Creamy Vegan Cashew Nacho Sauce

1. Melt Shortening and Sauté Vegetables

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the vegetable shortening. Once the shortening has fully melted, add the thinly sliced onion, garlic, and jalapeño pepper. Cook these vegetables for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are completely softened but not browned.

2. Add Spices and Chipotle

Add the ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and finely chopped chipotle pepper with its adobo sauce to the skillet. Cook everything together for about a minute, just until the mixture starts to sizzle and the spices release their aromatic flavors.

3. Add Potatoes and Cashews

Add the thinly sliced potato and roasted cashews to the skillet. Cook for another 2 minutes to lightly toast the cashews, which will deepen their flavor, and to start softening the potatoes.

4. Simmer with Liquids

Pour in the water and almond milk, bring the mixture to a simmer, and let it cook for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully tender.

5. Blend Sauce

Transfer the contents of the skillet to a high-powered blender. Add the hot sauce, pickling liquid from the pickled jalapeño peppers, and a pinch of kosher salt. Blend on high speed until the sauce is completely smooth, which should take about 2 minutes.

6. Strain Sauce

For an extra smooth consistency, strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer using a ladle to press it through.

7. Store and Reheat

Store the nacho sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week. When you're ready to reheat the sauce, you can do so in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, or gently warm it on the stovetop. If the sauce thickens too much upon reheating, simply add a bit of water to loosen it to your desired consistency.