Description
This creamy vegan cheese sauce is made with dairy-free milk, vegan butter, and cheese, perfect for adding rich, cheesy flavor to your plant-based dishes. It features gentle simmering and infusing techniques to build flavor, then is thickened with flour and enriched with vegan cheese and cream for a smooth, luscious finish.
Ingredients
Dairy Base
- 500 ml dairy-free milk (unsweetened oat milk recommended)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
Aromatics (Optional)
- 1/2 onion
- 1 clove
Fat & Thickener
- 40 g dairy-free butter (block margarine)
- 25 g plain flour
Enrichments
- 50 ml dairy-free cream
- 50 g vegan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare aromatics (optional): Peel the half onion and insert the clove into it to keep it easily retrievable later. Place this along with the bay leaf into a saucepan containing the dairy-free milk.
- Infuse milk: Warm the milk and aromatics gently to a simmer, then remove from heat. Let it sit for 15 minutes to infuse the flavors from the onion, clove, and bay leaf.
- Melt the vegan butter: In a separate saucepan, melt the block margarine over medium heat.
- Create a roux: Add the plain flour to the melted butter and stir continuously, cooking gently for 2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Incorporate infused milk: Gradually add the infused dairy-free milk to the roux in small portions, stirring thoroughly each time to prevent lumps and achieve a smooth mixture.
- Thicken the sauce: Once all the milk is added, cook the sauce gently for about 5 minutes until it becomes thick and glossy.
- Finish the sauce: Remove from heat, then stir in the vegan cheese and dairy-free cream until fully combined. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste the sauce and modify salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Notes
- Using oat milk gives a creamy flavor but any unsweetened dairy-free milk can be used.
- Infusing the milk with onion, clove, and bay leaf adds depth but can be omitted for a quicker version.
- Cook the flour in butter long enough to avoid a raw flour taste in the sauce.
- Stir continuously when adding milk to prevent lumps in the sauce.
- For a thicker sauce, cook a little longer; for thinner, add a bit more milk.
- Adjust seasoning at the end carefully as vegan cheese can add saltiness.
- Serve over pasta, vegetables, or use as a base for vegan gratins.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
