Bechamel sauce is incredibly easy to make using three pantry staple ingredients and is a recipe every home cook should know. You can use it for a variety of dishes like lasagna and even mac and cheese.
Want to save this post?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I’ll send you budget recipes and money-saving tips every week!
Bechamel sauce may sound intimidating to make, but it is far from it. This white sauce requires only 3 ingredients to make and can turn any soup or sauce creamier and thicker.
If you are looking for more vegan pasta sauces, then you will love my cashew alfredo sauce or this creamy spinach pasta sauce. They both take only 15 minutes to make.
Jump to:
❤️ Why you’ll love it
I absolutely love how this vegan bechamel sauce recipe transforms simple, everyday ingredients into a rich, creamy, and versatile white sauce. It is a game-changer for so many classic dishes, as it is the perfect base for dishes like lasagna, moussaka, and even vegan mac and cheese.
Béchamel, also known as white sauce, is a classic French sauce that is considered to be one of the seven mother sauces in French cuisine. This means that it is the base of several popular sauces, such as mornay sauce or cheddar cheese sauce.
Knowing how to make a vegan version opens up so many options. This recipe is beginner-friendly, and I will cover all the tips and tricks you need to get lump-free, smooth white sauce from the very first time.
Subscribe to our newsletters and download it right now.
🧾 Key ingredients
The ingredients for this classic white sauce are probably already in your pantry and fridge, which makes it a convenient recipe to make.
Vegan butter, rice flour, and cornstarch are the foundation of this plant-based bechamel sauce, providing the right texture and consistency to the sauce. It also makes the sauce gluten-free.
Dairy-free milk is another essential ingredient for this recipe. It helps achieve the creamy, white sauce texture traditionally associated with bechamel sauce.
Nutmeg and white pepper are the secret ingredients that add a depth of flavor to this sauce. They elevate the simple, creamy sauce to a whole new level, making it a versatile and delicious addition to any dish.
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🥘 Equipment
For this bechamel sauce recipe, the most crucial piece of equipment you will need is a good quality frying pan. I recommend using a non-stick frying pan as it will help prevent the vegan butter and rice flour from sticking and burning, which can ruin the flavor of the sauce.
👩🍳 Instructions
Preparing the ingredients
Start by heating a frying pan on medium-low heat.
Making the bechamel sauce
STEP 1
Melt the vegan butter in the pan.
STEP 2
Reduce the heat to low, and add the rice flour to the pan. Stir and cook for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is bubbling.
STEP 3
While the heat is still low, take a small bowl and combine half a cup of dairy-free milk with cornstarch.
STEP 4
Add this milk and cornstarch mixture to the pan. Stir until it is well combined.
STEP 5
Next, add another half a cup of dairy-free milk to the pan. Stir until it is well combined.
STEP 6
Continue this process, adding the dairy-free milk in small batches and stirring until it is well combined.
STEP 7
Once all the dairy-free milk has been added and the sauce has thickened, add the salt, nutmeg, and white pepper to the pan. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Adjust consistency if needed. Your vegan bechamel sauce is ready.
💡 Expert tip
For the perfect vegan bechamel sauce, always remember to adjust your heat. Start with medium heat to melt the vegan butter, then reduce it to low before adding the rice flour. This will prevent the sauce from becoming lumpy and will guarantee a smooth, creamy consistency.
🔄 Variations
If you are a fan of garlic, consider adding a teaspoon of garlic powder to this vegan bechamel sauce. This will give it a subtle, yet delicious, garlicky flavor that pairs well with a variety of dishes.
Try incorporating some dried herbs into your sauce for a pop of flavor. I often add a teaspoon of dried thyme or oregano to give it a unique, herby twist. Remember, if you are using dried herbs, add them early in the cooking process to allow their flavors to infuse properly.
If you are craving a cheesy sauce, consider adding a bit of nutritional yeast. This will give your vegan bechamel a cheesy flavor without overpowering it. I recommend starting with two tablespoons of nutritional yeast and adjusting to your preference.
🥣 Serving ideas
Vegan bechamel sauce is a versatile addition to many plant-based dishes. It can be used in both savory and sweet recipes, adding a creamy, lusciously smooth layer of flavor.
I particularly enjoy using it in vegan moussaka, lentil lasagna, and vegan eggplant parmesan. It elevates their flavor without overpowering it.
It also makes a wonderful addition to a vegan pot pie, adding a rich, creamy element to the hearty vegetables. I also often use it in place of my cashew alfredo sauce in different recipes.
❄️ Storing tips
Storing and reheating vegan bechamel sauce is a straightforward process, and it does not compromise the rich, creamy texture or the delicious flavor.
