The little 8.5 ounce jars caught my fancy the very first time I saw them in an all-vegan boutique in Sacramento, California. How can something that clearly looks, has the consistency, and even tastes like nacho cheese, not be cheese? I am here to tell ya folks, Nacheez, just like it sounds sure ain’t cheese. It’s better!
What is Nacheez? Nacheez is a plant-based version of that mini mart (or county fair) nacho cheese that we all remember eating as kids. You know, the liquidy, but tastes-so-good kind that smothered a pile of tortilla chips? Yes, that kind. Well, Nacheez has surpassed all of my childhood memories of what nacho cheese should be! Its base is a blend of raw cashews as well as bell peppers that give it a light cheesy orange color. What’s also so unbelievable is that each jar is only 140 calories! Yup, you can eat Nacheez totally guilt-free because there’s no dairy which means there are far fewer calories and it’s totally healthy for you. Not to mention, as an added bonus, it contains a high source of B6 vitamins and is also soy and gluten free!
When I met the owner Ilsa Hess, of Nacheez, I asked her what gave her the idea to think of a non-dairy nacho “cheese” sauce. Her response was “as a vegan, I was craving the roller rink nacho cheese I grew up on. I couldn’t find anything like it so I started exploring other vegan avenues.” Enter Nacheez.
Available in three tasty flavors: mild, medium and spicy, Nacheez will become a quick favorite if you haven’t tried it already. After taste testing all three types of Nacheez, I have to say they all have the same great flavor just one is a tad bit spicier than the other so it really depends on how much spice you like. I personally can’t handle a lot of spice and even the “spicy” flavor wasn’t too spicy for me.
How does one eat Nacheez? There are a number of ways (and there are some great suggested recipes on the Nacheez website) to incorporate Nacheez into your favorite dish. Use it just as you would any other cheese. It’s great for Mac n’ Cheese, quesadillas, on top of steamed veggies, in soups such as broccoli and cheese, in dips, topped on your favorite veggie dog, or for us folks on the go, Nacheez can be scooped up right out of the jar onto your favorite corn chip!
Where is Nacheez available? Since Nacheez is a fairly small company, it’s not yet available everywhere. It is however, available online on the Nacheez website as well as some select retailers and grocers in the United States, mostly in Northern California. Check out the list of retailers that carry Nacheez here.
Vegan or not, I guarantee you’ll thoroughly enjoy Nacheez. Maybe you’re a cheese lover who wants to move toward a more plant-based diet, if so, Nacheez is a great place to start! You can still indulge in cheesy deliciousness all the while cutting out animal products, which is so much healthier for you and the planet. Don’t forget to include Nacheez in your favorite cheesy recipe, especially with the holidays approaching. It will surely be a new family favorite.
As always thanks for tuning in and yeehaw!
~Kayle xo
Oh this looks so yummy, Kayle! I’m definitely going to have to order some Nacheez very soon! Thank you for sharing!
Perfect for football season! We can have stadium nachos sans the guilt and bellyache!
You bet UrbanVeganChic! And Tami, I wish I would have thought of that to include in the blog! Can you tell I am not much of a sports fan?
Nacheez is great, grabbed some at the last Sacramento VegFest and it was a huge hit at a Superbowl party!
Christine, I wish I would have mentioned that Nacheez is great for Superbowl parties in my blog…I guess liking football helps Ha ha!
I love Nacheez! The new(isn) medium flavor is my favorite!
Jenny, I think I LOVE them all, but the medium suits my “cant handle too much spice” nicely.