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Basic Vegan Bechamel Sauce

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5 ingredients

This creamy, basic vegan bechamel is a tasty workhorse in the plant-based kitchen. Use it to whip up any number of dishes, from lasagnas to gratins, to veggie pot-pies, to mushroom bakes.

Ingredients

¼ cup vegan butter
Nutmeg, freshly grated (optional; see Chef Tips)
¼ cup all purpose flour
4 cups soy milk
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

1013 cals

Fat

61 g

Saturated Fat

51 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

4 g

Monounsaturated Fat

2 g

Carbohydrates

94 g

Sugar

34 g

Fiber

9 g

Protein

19 g

Sodium

2460 mg

Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in all the flour and use a wooden spoon to stir until combined (see Chef Tips).
Continue to cook the butter and flour mixture for about 2 minutes, or until it develops a slight nutty aroma.
While mixing with a whisk, begin to add the soy milk to the pan with the butter and flour mixture. Start with a slow pour and gradually speed up, whisking constantly. Continue until all the milk is added.
Whisk the mixture every couple of minutes, making sure to get the bottom of the pan so the flour doesn't stick and burn. Be careful to never let the mixture boil (turn down the heat if needed).
After 8-10 minutes, the mixture will be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add in the salt for seasoning and remove the mixture from the heat. Use in the recipe of your choice — try a vegan version of our Creamy Mushroom Lasagna.

Chef Tips

In step 1, before you add the flour, add a grate or two of freshly grated nutmeg to the melted butter and let it sizzle for 30 seconds. It will add a mellow flavor to your sauce.

If you don’t have a whisk, you can use a spoon to stir in the milk. Stir vigorously and constantly to prevent lumps from forming.

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, videos, and more content are reviewed by our Registered Dietitian Kate Ueland, MS, RD, CSO, a board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society.