Vegan Bechamel Sauce

This recipe was created while we were perfecting our Vegan Moussaka. It took a lot of experimentation to get a rich, creamy bechamel. We used classic roux as well as cashews soaked in water and even mashed potato.

The clear winner was when we combined soaked cashews and the magic of roasted garlic — a whole head. Roasted garlic and creamy cashews combine perfectly with nutritional yeast, salt, and salt to make a bechamel sauce that is simply dreamy. Plus, just five simple ingredients are required. We’ll show you exactly how to do it.

What is Bechamel?

Bechamel, a creamy, white sauce, is traditionally made from butter, milk, and flour. It’s used to base other spices. Debatable is its origin, but it appears to have been created in Italy or France during the 16th-17th centuries.

This plant-based is not only delicious and creamy but also versatile!

Vegan Bechamel Sauce

This recipe is made with cashews, a creamy, dairy-free alternative. You read it right: a whole head of fresh garlic! Roast the garlic until it is perfectly caramelized. Roasting garlic gives it a rich flavor that is not too strong, as roasting softens its flavor and adds sweetness. The addition of nutritional yeast, sea salt, and sour cream adds a salty-cheesy flavor.

Ingredients

ROASTED GARLIC

• One head of garlic, average size
• 1 tsp olive oil

BECHAMEL

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Add more nutritional yeast to taste.
• Add more salt to taste. 1/4 teaspoon sea salt is a good starting point.
• 3/4 cup of water

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut off the top of the garlic head and place it on a sheet of aluminum foil. Wrap the lid in foil and drizzle with oil. Roast directly on the center oven rack between 50 minutes and 1 hour or until the cloves become tender, fragrant, and golden.
• Cashews should be soaked in hot water for 30 minutes (without covering them).
• Drain the cashews, then add them to a blender with the roasted garlic cloves (squeeze the cloves out by squeezing from the bottom to the top, starting at the top), nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt, and water. Blend until smooth and creamy.
• Add more salt if you like it or nutritional yeast if you want it to be cheesy. If you want a stronger garlic flavor, add some raw garlic. Set aside.
• Fresh is best. It is perfect for adding to dishes such as moussaka or macaroni and cheese. You can also use it in vegetable bake. The leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen for one month. Add more water or dairy-free plain milk to thin when reheating.