This Vegan Bechamel Sauce is 'creamily' good, you won't believe it is dairy-free! No nuts or weird ingredients, just everyday storecupboard basics.
A basic white sauce is a kitchen staple and endlessly versatile. Great in lasagne, you can also use this béchamel in pasta bakes or macaroni 'cheese', dauphinoise-style potatoes, vegetable gratins, the possibilities are endless.
This is my last Veganuary post as the month draws to a close, (though there will be lots more vegan recipes coming up, don't fear!), and I thought I would share one of my very favourite "but surely that can't be vegan" meals, an easy vegan lasagne with its creamy vegan bechamel sauce.
For the ragù layers, I used my Slow-Cooked Borlotti Bean Chilli which is a batch-cook recipe, so I had lots in the freezer. Layered up with lasagne sheets and this lovely white sauce sprinkled with vegan cheese, this made a pretty epic lasagne, even if I do say so myself!
What you need to make your vegan béchamel sauce
Ingredients
Vegan block margarine Make sure you use a good quality vegan block margarine (rather than a tub of spread) - it has a much lower water content, so will make a richer, creamier sauce and is much more reliable in cooking. I like Naturli Block or Flora Plant Butter.
Dairy-free milk I usually choose oat milk for sauces, as I find the taste is better than any other and most like the flavour of a dairy sauce. However do experiment with whatever milk you usually prefer.
Dairy-free cream There are lots of vegan creams available in supermarkets these days. I usually go for Elmlea Plant Cream (in the dairy aisle) as they have a double cream which is particularly luscious. But you can also use an oat cream if you prefer. Avoid anything with a strong flavour like coconut cream.
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Variations on your Vegan Béchamel
You can add all sorts of wonderful flavourings to your vegan bechamel sauce for added interest, such as:
- Roasted Garlic - wrap a whole head of garlic in foil and bake for 30 minutes. When cool, squeeze the sweet flesh out of each clove and add to the blender. All the sweetness with none of the death breath!
- Vegan Cheese - my favourites are Applewood Smoked Vegan Cheese or Violife Epic which both melt beautifully into a creamy sauce. See also my Vegan Cheese Sauce recipe.
- Curly Kale - Add a large handful of kale or spinach to the saucepan whilst the cauliflower is cooking for a bright green sauce.
- Wholegrain Mustard - just add one tablespoonful to the blender.
- Dairy-free Pesto - my favourite is Mr Organic's Basil Pesto, add a tablespoon of pesto to the blender.
- Lemon & Fresh Herbs - basil, parsley or thyme, with the zest of a lemon would be really lovely additions.
- Sun-Dried Tomato - a tablespoon of sun-dried tomato paste added to the blender really perks up a Mediterranean- style lasagne.
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Vegan Béchamel Sauce
Ingredients
- 50 g vegan block margarine
- 50 g plain flour
- 1 litre dairy-free milk I use oat, but soya or nut milks will also work
- 75 ml dairy-free cream I use soya
- salt and black pepper
- nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large saucepan, then add the flour. Mix well and cook gently for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the milk a little at a time, mixing thoroughly to get rid of any lumps. Continue until all the milk has been added.
- Cook the sauce gently for a further 4-5 minutes until thick and glossy. Season well with salt and pepper, tasting to adjust if necessary.
- Add the double cream and grate in a little nutmeg, stir and serve.
Nutrition
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Oh I love the idea of adding the cauliflower. Definitely one to try. Pinned.
Your sauce and tweaks sound delicious, Kate. I use "nooch" a lot to make similar types of "cheesy" sauces although, like you, I don't really go for any of the manufactured vegan products (I do make an exception for vegan chorizo though - the real thing was a taste of my childhood).
As a lapsed veggie when I was younger, who has never tried a vegan diet, this sounds good enough to make me want to try vegan lasagne! I mean, if you can have twice as much as well, who's to argue! I love cauliflower and the added garlic or pesto sounds so good.
This sounds great, could work well for Chloe who can't have dairy, gluten or soya so I would use a nut milk and sauce/corn flour as you recommend. X
This looks fantastic! Thank you so much for linking to my recipes!
I love using cauliflower to make creamy sauces, what a wonder veg!
Thanks Poppy - yes I'm still finding out about how many ways you can cook cauliflower, its amazing!!
Do you think this vegan lasagne sauce would freeze?? Thanks
Hi Carol,
Yes this would definitely freeze well, great idea!
Kate
Looks amazing!! What is stock powder?
Thanks Heather! Stock powder is what you add to boiling water to make an instant vegetable stock - sometimes called bouillon powder. Perhaps its a British thing? However you would usually make vegetable stock/bouillon will work fine!