Description
This Vegan Beer Cheese is a creamy, flavorful plant-based dip perfect for snacking or adding to burgers. Made with vegan butter, flour, beer, plant milk, and shredded vegan cheddar, it mimics traditional beer cheese without dairy. It’s easy to prepare on the stovetop in just 10 minutes and pairs wonderfully with pretzels, chips, or vegan fried chicken.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Sauce
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour or gluten free flour mix
- 1/2 cup 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
Instructions
- Melt Vegan Butter: In a medium saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until fully combined to form a smooth roux.
- Add Liquids: Slowly whisk in the beer, followed by the plant-based milk, stirring constantly to ensure a smooth batter without lumps.
- Thicken Sauce: Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Season: Add garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and ground black pepper to the sauce and stir well to combine all the flavors evenly.
- Add Cheese: Stir in the shredded vegan cheddar cheese until it completely melts and the sauce becomes smooth. Increase heat if necessary to assist melting.
- Serve and Store: Serve immediately with vegan pretzel bites, tortilla chips, vegan fried chicken, or as a burger topping. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheat before serving. Optionally freeze for longer storage, but texture is best fresh.
Notes
- For a gluten free version, substitute the all purpose flour with a quality gluten free flour mix (not almond flour) and use gluten free beer.
- If you prefer no alcohol, replace the beer with an additional 1/2 cup of unsweetened plant milk or use non-alcoholic beer for flavor.
- Use a lighter beer like an IPA or ale for the best subtle beer flavor in the cheese sauce.
- Unsweetened almond milk is recommended, but soy, cashew, oat, or hemp milk can also be used; avoid any with vanilla or sweeteners.
- Recommended vegan cheeses include Whole Foods 365 vegan cheddar, Violife, Follow Your Heart, or Daiya for melting and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
