The perfect addition to tacos, nachos or enchiladas – this Vegan Jalapeño Cream Sauce is packed full of flavor and heat.
If you have been following TSV for a while, then this Vegan Jalapeño Cream Sauce is nothing new to you.
I used it in my Black Bean Green Chili Enchiladas and my Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.
I had such a great response about the sauce itself, that I felt it was necessary to give it some spotlight on its own.
What makes this sauce great is its simplicity, versatility and most importantly, the amazing flavor combo.
AND it doesn’t require soaking cashews – I don’t know about you, but getting a break from cashew-based sauces is always nice.
Instead, the creamy base of this recipe comes from vegan cream cheese.
My favorite brand of vegan cream cheese is from Trader Joe’s. It has the most comparable flavor and texture to traditional cream cheese.
If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s, then I would go with my second favorite brand – Tofutti. You can find it at many grocery stores or online here.
This sauce does pack a bunch, so if you want to tone down the spice a bit, I would remove the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño.
I personally LOVE spice, so I like to keep the jalapeño intact.
Stay tuned for 2 all new recipes to use this sauce with coming soon!
Vegan Jalapeño Cream Sauce
The perfect addition to tacos, nachos or enchiladas - this Vegan Jalapeño Cream Sauce is packed full of flavor and heat.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 red onion roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 jalapeño roughly chopped
- 8 oz vegan cream cheese
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 1/4-1/2 cup water
Instructions
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Place a pan on the stove over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Sauté until onions begins to soften (approx. 5-7 minutes), stirring regularly.
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Add jalapeño and cream cheese to the pan and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until cream cheese is softened and everything is combined.
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Place the contents of the pan in a blender with cilantro and 1/4 cup of water. Pulse until combined. Add additional water if needed and taste to adjust seasoning.
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Place in an airtight container and keep in the fridge until ready to use. Will last 5-7 days.
If you make this recipe be sure to snap a photo + post it + and tag #thissavoryvegan and @thissavoryvegan!
I made this last night for my dinner and yowza! It was delicious!. I love garbanzo beans to begin with so it was a no brainer I would love it. Thanks so much for your recipes. I will be 2 yrs a vegan in July and it has been a culinary adventure.
Could I substitute the vegan cream cheese with silken tofu and just blend it with the ingredients instead of heating it up?
I don’t think it will have exactly the same taste, but it will have a similar texture. You might want to add some acidity – lime juice, apple cider vinegar, etc. to get that same tangy taste that cream cheese has. Let me know how it turns out!
Thanks, will do!
I just made this and it’s delicious!
Yay – so glad you liked it!
Made this sauce with the enchilada Casserole last night – WOW. Everyone who had a bite is already ready for me to make more!! Such a delicious hit!
Yay – so glad everyone liked it!
WOW. I just made this to go with some grilled avo tacos and it was an absolute showstopper!
Any chance this freezes well?
I made this sauce to go with the vegan enchilada dish. The sauce tastes amazing!! I love how it has a little kick to it.
I made this sauce to go with the vegan enchilada dish. The sauce tastes amazing!! I love how it has a little kick to it.
Yay – so glad you liked it. It is one of my faves!
This sauce is great! How long will it keep in the refrigerator?
It should last 5-7 days in the fridge – so long as your cream cheese’s expiration date isn’t sooner than that 🙂