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Home » Gluten Free

Gluten Free Bechamel Sauce (Vegan)

Published: Dec 16, 2019 · Modified: Jan 19, 2022· By: Janelle Hama

Jump to Recipe

Creamy gluten-free béchamel sauce that is rich and smooth ideal for uses in pasta, soups, bakes and more. This is also a vegan béchamel sauce.

two types of gluten free bechamel sauce in white bowls, one is yellower due to nutritional yeast

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Jump to:
  • 😋Why you’ll love this recipe
  • ✔️What You’ll Need
  • 🥘Ingredient Notes
  • 🔪Step-By-Step Guide
  • 💭Pro Tips
  • ✔️Variations
  • 🍴Serving suggestions
  • 🥘Related recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Community

I've always had a fondness for this white sauce, since learning how to whisk it up in cooking class two decades ago. It originates from France, dating as far back as the 17th century. 

In Arabic béchamel sauce is written as بشاميل , in Lebanon, there is a heavy French influence, due to once being part of the French colonial empire. Bechamel can be found in various adapted Lebanese pasta dishes - Macarona Bechamel.

Traditionally, bechamel sauce is made with white roux; equal parts flour and fat. 

This version of white sauce differs in that the flour is gluten-free and the fat is non-animal. This is a gluten-free vegan béchamel sauce.

😋Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s the classic white sauce that can make a lot of foods fancier
  • Can be used within pasta, bakes, soups or even a dipping sauce for vegetables.
  • It’s lighter than traditional béchamel sauce (less fat)
  • Is ready in minutes

✔️What You’ll Need

bechamel vegan ingredients laid out

🥘Ingredient Notes

Dairy-free milk - you can select your favourite plant milk, I have used both soy and almond milks* which have worked well. Other milks that may work are oat, cashew or rice milk.

Vegan butter I much prefer to use olive oil-based dairy-free butter. 

Gluten free plain flour or all-purpose flour* - a store-bought blend is used. 

Nutmeg* is used in a slight amount to give a wonderfully subtle flavour enhancement to this gluten-free white sauce. 

Nutritional yeast* is optional. This will add a cheesy flavour and will make your vegan béchamel sauce turn a light shade of yellow.

yellow bechamel sauce with a nutritional yeast in a wbhite bowl

The above photo shows how adding nutritional yeast to bechamel sauce will change the colour to a yellow - tastes absolutely delish.

🔪Step-By-Step Guide

Here’s how to make vegan béchamel sauce;

Step one - over low-medium heat, melt vegan butter, once it starts to bubble add gluten-free flour and consistently stir until it has combined and starts to slightly bubble again. Stir for about 1-2 minutes until the flour has completely dissolved.

Step two - add ¼ of plant-based milk and continuously whisk in to rid of any clumps. Repeat this three more times until all milk is used up. If it starts to clump, take it off the heat and continuously whisk until all the clumps are gone and place the saucepan back onto the heat. During the third time of adding milk whisk through nutmeg and salt.

Step three - once bechamel sauce has reached a thick and creamy consistency, it's ready.

gluten free vegan bechamel sauce in a white bowl with a wooden spoon dipped into it

💭Pro Tips

Heat should not be higher than low-medium heat, this is a delicate sauce to cook.

Cooking flour out with butter is essential to rid of any graininess of gluten-free flour. As this is a gluten-free flour, it will behave differently from wheat flour. It will not spread out but rather clump together. Just keep stirring.

Do not brown the roux (GF flour and vegan butter) mixture

Use cold milk for a silky smooth consistency, this is how I was taught in cooking class and it has always worked

Adding in a ¼ of plant milk at a time helps to work and whisk the vegan béchamel sauce ensuring there are no lumps

Use a thick bottom saucepan/pot this will help retain heat when taking it off the burner to whisk and smooth out

Thickening vegan béchamel can be achieved by adding more or less dairy-free milk and gluten-free flour. Do this with little amounts of any of the above at a time.

As this gluten-free béchamel sauce cools down, a layer of skin will form on top, this is normal.

✔️Variations

Nutritional yeast* can be added when adding the nutmeg and salt. You can add as much as you like to suit your desired taste

Dijon Mustard can be added to give this vegan pasta white sauce a little sharpness, start by adding in a ½ teaspoon and adjusting from there.

one white sauce and one yellow sauce in white bowls with wooden spoons

🍴Serving suggestions

Use this vegan béchamel sauce in a gluten-free vegan lasagna (I love it as it makes the best vegan lasagna white sauce), vegan mushroom pasta or within your favourite baked vegan pasta or vegetable bake.

🥘Related recipes

  • Vegan Fry Sauce
  • Easy and Creamy Shawarma Sauce (Tarator)
  • Garlic Dipping Sauce (Lebanese Toum)
  • Vegan Lasagna (Gluten Free)

Looking for another great pasta sauce, try carrot top pesto by The Flour Hand Print.

How did you use this gluten-free béchamel sauce? I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment below and give me a rating. This will help me sustain Plant Based Folk. 

