Cheesy veggie sauce for all your cravings
Consider all the ingredients optional and subject to experimentation as you search for your family's own preferred cheesy spot. Other good veggies to use cauliflower, parsnip, and sweet potatoes.
The first time you make this sauce, stick to the suggested quantities - more or less. Once you know you are pleased with it, I recommend you double the recipe every time you make it, and freezing whatever you will not eat in the coming few days. It may require processing in batches because not everything will fit in your blender or food processor.
Ingredients
- 1 small onion sliced
- 3 large potatoes (Yukon Gold preferred) sliced or chopped roughly
- 5 medium carrots brushed well and sliced in 1/2
- 1 cup water saved from cooking the vegetables
- 1/2 cup cashews, raw previously soaked for a few hours if you do not have a high-power blender; you can also use white beans such as cannellini or Great Northern
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast adjust to taste
- 1-2 cloves garlic or
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar lemon juice works too
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon mustard Dijon or similar
- dash hot sauce or cayenne pepper avoid if your kids are averse
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
- Place the cut onions, potatoes, carrots in a medium pot and add just enough water to cover.
- Bring to a boil on high heat then reduce the heat to maintain a low boil.
- Cook until the veggies are very well done, falling apart at the prick of a fork, about 15 minutes.
- Just before draining the veggies, carefully recover about 1 cup of the cooking water using a ladle. Set aside.
- Drain and transfer the cooked veggies to your food processor or blender. Add everything else now - except the cooking water.
- Process or blend until perfectly smooth, scraping the sides with a spatula as needed. Add a little cooking water at a time to achieve a somewhat runny, but not totally liquid, texture. (Think about the perfect dipping sauce.) Taste and adjust seasoning.