Name: Vegan Bechamel Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 7 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Vegan Butter; 2 cloves Garlic, grated; 1 Shallot, grated; 3 tablespoons Leveled All-Purpose Flour; 1 1/4 cups Coconut Milk or Unsweetened Dairy-Free Milk; 1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg; 1 teaspoon Salt; 1/2 teaspoon White Pepper

Front shot of Vegan Bechamel Sauce in a skillet

Béchamel sauce is a white sauce that can be used to make so many dishes. After all, it is a mother sauce. You can toss the cooked pasta in béchamel sauce to make a creamy dish or use it in Vegan Moussaka, vegan lasagna, cauliflower bake, etc.

The origin of this great sauce is unclear, but we can be thankful to the French or Italy for coming up with this delicious sauce.
Traditionally, béchamel sauce is made from flour, butter, and milk. However, we used vegan butter and coconut milk, so there's no need to worry about eating foods not included in a vegan diet.

First, we made a white roux from vegan butter and flour. A roux is a combination of flour and fat cooked until white, blond, or brown and used to thicken sauces. Then, we gradually whisked in the coconut milk until a glorious, smooth thick sauce formed.

Author: Sarah Leadon

Prep Time

2 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

7 mins

Serves

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Vegan Butter
2 cloves Garlic, grated
1 Shallot, grated
3 tablespoons Leveled All-Purpose Flour
1 1/4 cups Coconut Milk or Unsweetened Dairy-Free Milk
1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper

Instructions

In a deep skillet, add butter. Set it over medium-high heat.

Add grated garlic and shallots and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add all-purpose flour and whisk to combine until thick roux forms. Cook the roux for only 1-2 minutes. It should be a blond roux, not a brown roux.

Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup of coconut milk. Make sure you whisk it well to break up any lumps that may form.

Once the béchamel sauce is smooth, gradually whisk in the remaining coconut milk a little at a time until all the milk is gone.

Once the béchamel sauce starts to thicken, cook it for an additional 30 seconds, then remove it from the heat.

Continue whisking the béchamel sauce until it reaches your desired consistency. The béchamel sauce will thicken even more as it starts to cool.

Stir in the nutmeg, salt, and white pepper.

If you are not planning to use the béchamel sauce right away, press a layer of wax paper or plastic wrap onto the béchamel's surface to prevent a skin from forming. The same rule applies to storing the béchamel sauce.

Once you are ready to reheat your béchamel sauce, place it into a medium saucepan and place it over medium-low heat. Add water or coconut milk, and constantly whisk until the béchamel sauce is smooth and reaches your desired consistency.