This versatile recipe can be used in nachos, mac and cheese, or even a grilled cheese sandwich.

Makes about 2½ cups.

Ingredients:

1½ cups finely diced russet potatoes (about 1 medium potato)

¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper

½ small yellow onion, diced

2 tablespoons raw cashews

2 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

1. Combine the potato, bell pepper, onion, and cashews in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the vegetables, reserving ¾ cup of the cooking water.
2. Combine the potato mixture, reserved cooking water, tahini, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and arrowroot powder in a blender. Process on high until everything is smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
3. Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Chef’s Note:

1. The secret to a creamy cheese sauce is in making sure the potatoes are well cooked (they should be very tender when poked with a fork), and then pureeing the potato mixture for several minutes to break down the starch in the potatoes.