Simple and fabulously cheesy vegan cheese sauce. Ideal for lasagnas, pastas, vegan mac and cheese or anywhere you would usually use a cheese sauce.
Making a vegan cheese sauce really couldn’t be easier.
You start off with a basic vegan white sauce – also called bechamel sauce and then with just a few added extras, it magically turns into cheese sauce!
How To Make Vegan Cheese Sauce
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
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, dijon mustard, great for adding a cheesy flavor don’t even ask me why but really it works, and some nutritional yeast.
And that might be as far as you need to go to get your perfect cheese sauce flavor! If you want to intensify the flavors a bit more, you can add in some optional onion powder and garlic powder too.
How To Serve Vegan Cheese Sauce
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! It’s also great as a pasta sauce or served over vegetables.
It also makes a great sauce for a vegan mac and cheese.
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!
Storing and Freezing
Keep leftovers stored in the fridge and enjoy within 4-5 days.
It’s also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge. It may look watery and separated but simply reheat in a saucepan, whisking all the while and it will come back to its full glory.
More Delicious Vegan Sauces
- Vegan Mushroom Sauce
- Vegan Peppercorn Sauce
- Vegan Chipotle Sauce
- Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
- Vegan Buffalo Sauce
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 5 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 4 cups Soy Milk (960ml)
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- ½ cup Nutritional Yeast (30g)
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
Optional:
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- Grated Vegan Cheese
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, add the flour, 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. Alternate with a hand whisk and a wooden spoon while it heats up to prevent any lumps from forming.
- 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, salt and ground black pepper.
- Taste test and see how you like it. If you want to intensify the flavors, add in the onion powder and garlic powder and stir in. Depending on what you want to use the cheese sauce for, you may prefer it plain or you may want to intensify the flavors with the onion and garlic powders.
- Serve with pasta or use as a sauce in a vegan lasagna. Add some grated vegan cheese to the sauce as well if you like.
Video
Notes
- My favorite oil to make this with is olive oil, but canola oil or vegetable oil also work.
- You can use different non-dairy milks with slightly different flavor results.
Daniel says
I didn’t measure anything and I used vanilla almond milk and it STILL came out good! That’s a fool proof recipe. Can’t wait to make it the right way! Hahaha
Alison Andrews says
So happy to hear that Daniel! Thanks for the wonderful review. 🙂
Nikki says
How long can this be stored? Sounds delicious!
Alison Andrews says
4-5 days in the fridge. 🙂
jenny says
Hi can this be frozen if I use it in a lasagna?
Alison Andrews says
Yes! 🙂
Coralie says
Hi all, I am really keen to try your recipes, however, I am allergic to wheat and soy, and am wondering if any of your recipes cater for or suggest substitutes for wheat and soy? I am new to the plant based way of eating, so thank you for all your efforts. I look forward to your response.
Many thanks, Coralie
Alison Andrews says
Hi Coralie, this recipe can be made gluten-free/wheat-free by using a gluten-free all purpose flour blend and you can use an alternate non-dairy milk. Many of our recipes can be adapted the same way. You can also check out our gluten free recipes section.
Micaela says
Can i bake this to make macaroni pie? any suggestions. it is for my daughter and I don’t want to flop it and waste ingredients too
Alison Andrews says
This bakes very well in a mac and cheese type recipe so I am sure it would work very well for what you have in mind. 🙂
Jack says
My pot pie worked amazingly. I used your recipe to jazz it up. Really enjoy your recipes.
Alison Andrews says
Fantastic! So happy to hear that, thank you!
Marlena says
I’m giving this recipe a 5 star even though I haven’t tried it! I have been searching and searching for a daily free/nut free/coconut free cheese for my 5 year old! She has been dying to try macaroni and cheese, cheese pizza and to have cheese with her crackers! Unfortunately she is allergic to a lot of food! But I’ll be making Mac and cheese for her tomorrow! Is it possible for you to point me in the direction of a sliceable or shredded cheese that is also free of dairy, nuts and coconut? Thanks again!!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Marlena! I hope she loves mac and cheese made with this sauce! Also check out our vegan mac and cheese, we made it with coconut milk but it can definitely also be made with other non-dairy milk, soy is another one we tested and it works great. Apparently Miyoko’s were going to release some nut-free vegan cheeses, I’m not sure if they are available yet though, but that’s a brand to look into. 🙂
Krysia says
Absolutely amazing recipe I woke up with a craving for mac cheese.
The sauce was so simple to do. I didn’t used unsweetened koko milk as we have soya allergy in the family and I used sunflower oil instead.
Turned out so thick and creamy ????
I usually use a df spread to make the roux but if I’m honest the oil worked a lot better.
Cant wait to try this as base sauce for other recipes.
I did add the garlic and onions and it did give it a lovely kick I didn’t add the mustard because I didn’t have any.
Alison Andrews says
So happy you enjoyed it Krysia! Thanks for sharing your adjustments and the wonderful review. 🙂
Jack says
Can this be used to jazz up a vegan pot pie?
Alison Andrews says
Yes! 🙂
Sarah says
I’ve tried a few vegan cheese sauce recipes that normally end up being bland, complicated or just goes gritty and dry. This is the best recipe I’ve found and will be sticking to using this for future in making mac and cheese! The only thing I changed was using cashew milk (it’s our choice of milk to stock) and it still worked out fine! Added in a tiny bit of paprika too. Was delicious.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! So happy to hear that Sarah! Thanks for the wonderful review! 🙂
Kristina says
As a new vegan in training this was the recipe I decided to go with and I loved it , I am a professional chef but, this new lifestyle has introduced new items that are interesting and I love your site it’s very informational … used this to make vegan enchiladas and was a huge hit.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome Kristina! So happy to hear it was a success!
Debra says
I’ve been longing for mac & cheeze for the past two years since going totally vegan but no vegan recipe appealed to me. Yours is delicious and checks off the soy-free and vegan-cheeze-free boxes for me. Clever approach with the bechamel base. Thank you.
Alison Andrews says
So glad you liked it Debra! Thanks for the awesome review. 🙂
Nay says
I have a pretty big family and I was wondering how you’d recommend I double this recipe? Like double or even triple up on every ingredient or simply cook it twice? Nevertheless, Thanks for sharing!
Nay says
I’m assuming this sauce is made for about 8-9 oz cooked pasta. I could be wrong?
Alison Andrews says
Yes, that’s right!
Alison Andrews says
You can definitely make as big a batch of this as you like! If you want a double batch then double the ingredients and cook it the same way. But the bigger the batch the longer it takes to reach a boil and then thicken.
Sye says
Can you use this sauce for cheese quesadillas?
Alison Andrews says
Sure! 🙂
Jessica says
Amazing! Easy and delicious, my go-to vegan cheese sauce from now on 🙂 Thanks!
Alison Andrews says
Wonderful! Thanks so much Jessica. 🙂
Shawn Mills says
I made this using homemade oat milk because people often complain oat milk gets too slimy/thick when you heat it so I figured that would actually be a benefit to this recipe. Turned out great!
Alison Andrews says
Oh! That’s really interesting/helpful info, thanks Shawn! 🙂