Classic creamy vegan béchamel is a white sauce used for a variety of dishes like vegan lasagna, moussaka, pasta, mac'n'cheese, gratin, as well as savory crepes, galettes and roasted veggies. This easy recipe will take you no more than 10 minutes to make!
If you are looking for a dairy free white sauce, I've got a perfect recipe for you.
Incredibly creamy, savory, cheesy sauce made with a handful of ingredients within minutes.
Enjoy it for your favorite veganized classic dishes like vegan lasagna, pasta or gratin.
Why This Vegan Béchamel Recipe Is The Best:
- easy;
- requires just a few staple ingredients;
- whole food;
- vegan (and vegetarian);
- dairy-free;
- can be made gluten-free (see notes);
- can be made nut-free (see notes);
- healthy;
- nutritious;
- contains plant-based protein;
- versatile;
- savory;
- cheesy;
- freezable;
- delicious.
This vegan white sauce is as close to the real thing as it can get.
This sauce is a perfect base for vegan hollandaise, vegan cheese sauce, vegan queso or Mornay sauce.
Upgrade it with your favorite flavors, like garlic, spices, chili, herbs, roasted garlic or mustard to make it extra special.
Ingredients
- olive oil;
- flour;
- almond milk;
- nutmeg;
- nutritional yeast;
- salt.
While most of vegan béchamel recipes call for vegan butter or margarine, I found that using olive oil produces same results without the danger of using palm oil, that vegan butter often contains.
You can use your favorite non-dairy milk like oat, almond, soy or cashew milk (see recipe variations).
How to Make Vegan White Sauce
To see quick step-by-step directions, check this vegan bechamel web story.
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk continuously for about 1 minute until bubbling.
Add warm almond milk and continue whisking until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency (usually a few minutes after the boiling point). This will take up to 5 minutes.
Keep in mind that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools down.
Add nutritional yeast, nutmeg and salt and stir to combine. Enjoy!
Serving Options
Use vegan béchamel sauce for vegan lasagna, vegan cannelloni, moussaka, pasta, mac'n'cheese, gratin, savory crepes, galettes and roasted veggies.
Alternatively, use it as a base for a vegan cheese sauce, vegan queso, Mornay sauce or vegan hollandaise.
Let me know how you ended up using this vegan white sauce in the comments below 🙂
Cook's Tips
- This creamy dreamy vegan béchamel sauce is as close to the real thing as it can get.
- It is made with a handful of staple ingredients and doesn't require more than 10 minutes to make.
- While most of vegan béchamel recipes call for vegan butter or margarine, I found that using olive oil produces same results without the danger of using palm oil, that vegan butter often contains.
- For the most silky consistency, use warm milk. Just microwave it shortly before using.
- You don't have to brown the roux. Start adding milk when it is bubbling.
- To avoid lumps, add the milk gradually to the roux and whisk consistently.
- To thicken the sauce, gradually add more flour to it. To thin it up, add more milk.
- Store the sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days. As it cools down, a layer of skin will form and the sauce will get thicker. Add some milk to thin it up when you reheat it in a saucepan.
- To freeze the sauce, let it cool and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight, then reheat in a saucepan with a bit of plant-based milk until it reaches the right consistency. Blend it in case there are lumps.
- Use vegan béchamel sauce for vegan pot pie, vegan lasagna, vegan cannelloni, moussaka, pasta, mac'n'cheese, gratin, savory crepes, galettes, roasted veggies or a base for a vegan cheese sauce, vegan queso, Mornay sauce or vegan hollandaise.
Recipe Variations
- Upgrade the sauce with your favorite flavors, like garlic, spices, chili, herbs, roasted garlic or mustard.
- Use your favorite non-dairy milk like oat, rice, soy or cashew milk. If you have nut intolerance, use oat, rice or soy milk.
- To make it gluten-free, use gluten free flour blend or 1.5 tablespoon rice flour and 1.5 tablespoon tapioca flour.
- For a soy-free version, skip the nutritional yeast.
More Vegan Sauces
Easy Vegan Béchamel Sauce (White Sauce)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups or 480 ml almond milk
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk continuously for about 1 minute until bubbling.
- Add warm almond milk and continue whisking until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency (usually a few minutes after the boiling point). This will take up to 5 minutes. Keep in mind that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools down.
- Add nutritional yeast, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
Cook’s Tips
- This creamy dreamy vegan béchamel sauce is as close to the real thing as it can get.
- It is made with a handful of staple ingredients and doesn't require more than 10 minutes to make.
- While most of vegan béchamel recipes call for vegan butter or margarine, I found that using olive oil produces same results without the danger of using palm oil, that vegan butter often contains.
- For the most silky consistency, use warm milk. Just microwave it shortly before using.
- You don't have to brown the roux. Start adding milk when it is bubbling.
- To avoid lumps, add the milk gradually to the roux and whisk consistently.
- To thicken the sauce, gradually add more flour to it. To thin it up, add more milk.
- Store the sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days. As it cools down, a layer of skin will form and the sauce will get thicker. Add some milk to thin it up when you reheat it in a saucepan.
- To freeze the sauce, let it cool and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight, then reheat in a saucepan with a bit of plant-based milk until it reaches the right consistency. Blend it in case there are lumps.
- Use vegan béchamel sauce for vegan pot pie, vegan lasagna, vegan cannelloni, moussaka, pasta, mac'n'cheese, gratin, savory crepes, galettes, roasted veggies or a base for a vegan cheese sauce, vegan queso, Mornay sauce or vegan hollandaise.
Recipe Variations
- Upgrade the sauce with your favorite flavors, like garlic, spices, chili, herbs, roasted garlic or mustard.
- Use your favorite non-dairy milk like oat, rice, soy or cashew milk. If you have nut intolerance, use oat, rice or soy milk.
- To make it gluten-free, use gluten free flour blend or 1.5 tablespoon rice flour and 1.5 tablespoon tapioca flour.
- For a soy-free version, skip the nutritional yeast.
Sarah says
I haven't used this recipe yet, but I've made dairy free bechamel a number of times - I'm excited to try it with olive oil! I've been successful in the past with soy and nut milks, but rice milk didn't work at all for me. It never thickened up. I'd be interested to know if someone else has had better luck with it.
Elena Szeliga says
Hi Sarah, please let me know how it turned out - I hope you enjoy the sauce!
Naomi says
This was a perfect sauce, I used gluten free flour and almond milk. I added freshly made pesto- soooo good.
Elena Szeliga says
@Naomi, thank you for your lovely feedback! I'm so happy you enjoyed the sauce!
Hilton says
Is there a substitute for the nutritional yeast? It’s a trigger for us gout sufferers.
Elena Szeliga says
You can use a mixture of onion and garlic powder instead of the nutritional yeast. Please let me know how it turned out if you decide to give it a try 🙂