To store, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days without any significant changes in its flavor or texture. I do not recommend storing it longer than this as it may lose its thickness over time.
I do not recommend freezing it, as the texture and consistency can alter significantly upon thawing. Since it is quick and easy to make, I always recommend making it fresh or using up leftovers for other dishes.
To reheat, take it out and let it sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes. Place it in a saucepan and heat it over medium heat, stirring constantly.
🤔 FAQs
If your sauce is not thick enough, you can add more flour. Make sure to dissolve it in a bit of milk first, using a ratio of 1 tablespoon of flour to 2 tablespoons of milk. On the other hand, if your sauce is too thick, add more milk, about a quarter cup at a time.
If you find lumps in your sauce, do not worry. Simply strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing everything through with a spatula or spoon. This will help you get rid of the lumps and achieve a smooth, creamy sauce.
Yes, you can use any type of flour or starch to make this vegan bechamel sauce. However, the thickening power of each type may vary. The measurements provided in the recipe may not be the same if you use wheat flour, almond flour, or tapioca starch.
In this recipe, we use both flour and starch because if you only use starch, the sauce will end up more like a pudding. If you use only one type of flour, like rice, oat, or almond, the sauce will not thicken properly. The combination of flour and starch gives us the perfect, creamy sauce consistency.
More vegan sauce recipes
You can browse through our vegan sauce recipes or our quick vegan meals collection or check out
THANK YOU so much for visiting our website. Please comment below if you have tried this recipe. We LOVE hearing from you! If you loved the recipe, please don’t forget to give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ RATING. We appreciate all of our readers.
⇒ GET OUR FREE 7-DAY VEGAN MEAL PLAN E-BOOK NOW! OR CHECK OUT ALL VEGAN MEAL PLAN RECIPES! ⇐
Vegan Béchamel aka White Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Vegan butter
- 2 Tbsp Rice flour
- 2 Tbsp Corn starch
- 2 cup Dairy-free milk
- ⅛ tsp Nutmeg
- ½ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Pepper
Instructions
Making vegan bechamel sauce
- Heat frying pan on medium/low heat, and melt vegan butter.
- Take the heat to low and add rice flour. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes until the “batter” is boiling.
- In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of milk and cornstarch. Add it to the pan and stir until combined.
- Add the next ½ cup of milk and stir until combined. You must go in small batches to ensure you get a smooth sauce. Go until you run out of milk. (Troubleshooting tips in the Notes section below.)
- Add salt, nutmeg, and white pepper when the sauce has thickened. Stir to combine.
Notes
- Cook it on low heat -> You can start on medium until the butter is melted, then turn the heat low. If I make a larger batch, I even take it off the heat initially.
- Add milk in batches -> I usually go with ½ cup at a time.
- Use a whisk -> I always use a silicone whisk, as I found it foolproof to make the white sauce lump-free.
- Add seasoning at the end ->If the sauce is not thick enough or too thick, you need to adjust the flour and the milk amounts (see notes below). If you add salt, pepper, and nutmeg only at the end when the sauce reached the right consistency, you can be sure that the sauce will not turn out to be too salty or too peppery.
- Not thick enough? -> Add more flour but make sure you first dissolve it in a bit of milk. Like 1 Tbsp flour or starch – 2 Tbsp milk. Alternatively, you can take it off the heat, wait for it to cool a bit, and add flour or starch directly to the sauce and stir vigorously with a whisk to avoid any lumps. Note: The sauce will thicken a bit more when it is cooling down.
- Too thick? -> Add more milk, like ¼ cup at a time.
- How to get rid of lumps? -> Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve before adding more milk.
Belinda
What type/brand of dairy free milk do you use? I’m new to dairy free and there seems to be so many…almond, oat, soy….
Thank you,
G’ma B
Nandor Barta
Hi Belinda, the most neutral one are unsweetened soy or almond in my opinion. They are the easiest to use in sauces like bechamel.
Mary
Thanks. Just made my first sauce with success.
My Pure Plants
We are so glad you liked it. Thanks for trying our recipe.
Jann
Can this be used in a pot pie?
My Pure Plants
Hi Jann, I am not sure you can. Cornstarch (similar to other starches) is activated when you make Bechamel sauce. If you add the Bechamel to cooked veggies and re-heat it (bring it to boil again) in the oven while baking the pot pie, corn starch deflates and you may end up with a runny sauce. If you want to use a gluten-free Bechamel sauce for a pot pie, we recommend substituting 3-4 Tbsp rice flour for 2 Tbsp corn starch.