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.
Cassie says
So glad I found this recipe!! I substituted the soy milk for oat milk and worked extremely well and so easy to make! I paired with pasta, steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrot and my 3 year old actually asked for more, I finally made something she ate without any fights! Thanks you very much for sharing! Absolutely winning!
Alison Andrews says
Awesome Cassie! Thanks so much for posting!
Donovan Moran says
Can you skip the flour?
Alison Andrews says
No, it’s what causes it to thicken. If you need it to be gluten-free though you can use a gluten-free all purpose blend.
ronda says
hi, we dont use any oils, can we use water instead of oil? Or anything else?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Ronda, yes I think so, either water or vegetable stock should be fine.
Jaymee Reyes says
Can we opt out of the Dijon Mustard? Currently don’t have any and I wanna try this ASAP tomorrow because of all the yummy reviews!
Alison Andrews says
Yes, you can leave it out!
Amanjit Gill says
It’s good the witch trials are over, because you’re a sorceress! I had low expectations, because I’ve been so disappointed with cheesy vegan recipes in the past. So imagine my shock when I tasted this sauce – it was actually cheesy! It had kind of an ‘aged cheese’ flavour, like parmesan or bitey cheddar. It wasn’t weird like vegan substitutes often are. It was just good.
We used it in a zucchini lasagne. Had to resist eating the whole pan, because I’m having it again for lunch tomorrow. Thank you for this very legit recipe!
Alison Andrews says
Hahaha that is amazing! So happy to hear that! Thanks a million. 🙂
Helen says
This is great! Been desperate to find a way of making cauliflower and broccoli cheese for my toddler and 5 yr old who are dairy intolerant, They ate it all up and loved it! (Even though the 5 year old is a fuss pot)! Thank you so much
Alison Andrews says
That’s awesome Helen! Thanks so much for sharing!
Monique says
What can I use instead of nutritional yeast?
Alison Andrews says
There isn’t a sub for it but you can leave it out.
Gary says
I have been really struggling wth vegan cheese alternatives. This is the best cheese sauce recipe I have seen to date!
Alison Andrews says
Yay! Thanks so much Gary! 🙂
Jo says
Hi lovely sauce, thank you! can this be frozen?
Alison Andrews says
Sure!
Ni says
Is Nutritional Yeast Flakes the same thing?
Alison Andrews says
Yes! That’s exactly what we use. 🙂
Eloise says
hey can i freeze this? or how long would it last in a fridge? if at all?
Alison Andrews says
4-5 days in the fridge and yes you can also freeze it.
Megan says
This was AMAZING! So easy and yet it’s the best vegan white sauce I’ve made.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks Megan!
Mariana Braga says
in love !!!
Alison Andrews says
Thanks Mariana!
Trinity says
Hi there. I only have whole meal wheat flour. Is this okay to use in the sauce?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Trinity, it should be fine! 🙂
sarah says
hi! can water be used instead of non dairy milks? i’m allergic to all options…
Alison Andrews says
Hi Sarah, yes I think you can! But vegetable stock/broth might work even better. Let us know how it goes! 🙂
Patricia B says
Rice milk might be useable for someone allergic to other milks containing nuts and soy.
Liz says
Just starting out on my vegetarian/vegan journey and was looking for ways to use the nutritional yeast I had purchased. This recipe was so easy to follow and I was tempted to eat just the cheese sauce right out of the pot. Thanks for this,
Alison Andrews says
So glad you enjoyed it Liz! Thanks for posting! 🙂