Easy Vegan Béchamel Sauce (White Sauce)

If you are looking for creamy vegan béchamel sauce, try this tried-and-true white sauce recipe, used for a variety of vegan classic 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!

Course Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine French

Cook Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 67kcal

Author Elena Szeliga

Cost $3

Equipment

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp flour
2 cups or 480 ml almond milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp 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!

Video

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 tbsp rice flour and 1.5 tbsp tapioca flour.
For a soy-free version, skip the nutritional yeast.

Nutrition