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Dairy-Free ‘Cheese’ Sauce

by Tansy Boggon

You can use this simple dairy-free ‘cheese’ sauce anywhere you typically use cheese sauce.

How to use this dairy-free cheese sauce

This ‘cheese’ sauce is ideal for lasagnes, vegan mac and cheese, pasta bakes or cauliflower gratin.

Try it drizzled over baked or steamed vegetables or with anything you’d typically use cheese sauce.

You can even use it to make vegan mashed potatoes, replacing the butter, milk and cheese normally used to make mash. I’ve used this mash over vegan cottage pie, and it works great.

Over to you to get creative!

Dairy-free cheese sauce in a stainless steel jug being poured into a ramekin, with a dark grey background.

Ingredients for this vegan cheese sauce

To make this easy cheese sauce, you will require:

  • olive oil
  • cornflour
  • almond milk
  • nutritional yeast
  • hot mustard
  • turmeric powder
  • vegetable stock powder

The sauce may have a slight bitterness; however, when you add it to a lasagne or mac and cheese, this flavour will mellow. I have tried making it with soy milk, but it is even more bitter.

To reduce the bitterness, especially if using the sauce to drizzle over steamed or roasted veggies, add a steamed and cooked carrot or parsnip to the sauce and blend it with a stick blender. Experiment with this, as you may need to add a little more milk, but it is a step that adds a great flavour.

Are you ready to give it a try?

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to hear if you tried this recipe and how it turned out.

Leave a comment below and any modifications you made to the recipe. It helps others making it and enables me to refine the recipe further.

Dairy-Free ‘Cheese’ Sauce

Use this simple dairy-free ‘cheese’ sauce anywhere you typically use cheese sauce, such as lasagnes, vegan mac and cheese, or drizzled it over-baked or steamed veggies.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Keyword: vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free
Servings: 4
Author: Tansy Boggon

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons cornflour
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • ½ teaspoon hot mustard
  • pinch turmeric powder, for colour
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder

Instructions

  • Add olive oil to a saucepan on medium heat.
  • Once oil is heated, add cornflour and stir through. Press down on the flour with a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula to create a paste.
  • Lower the heat and add half the milk. Stir vigorously, alternating between the wooden spoon/spatula and a hand whisk to prevent any lumps from forming. Then, add the remaining milk.
  • Bring mixture to boil, whisking continuously to prevent lumps or sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Continue whisking until the sauce begins to thicken and to prevent lumps. It will take 10-15 minutes after the sauce has reached a boil to thicken. Try a stick blender if you cannot remove the lumps or they start to form.
  • Once thickened, remove saucepan from heat, and add the remaining ingredients and whisk together.
  • Serve drizzled over baked vegetables or combine into a potato, pasta, cauliflower or broccoli bake.

Notes

Storage & Sauce Thickness
If you require the sauce to be thicker, combine additional flour into a little milk to remove lumps. Then add to the sauce while on the heat.
The sauce can be used immediately or stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2-4 days. It will thicken further on cooling and may develop a ‘milk’ skin. Simply whisk to combine.
To reheat, warm the sauce on a low heat without bringing it to the boil. If the consistency is too thick add a tablespoon of water at a time to achieve desired consistency.
Dairy-free ‘cheese’ sauce
Original image for this vegan ‘cheese’ sauce recipe.

 

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