Wait, which one did you try? The one I posted that you quoted was from Vegan Yum Yum, not Fat Free Vegan (mdvegan posted that one). I had the vegan yum yum one again tonight and it's SO good! I cut the tamari down to 1T instead of 2.5T, use a splash of vinegar instead of lemon juice, add more soy milk, and add garlic powder. It's SO yummy! I don't think it's "tangy"--I think it's creamy and delicious. Maybe you could reduce the amount of miso? Or not put so much lemon juice (or use a splash of vinegar instead)?
Wait, which one did you try? The one I posted that you quoted was from Vegan Yum Yum, not Fat Free Vegan (mdvegan posted that one). I had the vegan yum yum one again tonight and it's SO good! I cut the tamari down to 1T instead of 2.5T, use a splash of vinegar instead of lemon juice, add more soy milk, and add garlic powder. It's SO yummy! I don't think it's "tangy"--I think it's creamy and delicious. Maybe you could reduce the amount of miso? Or not put so much lemon juice (or use a splash of vinegar instead)?
I tried the one from Fat Free Vegan, but I thought the recipe was very similar to the one on VYY, which I tried a few weeks ago. Both added miso and tahini to the sauce. The FFV one only had a teaspoon of miso; I think I'd cut it out completely next time. But the inclusion of tahini intrigues me, and needs more experimentation. :oh: Anyway, the way it turned out for me last night was kinda sticky-pasty-dry, and quite concentrated, flavour-wise. Could have been diluted with more soy/rice milk to mellow it out, and then thickened if necessary.
I think reducing the tamari/soy sauce will make it less concentrated. Last time I made it, I put 2T of tamari and this time only 1 and this time was MUCH creamier and less intense. I really think you'll like the vegan yum yum one better for these reasons:
1) VYY uses all "milk", making it creamier and less concentrated flavor-wise
2) only uses 1T tahini, which I think is a strong flavor. FFV uses 2, which might have made it too intense.
2) I don't like onion powder. I think it's a very strong flavor that covers up the yumminess. FFV uses onion powder, VYY doesn't.
3) Turmeric is unnecessary and probably adds some bitterness to the FFV one
4) You don't have to put the VYY one in a blender. You make a roux w/ margarine and flour and then dump everything else in a pot. It cooks up smooth and adding about 1.5-1.75 cups of "milk" will make it nice and creamy to put on noodles.
Have I convinced you of their differences/VYY's superiority yet? 8-)
Have I convinced you of their differences/VYY's superiority yet? 8-)
You make a very good case!! ;D I shall try these amendments. ;)b
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