A great alternative is raw sunflower seeds. Maybe because we’re all suddenly making vegan cheese with it. While, raw cashews seem to make the best vegan cheez whiz, they are pricey and it seems like they’re getting more expensive all the time. You can either throw a cup of raw cashews into the fridge covered in water overnight, soak them for an hour at room temperature, or, if you don’t have time, boil them for 10 minutes.

The nuts do need to be soaked to make this easier on your blender. Plus, they’ll help this spread firm up without the need for any additional thickeners or stabilizers. Raw cashews are perfect for this recipe because their flavour is very mild and they have a good protein and fat content that can be blended down very smooth. For best results (the creamiest, dreamiest results), use soaked raw cashews as the base. You can whip up this vegan cheese spread anytime with vegan pantry staples – no fresh produce necessary. Once you make this recipe in your kitchen, it becomes YOUR vegan Cheez Whiz and there ARE no rules. If you’re allergic to seeds and nuts, you could use tofu instead.

Or try sunflower seeds instead of cashews for a lower cost alternative. This vegan cheese sauce is deliciously tangy and savory, rich and smooth but made with nutritious ingredients like red peppers and cashews. Vegan Cheez Whiz Ingredients & Alternatives

Cheez whiz jar