Description
This Vegan Beer Cheese is a creamy, flavorful dairy-free sauce made with vegan butter, flour, plant-based milk, and shredded vegan cheddar cheese, blended with the bold taste of beer and spices. Perfect as a dip or a topping for pretzel bites, tortilla chips, and burgers, it’s a quick and easy recipe that captures the essence of traditional beer cheese without any animal products.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour or gluten free flour mix
- 1/2 cup beer (preferably IPA or ale, can use gluten free or non-alcoholic beer)
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or soy, cashew, oat milk
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Few shakes ground black pepper
- 3 cups shredded vegan cheddar cheese (such as Whole Food’s 365, Violife, Follow Your Heart, or Daiya)
Instructions
- Melt Vegan Butter and Add Flour: In a medium saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until a smooth paste forms, ensuring it is well combined to create a roux base for the cheese sauce.
- Add Beer and Milk Slowly: Slowly pour in the beer while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Then gradually add the unsweetened plant-based milk, continuing to whisk until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
- Simmer and Thicken: Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it thickens to a creamy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
- Season the Mixture: Stir in the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and ground black pepper thoroughly to evenly distribute the spices and enhance the flavor profile.
- Incorporate Vegan Cheese: Add the shredded vegan cheddar cheese to the pot and stir continuously until it is completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Increase the heat slightly if needed to help the cheese melt evenly without burning.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the vegan beer cheese warm as a dip with vegan pretzel bites, tortilla chips, vegan fried chicken, or drizzle it on burgers for a deliciously cheesy flavor experience.
- Storage and Reheating: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently, stirring frequently to restore smooth texture. The sauce can also be frozen, but it tastes best fresh.
Notes
- Gluten free: Use a quality gluten free flour mix instead of all purpose flour and a gluten free beer to keep the recipe gluten free. Avoid almond flour for best texture.
- Without beer: To omit beer, substitute it with 1/2 cup additional unsweetened plant-based milk or use a non-alcoholic beer to maintain flavor.
- Beer selection: IPAs and ales are recommended for a lighter, balanced beer flavor that complements the cheese sauce.
- Milk alternatives: Unsweetened almond milk works well, but soy, cashew, oat, or hemp milk are also good. Ensure no sweeteners or vanilla are added to avoid altering the flavor.
- Cheese choice: Use your favorite vegan cheddar shreds such as Whole Food’s 365 brand, Violife, Follow Your Heart, or Daiya for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 of recipe
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
