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    Simple Vegan Bechamel Sauce

    December 18, 2017 By Rene 17 Comments

    A classic creamy white sauce is vegan-ized with this Simple Vegan Bechamel Sauce recipe. The perfect base sauce for any pasta dish. 

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    A classic creamy white sauce is vegan-ized with this Simple Vegan Bechamel Sauce recipe. The perfect base sauce for any pasta dish | ThisSavoryVegan.com #vegan

    I feel like there are lots of staples when it comes to cooking.

    Staple spices.

    Staple ingredients.

    And...

    Staple recipes.

    And one staple recipe that should be in everyone's back pocket is a bechamel sauce.

    Now, don't get thrown off by its fancy sounding name.

    This buttery, milky sauce is straight up traditional white sauce.

    To vegan-ize this classic, we just need to make a couple simple swaps.

    A classic creamy white sauce is vegan-ized with this Simple Vegan Bechamel Sauce recipe. The perfect base sauce for any pasta dish | ThisSavoryVegan.com #vegan

    The first being vegan butter for traditional butter.

    Easy enough.

    I personally am a big fan of Earth Balance or Miyoko's. Earth Balance is usually easier to find, but Miyoko's is slowly but surely catching up - I most recently saw it at my local Ralph's.

    The next swap we're going to make is non-dairy milk for traditional milk.

    Another easy switch to make.

    I usually stick with soy milk for this recipe since I think nut milks can come through too sweet, but use what tastes best to you.

    And with a just a few other staple ingredients - flour, salt & pepper - your sauce will come together in just 10 minutes.

    At this point, you can call it quits. You have officially made a bechamel sauce.

    Congrats.

    But, if you are looking to add another layer of flavor you still have lots of options.

    Add in some pesto for a creamy herb-filled sauce.

    Or stir in some pureed chilies for a spicy kick.

    Whatever flavor you want your sauce to take on, this creamy white sauce is the perfect base.

    Be sure to check back later this week to see how I use this sauce in a tasty baked pasta dish!

    Need more sauce inspo? Check out my Spicy Marinara Sauce or Chimichurri Sauce.

    A classic creamy white sauce is vegan-ized with this Simple Vegan Bechamel Sauce recipe. The perfect base sauce for any pasta dish | ThisSavoryVegan.com #vegan
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    5 from 18 votes

    Simple Vegan Bechamel Sauce

    A classic creamy white sauce is vegan-ized with this Simple Vegan Bechamel Sauce recipe. The perfect base sauce for any pasta dish. 
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes
    Servings 2 cups

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoon vegan butter
    • 2 tablespoon flour
    • 2 cups non-dairy milk warmed
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • pinch of nutmeg optional

    Instructions

    • Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until thickened and bubbling, but not browned (approx. 2 minutes).
    • Pour warm milk in the pan and continue to whisk until sauce is thickened (approx. 3 minutes).
    • Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to the pan and stir to combine. 
    • Use immediately.*

    Notes

    *If making ahead of time, place wax paper over the sauce until ready to use.

    This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase I will receive a small percentage of the sale. Please know I would never link a product unless I have personally used it and loved it!

    If you make this recipe be sure to snap a photo + post it + and tag #thissavoryvegan and @thissavoryvegan!

    A classic creamy white sauce is vegan-ized with this Simple Vegan Bechamel Sauce recipe. The perfect base sauce for any pasta dish | ThisSavoryVegan.com #vegan
    « Weekly Vegan Dinner Plan #10
    Vegan Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Creamy Pesto »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gwendalina Carrera

      December 15, 2021 at 9:33 am

      I am so glas I found this vegan bechamelle recipe. What is the best milk to use?

      Reply
      • Rene

        December 16, 2021 at 11:20 am

        I usually use soy or oat - unsweetened, of course.

        Reply
    2. Hana T. Shannon

      December 08, 2021 at 6:20 pm

      5 stars
      Simple. To the point.
      When I used sprouted barley flour as it was the only flour available here,
      I added 3 TBSP instead of 2 for better consistency along with the same ingredients in this recipe. Its good!

      Reply
    3. ashok

      February 28, 2021 at 1:46 am

      5 stars
      My Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.

      Reply
      • Rene

        March 07, 2021 at 8:41 am

        Thanks so much! And so glad you liked it!

        Reply
    4. Peter stock

      December 22, 2019 at 6:42 am

      Too many distracting unhelpful, unnecessary photos and annoying pop ups.
      Just the text please. (Or a."go to rexipe" link at the top)
      This is a recipe for.losing views.
      I wont be back.

      Reply
      • Monica

        March 05, 2022 at 9:44 am

        Wow. I will be back! Why are people so nasty? The sauce turned out great, thank you!

        Reply
    5. Cheryl Davis

      March 25, 2019 at 6:18 am

      Great - made this with oat milk and worked a treat. Now saved as my 'go-to' béchamel sauce.

      Reply
    6. Amy

      December 19, 2018 at 10:22 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe!! It may seem like it won't work at first, but be patient, stick with it and a great vegan béchamel will form

      Reply
    7. Jennifer Hoover

      November 18, 2018 at 10:14 am

      5 stars
      Soy is good since no flavor but it also gets thicker may require more liquid

      Reply
    8. Demme Matheos

      October 20, 2018 at 12:13 pm

      Can you use another flour?
      Coconut flour, almond flour etc.

      Reply
      • Rene

        October 21, 2018 at 8:10 am

        I haven't tried it, but it should work. You could also use a cornstarch slurry.

        Reply
    9. Jules

      September 27, 2018 at 5:43 pm

      Is it normal for when the butter is melted and flour added it’s not liquid it just soft clumps?

      Reply
      • Rene

        September 28, 2018 at 9:20 am

        Hi Jules - you just want to whisk, whisk, whisk, until there aren't any more clumps.

        Reply
        • Katelyn

          April 11, 2020 at 2:33 pm

          How long would this stay good in the fridge? I only used a small amount & want to use the rest for something else

          Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. The Best Ways to Use Non-Dairy Milks That Don’t Involve Cereal – Bainbridge Today says:
      January 8, 2019 at 2:03 pm

      […] congratulations. Now that you’re really feeling saucy, use oat milk as the basis for a basic bechamel sauce to accompany vegetables or (more likely) […]

      Reply
    2. January: Week 2 Meal Plan • Study In Fitness says:
      January 7, 2019 at 9:56 am

      […] Chile Chicken Alfredo (Dairy-free) and Salad – I’m using this Vegan Bechamel Sauce as a base then pureeing it with some Green Chile. Then I’ll pour it all over some pasta and […]

      Reply

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    I’m Rene! So-cal native, dog mom and lover of all things spicy. Learn more.

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