Ahhh nachos– it’s the unofficial, ooey, gooey, and meltably delicious alternative to popcorn. I’ve loved nachos since my bestie first popped my nacho bubble back in HS during a showing of Bewitched (terrible movie, btw), and I’ve never looked back… that is, until I went veg!
So what’s a vegan to do without real nacho cheese? Luckily, I was one of the first people to try Nacheez when it first debuted in 2011. Nacheez is marketed as a healthy choice when it comes to something associated with pigging out at the cinema.
The main viscous ingredient is the cashew nut, which, as folk familiar with vegan cheeses will know, is great for making creamy believable and slightly nutty vegan cheeses.
When I first opened a jar of Nacheez, I was struck first by the consistency, which is kind of like a gooey yogurt. Yeah, it sounds pretty gross– but considering the fact that Cheez Whiz exists, it could be worse.
Once I got over the weird texture of Nacheez, I decided to heat it up and use it as a chip dip. On the Nacheez site, a recommended time of a high setting for 30 seconds is enough to prepare the whole jar, or warmed in a small saucepan on med-low heat.
Tastewise, Nacheez is more like a cheesy sauce than a nacho substitute. There isn’t much ooey-gooey string action like real cheese or Daiya, which left me a bit disappointed. I personally didn’t hate the product, but it didn’t make me want to buy it again either.
The product is a bit bland in terms of flavor, and the soupish/custard like consistency turned me off. In all honesty, it was a meh experience for me.
I will say that I liked the spicy Nacheez more so than the Mild, because if anything, it had a bit more flavor or a kick to it.
Nacheez’s second ingredient (the first it water), red bell pepper, definitely stands out when you first try the cheez. If you don’t like bell pepper, do NOT buy this product.
What I found a little odd was the gratuitous addition of a few vitamins– namely B6 and vitamin C– that appeared on the nutrition fact list. Sure, I’ll take a few servings of vitamins… it’s just a little weird that it’s in my Nacheez! Haha.
Nacheez currently sells for $6.50 per 8.5 oz, which is kind of pricey for a little over a cup of cheese dip. I say save your money and make guacamole instead.
Overall, my search for the perfect vegan nacho sauce will have to continue (Earth Balance, are you listening?), but for now, we’ll always have Daiya, and that’s perfectly fine– for now.