Making a vegan cheese sauce really couldn’t be easier.
You start off with a basic vegan white sauce – also called Bechamel Sauce (sounds so fancy!).
And then with just a few added extras, it magically turns into cheese sauce!
There are just 3 basic ingredients – oil, flour and plant-based milk (I used soy milk) to make your basic white sauce.
To that you add some salt, black pepper, mustard (great for adding a cheesy flavor don’t even ask me why – I have no idea – but really it works!) and some nutritional yeast.
If you really want to go crazy, you can even add in some grated vegan cheese for extra cheesiness and you have the most divine vegan cheese sauce.
But let me be clear – this isn’t the kind of cheese sauce you’re going to use on a pizza.
Have you had a white sauce (bechamel) before? It’s exactly like that, just flavored to be cheesy!
It’s what you want when you want a cheesy version of a white sauce to use in your lasagna!
If you want a cheese sauce to drizzle on your pizza, then you’re looking for a cashew cheese sauce! Or you can even grate up some hard sliceable cashew cheese and melt it on your pizza!
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Vegan Cheese Sauce
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 2 cups
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Creamy and super cheesy vegan cheese sauce recipe. Ideal for lasagnas, vegan mac and cheese or anywhere you would usually use a cheese sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Soy Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 tsp Yellow Mustard
- 4 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- Sea Salt (to taste)
- Black Pepper (to taste)
- Grated Vegan Cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium high.
- When the oil begins to heat up, sift the flour and add to the oil, stirring briskly all the time.
- Fry the flour in the oil for a bit, stirring vigorously, and then add in all the soy milk at once. Stir vigorously.
- Continue to stir until the sauce begins to thicken.
- You will usually reach the right thickness a few minutes after the sauce has reached boiling point.
- When it has reached the desired thickness remove from the heat (bear in mind that it will continue to thicken as it cools).
- Stir in the mustard, nutritional yeast and add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Notes
*Adapted from my basic vegan white sauce recipe.
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup (~1/4 of the recipe)
- Calories: 166
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 112mg
- Fat: 12.3g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6g
- Carbohydrates: 6.9g
- Fiber: 1.4g
- Protein: 5.4g
Keywords: vegan cheese sauce
Hi and thank you very much.
One question: Can I make nutritional yeast at home?
Hi! I don’t think so, but I have never looked into that, but really… no idea, sorry! 🙂
Hello! I just got done making this for myself and partner. He loved it (even tho he is not vegan). I used unsweetened almond milk and dijon mustard because we didn’t have any yellow mustard. I steamed some broccoli and added it to the sauce and poured it over baked potatoes. Very good! I did notice that the sauce seemed to thin when it was still on the burner boiling for a few minutes but it thickens quite a bit once off the burner.
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it Holly! Thanks for awesome review! 😁
Hi , thanks so much for the recipe. I made this sauce exactly as you recommended and used over steamed cauliflower, did sprinkle some chilli flakes on top , then grilled.. delicious 😋
My 14yr old daughter has decided to go vegan, we are all enjoying the challenge.. actually easier than I thought.. so many great recipes. Thanks again
★★★★★
Oh this is perfect for a cauliflower cheese sauce! So glad it came out well and also so happy you’re enjoying the new challenge, it is definitely fun and there are so many new delicious things to try. All the best and thanks for the fabulous review. 🙂
Just made this to top a vegan lasagna. I can’t believe it was so easy and so tasty! I made too much so have a small jarful cooling that I will spread on crackers or toast.
Thanks for the recipe – it will used again and again.
★★★★★
Wonderful! Yes, it’s perfect for lasagna. So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the great review. 🙂
This came out great! I used almond milk since I did not have soy, gluten free flour, and added a bit of garlic powder 🙂 went well with lentil noodles .. thanks for sharing!
Wonderful! Thanks for posting! 🙂
Used this on some red lentil pasta and it was super yummy! I’ve been really picky and haven’t been able to find a vegan cheese sauce that I actually liked until this so I’m super excited!! I made it exactly as describe but added garlic and herb seasoning, paprika, and some onion powder to create a more savory flavor and then, after it was through cooking, I actually blended it up in my nutribullet to make it extra creamy and smooth. It was perfect! Thanks!!
So pleased you like the recipe Chelsea, thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Hi! I’ve used this recipe as a rough base maaaany times now! I use it for a veggie/pasta bake! I have leek, broccoli, potato, carrots and wholewheat pasta all part boiled, then put into a Pyrex dish and I make the cheese sauce! I never have yellow mustard so always use Dijon, and whatever oil I have on hand at the time, but never changes the flavour! I also use almond milk as it’s thinner than soya, and I find the outcome for my purpose much better! I also add in smoked paprika, garlic powder, a little onion powder, salt and black pepper, and then a teaspoon or two or a free from cheese sauce powder mix, just to add extra cheesiness and then I always add dried parsley and it tastes beautiful! I then pour it over my veg and pasta, and then grab a bag of “bacon rasher” potato crisps(Tesco ones are vegan) and I smash then with a rolling pin and use this to top my bake and it gives a lovely crispy smokey layer! I always used this recipe as my base and it’s worked out perfectly every time and my whole omni family even love this vegan dish so having my family over for dinner with my partner and I is much less stressful knowing they will enjoy this vegan meal and be impressed with this take on cheese sauce! They didn’t even know it was vegan the first time I made it!! Thank you💕💕
Hi Taylor! So glad you like the recipe and thanks for sharing all your additions/adjustments, sounds awesome! 🙂
To me, this is just ok. It didn’t get very thick and could have used more flavor.