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 96 votes

Print Save Pin Rate

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 chickpea flour thicken sauce? ›

    Alternative uses for chickpea flour

    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.

    What is dairy-free cheese made of? ›

    Vegan cheeses are 100% animal-free and made using vegetable proteins. Usually, they're made from soy; nuts, such as cashews and macadamias; and vegetable oils, such as coconut oil. You can also find cheeses that derive from agar, tapioca, peas and arrowroot.

    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.

    Is chickpea flour better than cornstarch? ›

    It offers more protein and fiber than corn starch or wheat flour and doesn't risk the clumpy, gritty texture or raw taste that these other, more traditional options can sometimes lead to.

    How to use chickpea flour as a thickener? ›

    As a thickener for soups or curries. Make a paste with water and add it to the pot while whisking vigorously. Use it in baked goods such as quick breads or cookies (chickpea flour will impart an earthy flavor)

    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 chickpeas be used as a thickener? ›

    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. You can also use regular chickpeas instead of the flour. Mash your cooked or canned chickpeas into a paste before adding them to your broth or soup.

    What is the best flour for thickening sauces? ›

    Cornstarch, tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour), arrowroot, potato starch and plain old wheat flour are typical options. Which one you grab depends on what you're making and will ultimately affect how you use it, as well as the appearance and texture of the food.

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