Delicious poured generously over your favorite steamed veggies, this versatile Vegan Cheese Sauce is also excellent in a Mac & Cheese and can even be used hot or cold as a dip for fresh veggies, crackers or chips.
Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the guts and seeds with a spoon; place them in a dark roasting pan and drizzle them with a generous amount of extra-virgin olive oil, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
Turn the squash flesh side down and pour about 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of the pan.
Bake in the oven, uncovered, for about 40-45 minutes, until the squash becomes really soft and can easily be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
When the squash is fully cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes until you can safely handle it, then, with a large spoon, scoop the flesh out of the squash and measure out 2 cups (400g)
To make the cheese sauce
Put the cashews, boiling water and garlic cloves in the container of a high-speed blender and process on high speed until super smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as needed.
Add the oven baked butternut squash, along with the nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, turmeric, onion powder, paprika, salt and white pepper. Process on high again until the sauce is super smooth and silky.
Serve immediately or transfer to a small saucepan and heat over low heat for a warmer sauce; be extra careful as the sauce will scorch fairly easily, so be sure to keep a close eye on it and stir often!
Pour liberally over freshly steamed broccoli or your personal favorite veggies. This versatile cheese sauce also makes an excellent Mac & Cheese and can be used hot or cold as a dip for fresh veggies, crackers or chips.
Notes
*See this post for step-by-step instructions with pictures to roast the butternut squash