Dairy-free béchamel (white sauce)
Silky dairy-free béchamel made with soya milk and a golden roux. Creamy, versatile sauce for lasagne, pies, gratins or dairy-free mac'n'cheese.
This is the béchamel you remember — but dairy-free. Silky, neutral and surprisingly comforting, it does the heavy lifting in lasagnes, pies, gratins and creamy bakes.
Made with a pale roux and warmed soya milk, the sauce keeps its texture and reheats beautifully. Nutritional yeast is optional but gives that subtle 'cheesy' lift without dairy.
Ingredients
- 40 g dairy-free block spread
- 40 g plain flour
- 600 ml unsweetened soya milk — warmed (see method)
- 5 ml fine sea salt
- 0 ml ground white pepper
- 15 ml nutritional yeast — optional, for a savoury 'cheesy' note
- fresh nutmeg — a pinch, freshly grated
Equipment
- saucepan
- whisk
- measuring scales
Instructions
Gently warm the soya milk in a small saucepan until just below simmering — it should steam and show tiny bubbles around the edge but not boil.
Meanwhile, melt the dairy-free block spread in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it foams but does not brown. Add the plain flour and stir continuously to form a smooth paste (roux). Cook for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
Take the warmed soya milk off the heat. Add one ladleful (about 120 ml) of milk to the roux and whisk until smooth. Repeat, adding milk in two or three more additions, whisking to eliminate lumps. Once all the milk is incorporated, return the pan to low heat and simmer gently, whisking continuously, until the sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon (about 4–5 minutes).
Remove from the heat and stir in the nutritional yeast, fine sea salt, ground white pepper and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Leave the sauce to rest for 5 minutes to settle; it will thicken a little as it cools. If it becomes too thick for your dish, reheat gently and whisk in a splash of warmed soya milk to loosen.
Tips
- Always warm the plant milk before adding to the roux — cold milk causes lumps. If you forget, use a fine-mesh sieve to remove any bits.
- If your sauce later becomes too thick, loosen with small additions of warmed soya milk while whisking — do this off the heat to avoid splitting.
- Make ahead and chill: cool completely, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently while whisking; add a splash of milk to restore silkiness.
- Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slowly, whisking to recombine.
- If you prefer a very smooth finish for dishes like mac'n'cheese, pass the finished sauce through a sieve or blend briefly with a stick blender.
Substitutions
dairy-free block spread → olive oil or light-tasting vegetable oil, same weight (40 g)
Stays closeunsweetened soya milk → unsweetened oat milk, same volume (600 ml)
Stays closeplain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend, same weight (40 g)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 175
- Calories
- 7 g
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 560 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this nut-free?
Yes. The recipe as written is nut-free (using soya milk). If you use oat or almond milk, choose oat if you need to avoid nuts.
Is this recipe vegan?
Yes — all ingredients listed are plant-based. Use a vegan certified dairy-free spread if you need strict vegan labelling.
Why did my sauce get lumpy?
Lumps come from adding cold milk to a hot roux or not whisking vigorously. Warm the milk first and add it gradually while whisking constantly.
How do I make the sauce 'cheesy' without dairy?
Stir in nutritional yeast (included) for a savoury, cheesy note. A small spoon of miso can also add umami but will change the flavour profile.
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