Alternatively, did you happen to take a photo? Tag me @plantbasedfolk on Instagram to be featured via stories. If you love sharing your vegan food pics, join the PBF community group.

If you’re into fast cooking vids, join me on Tiktok.

Janelle x

📖 Recipe

two types of gluten free bechamel sauce in white bowls, one is yellower due to nutritional yeast

Gluten Free Bechamel Sauce (Vegan)

Easy creamy bechamel sauce recipe that is gluten free, dairy free and vegan.
Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Saved Recipe
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: French
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

  • 600 ml Plant based milk e.g., almond
  • 50 g Vegan butter
  • 50 g Gluten free flour
  • 1 pinch Nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • ⅓ cup Nutritional yeast optional - to taste
Metric - US Customary
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Instructions

  • Over medium heat, melt vegan butter
  • Add gluten free flour and stir through, until it has combined with the vegan butter
  • Add in ¼ of the plant based milk and stir through well. Rid clumps by stirring consistently. Repeat this step three more times until all milk has been used.
  • During the third time the milk has been added, stir through nutmeg, salt and optional nutritional yeast.
  • Once bechamel sauce has a thick and creamy consistency, it's ready.

Video

Notes

Heat should not be higher than a low-medium heat, this is a delicate sauce to cook.
Cooking flour out with the butter is essential to rid of any graininess of the gluten free flour. As this is a gluten free flour, it will behave differently to wheat flour. It will not spread out but rather clump together. Just keep stirring.
Do not brown the roux (gf flour and vegan butter) mixture
Use cold milk for a silky smooth consistency, this is how I was taught in cooking class and it has always worked
Adding in a ¼ of plant milk at a time helps to work and whisk the vegan béchamel sauce ensuring there are no lumps
Use a thick bottom saucepan/pot this will help retain heat when taking it off the burner to whisk and smooth out
Thickening vegan béchamel can be achieved by adding more or less dairy free milk and gluten free flour. Do this with little amounts of any of the above at a time.
As this gluten free béchamel sauce cools down, a layer of skin will form on top, this is normal.
Variations
Nutritional yeast can be added when adding the nutmeg and salt. You can add as much as you like to suit your desired taste
Dijon Mustard can be added to give this vegan pasta white sauce a little sharpness, start by adding in a ½ teaspoon and adjusting from there.
 
Serving suggestions
Use this vegan béchamel sauce in a gluten-free vegan lasagna (I love it as it makes the best vegan lasagna white sauce), vegan mushroom pastaor within your favorite baked vegan pasta or vegetable bake.
 
Looking for another vegan pudding recipe? Try Muhallabi or for another cold healthy vegan dessert try mango sorbet.
 
 
 
 
N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use

Equipment

pot

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3429mg | Potassium: 311mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1911IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 753mg | Iron: 3mg

N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.

Tried this recipe?Mention @Plantbasedfolk or tag #plantbasedfolk
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathy

    November 27, 2022 at 3:59 pm

    Would this work for a potato bake and can I cook the day before and reheat? Thank You

    Reply
    • Janelle Hama

      November 27, 2022 at 7:27 pm

      yes this should be ok

      Reply
  2. nancy

    March 07, 2022 at 9:52 am

    5 stars
    now i can make a creamy pasta with this bechamel sauce sauce. thank you

    Reply
  3. Chris

    March 06, 2022 at 9:13 pm

    5 stars
    Never thought, bechamel sauce can be so delicious! Love how creamy it is. Served mine last dinner and it was a huge success!

    Reply
  4. Andrea

    March 01, 2022 at 3:48 pm

    this sauce is something special! love how easy it is to make and how creamy it spread!

    Reply
  5. Tavo

    February 28, 2022 at 6:53 pm

    5 stars
    The sauce was super creamy! I used it for lasagna and loved it! Thanks!

    Reply
  6. Josh

    February 08, 2022 at 5:12 pm

    5 stars
    I love béchamel sauce and happy to find a vegan recipe that is full of flavor.

    Reply
  7. Anaiah

    January 07, 2022 at 1:01 pm

    5 stars
    Loving this easy recipe for a vegan and gluten free béchamel sauce. It tastes great drizzled on so many savory meals. Definitely a recipe to keep on hand!

    Reply
  8. Billy

    January 06, 2022 at 2:52 pm

    5 stars
    This Bechamel sauce is divine! Love that it's gluten-free as well!

    Reply
  9. Michelle

    October 08, 2020 at 2:53 am

    5 stars
    This is a perfect bechamel! I made it with regular flour and it worked great 🙂

    Reply
  10. Suzie

    May 20, 2020 at 3:11 pm

    5 stars
    perfect! a bechamel sauce that’s gluten free and vegan and taste good. thanks

    Reply

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Heya, I'm Janelle! I've been a messy but delicious cook for a couple of decades now.

In the last few years, I've converted to a vegan diet and have fallen in love with the flavors that can be created from plants.

I specialize in vegan Lebanese food and I'm excited to share these amazing recipes with you.

Let's cook together!

More about me →

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