We have no doubt that this is the EASIEST vegan bechamel recipe you'll ever make. Forget about the traditional bechamel sauce made with milk, butter and flour and trust this 2-ingredient vegan version. All you'll need is cashew butter, vegetable broth and (of course) nutmeg. This classic white sauce is incredibly smooth, flavorful and perfect for lasagna and moussaka. If you want to test it out in pasta dishes, try this creamy mushroom pasta, vegan vodka sauce or pumpkin sauce.
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Let's talk about bechamel sauce
First things first, let's talk about the true, traditional béchamel sauce – one of the staple recipes of French cuisine. The main ingredients are dairy butter, all-purpose flour and milk. Usually, you start by melting the butter in a small saucepan. Then, you stir in the flour with a wooden spoon to form what's called a "roux". Finally, you add some dairy milk to thin out the sauce. If you let it simmer for a few minutes, the sauce will start to thicken and obtain that final creamy, luxurious texture. One ingredient that cannot miss in a bechamel sauce is nutmeg. But be careful not to overdo it.
All in all, bechamel is a creamy, buttery basic white sauce that tastes like nutmeg. By no means would you add cheese in a traditional bechamel sauce. That's why this vegan version doesn't call for a cheese replacement such as nutritional yeast.
Why you'll love this recipe
- This basic sauce can be whipped up in no time and will be a real game-changer for your vegan cooking skills.
- Unlike many other vegan bechamel recipes, you don't need to soak cashews for hours. Using cashew butter will save you so much time!
- It is a gluten-free and dairy-free recipe made without milk, butter and flour that is perfect for people with food allergies or on a vegan diet.
- You can use this béchamel as a vegan white sauce for your favorite dishes: pasta sauce, pasta bake, veggie bakes, vegan lasagna, vegan moussaka and vegan versions of your favorite French recipes.
- This sauce is very versatile. If you want a vegan cheese sauce, simply add nutritional yeast. You could also blend it with roasted butternut squash and nutritional yeast to make vegan mac and cheese.
Key ingredients & substitutions
Cashew butter is the key ingredient of this recipe. When heated with liquid it will start to thicken and form a sauce. Cashew butter is full of healthy fats and completely replaces butter and olive oil in this recipe. Make sure to use white cashew butter made from 100% unroasted, unsalted cashews.
Vegetable broth makes the sauce a lot more flavorful compared to using soy milk or oat milk. You'll want to use qualitative vegetable broth for this recipe. We like jarred or boxed broth, or bouillon powder that you mix with water.
Nutmeg provides that classic "bechamel" taste and garlic powder and white pepper (or black pepper) intensify the overall flavor of the sauce.
Important tips & side notes
- Do not replace the cashew butter with another type of nut butter such as white tahini or sunflower seed butter. Cashew butter is the only nut butter that has a flavor that is neutral enough to make a creamy white sauce.
- Don't worry if the cashew butter seems to fall apart in the beginning. Once it gets hot, the cashew butter will melt and you'll be able to whisk it into a perfectly homogenous and creamy sauce.
- Do not use this vegan bechamel on pizza. We tried making white sauce pizzas with this bechamel but found that the oven was too drying for this sauce. This is not the case in layered dishes such as lasagna or moussaka where the moisture is retained inside.
How to make vegan bechamel (+ pictures)
Heat the vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. You want it to be hot and steaming but it should not be boiling.
Once the broth is hot, add in the cashew butter, nutmeg, white pepper and garlic.
Elo's tip: make sure to use a pot that is not too small to prevent splashes when whisking.
Use a whisk to incorporate the cashew butter. It can take 1-3 minutes for the sauce to start to thicken depending on how hot your broth is. Taste the sauce and add a pinch of salt if necessary (it mostly depends on how salty your vegetable broth is).
Adjust the thickness of the vegan bechamel. Depending on the dish you're making, you might need a thicker or thinner bechamel sauce. If you want the bechamel to be thinner, add a little more vegetable broth. If you want it to be ticker, add more cashew butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once the sauce is done cooking, transfer it to an airtight container and let it cool. You can keep it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Note that the bechamel sauce will thicken in the fridge. To obtain the original texture, reheat it in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. If necessary, add a splash of vegetable broth or water to thin it out.
Bechamel is a type of white sauce traditionally made from butter, flour and milk. A vegan version can be made with cashew butter and vegetable broth.
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The recipe
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
- ½ cup cashew butter
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
- Salt if necessary
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable broth in a saucepan over medium heat until warm. It should not be boiling.
- Add in the cashew butter, nutmeg and garlic powder. Whisk until the cashew butter melts and the bechamel thickens.
- Taste the sauce and add a pinch of salt if necessary.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Make sure to use white cashew butter made from 100% unroasted, unsalted cashews.
- Do not replace the cashew butter with another type of nut butter such as white tahini or sunflower seed butter. Cashew butter is the only nut butter that has a flavor that is neutral enough to make a creamy white sauce.
- This sauce is perfect to make vegan lasagne, vegan moussaka, pasta bakes and vegetable bakes.
- Do not use this vegan bechamel on pizza. We tried making white sauce pizzas with this bechamel but found that the oven was too drying for the sauce. This is not the case in layered dishes such as lasagna or moussaka where the moisture is retained inside.
- You can store this sauce in the refrigerator for up 3 to 4 days. Note that the bechamel sauce will thicken in the fridge. To obtain the original texture, reheat it in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave.
- This bechamel freezes well.
Nutrition
Vegan bechamel recipes
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I'm so impressed by this recipe! I would never have thought of making a vegan bechamel with cashew butter! This recipe was SO easy to make and really really delicious. I'll never make bechamel any other way from now on 😊
I'm so happy to hear that! This recipe had been game-changing for us, too!