Vegan white sauce, also known as bechamel sauce. Basic 3 ingredient recipe that you can expand on with different flavorings. Creamy and delicious.
So your basic vegan white sauce has a lot of uses. It’s the basic recipe that with a few additions can turn into a vegan cheese sauce.
Also called a bechamel sauce, this is the white sauce you can use in lasagnas and other dishes that require a white sauce.
It’s usually made with butter, flour and dairy milk. Sometimes oil, flour and dairy milk.
Since this is the vegan version, of course the dairy milk is replaced with plant based milk. Too easy really!
In this case I used soy milk but any plant based milk of your choice will do the trick.
I tried a version using vegan butter and the butter flavor was pretty strong.
I wasn’t a huge fan but I liked it more than Jaye who wasn’t a fan. He was all like: ‘aarrgggg butter sauce, I just ate a heap of butter in a sauce!’
Well, needless to say, he didn’t! It was just a little butter in a lot of sauce, but whatevs.
So the next time I made it with olive oil and I thought it tasted heaps better, and Jaye agreed.
In fact this one was so delicious that we’ve made it a lot since then.
And I used it in a lasagna dish that came out beautifully.
It’s a creamy dreamy white sauce that is like a blank canvas. You can add any flavorings to it that you choose, like garlic or herbs or whatever you desire!
The basic recipe is just 3 ingredients, and after that it’s up to you how you flavor it.
We’ve just gone with some sea salt and black pepper, but fresh herbs would be great, dried herbs, garlic spice, chilli, mustard, whatever you’re in the mood for.
More Vegan Sauces
- Vegan Mushroom Sauce
- Cashew Cheese Sauce
- Tahini Sauce
- Vegan Peanut Sauce
- Vegan Peppercorn Sauce
- Vegan Tartar Sauce
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan White Sauce (Bechamel)
Ingredients
Basic White Sauce:
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups (480ml) Soy Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
Spices to taste:
Instructions
- Add the oil to a pot on the stove and heat it at medium to high heat.
- As the oil heats, add the flour and stir or whisk vigorously.
- Add the soy milk all at once and continue to stir and whisk (you can alternate between a wooden spoon and a whisk) and allow the sauce to gradually thicken.
- You will usually get to the right thickness after it has reached boiling point and boiled for a few minutes.
- When you’ve reached the desired thickness (keep in mind that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools), remove from the heat and add any spices you choose, such as some salt and black pepper or garlic spice or whatever you choose.
Video
Notes
- If you double this recipe, then just a note that the way to double it is that the flour must always be one less than the oil. So doubling this recipe would mean you use 6 Tbsp of olive oil and 5 Tbsp of flour.
Cecilia says
Thank you! I used almond milk and it worked out well. I had followed a different recipe that didn’t indicate to cook the flour with hot oil first which made a big difference. I added nutritional yeast to mine.
Alison Andrews says
You’re welcome Cecilia! So happy it was a success!
Jiri says
Good recipe. Nutmeg goes wonderfully with bechamel, a few shavings into off boil pot.
Meirav says
Sounds very yummy! Will it be good if I use almond milk?
Also can I add mushrooms to the sauce? If yes when is the best to add them?
Thank you!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Meirav, yes it works with almond milk. I’d just stir in the mushrooms at the end. 🙂
Julia says
Interesting way of going about bechamel sauce, I’ve never made it like this. I find it’s a lot easier to control how it comes out if you add the plant milk slowly while whisking, then letting it bubble, adding a little more, and so forth until you reach the desired consistency.
Dave says
Anyone try this in a vitamix?
I’m planing a harvest lasagna.
Alison Andrews says
Hi Dave, I’ve never tried it in a vitamix, I had to look that up online because I had never heard of it! But I see it is a thing! I don’t know how it would work though.
Nate H says
Thank you for this wonderful and yet simple recipe! I’m not vegan, however I don’t eat/drink dairy so this is a great alternative for me
Alison Andrews says
You’re so welcome! 🙂
Julia says
This is a great base!! Mine didn’t end up being vegan (just lactose free milk) but I added minced garlic, chilli flakes, dried basil and salt & pepper and mixed with spaghetti ????
Chloe Rachel says
Just made this to go on top of my vegan Moussaka and absolutely loved it! So delicious and best part my family didn’t even realise it was vegan!!!
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks Chloe!
Kari says
Hi, I don’t see where I can make a new comment, but I need to say DO NOT use coconut milk, not even the unsweetened kind !! The taste of the jalapeños I added were overpowered by the ‘off’ taste the coconut milk gives (i was making it into a cheese sauce) Otherwise this is a delicious recipe! I will be using Almond milk from here on out !
Carly says
Wow that was so easy and so tasty. I feel fancy! I used unsweetened almond milk and only added salt and pepper. Delish!
Alison Andrews says
Haha, so glad to hear it was good Carly!
Kate says
Yum!! I made this today for a pasta bake
I used unsweetened almond milk, nu yeast and whole seeded mustard. Perfect consistency! 🙂
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks so much Kate!
Bob says
Hi, I just tried it. I should not have been surprised that it worked! I made it to go over pasta with broccoli. My wife and mother-in-law were very impressed. They also finished it all up! Thank you. I will never forget it and will use it again. Regards Bob
Alison Andrews says
So glad you enjoyed it Bob! 🙂
Dimitrios says
Hello, can I use almond flour instead?
Alison Andrews says
I’m not sure how well that would work. If you just want it gluten-free then a gluten-free all purpose blend will work.
Venn says
Excellent recipe! I used it as a base for a (vegan) cheese sauce and though I need to add more cheese next time the base was perfect. So simple.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks!
Andrew Davies says
So good we’re coming back for seconds! First for a moussaka, now for lasagne. Thanks!
Alison Andrews says
Yay! So happy to hear that Andrew!
Steffi says
This was sooo good as base recipe. If only I would have known it was this easy to make a white sauce sooner! I used soy milk and I added some dried italian seasonings, rosemary and thyme, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. My boyfriend was very impressed and so was I! Glad I made a double batch to go with the leftover noodles.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it!
Joseph says
You can also liquefy cooked cauliflower along w the water it was gently cooked in, this seems to work great for me.
Also, for some added depth in color and taste, a pinch of smoked paprika and a dash of cayenne 🙂
Thanks for this great recipe.
Alison Andrews says
Thanks for sharing Joseph!
Tayy says
Great recipe! I used rice flour, a little more flour. And then I used soy milk. When it was done I added some nutritional yeast, pepper and rosemary.. let’s just say it didn’t make it to the pasta as I could stop ‘tasting’
Alison Andrews says
Haha awesome! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