Dairy free white sauce with oat milk is an ideal recipe to use in savoury dishes such as lasagne, pasta bake and fish pie. It's quick and easy to make, and oat milk has a neutral taste which goes very well with most flavours. If you can't eat dairy, or you're vegan, there's no need to miss out with this creamy dairy free alternative to a classic white sauce or béchamel.
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What you'll love about dairy free béchamel
- Dairy free, vegan, nut free, soy free and gluten free, this recipe is allergy friendly.
- White sauce with oat milk is easy to make, and ready in just 10 minutes. The simple all in one method makes a smooth and creamy sauce with just 2 ingredients. No roux is needed for this sauce, making it quick and easy.
- Compared to a traditional bechamel made with butter, this dairy free white sauce is much lower in saturated fat.
Ingredients
Oat milk. This is readily available in UK supermarkets, and most supermarkets also stock gluten-free oat milk. Oat milk is naturally creamy, and neutral in flavour. Of course, it's important that your oat milk is unsweetened and unflavoured!
Cornflour is used to thicken this oat milk white sauce. Cornflour (or cornstarch as it is also known) is naturally gluten free and makes a silky smooth sauce.
Seasoning. You can just keep it simple with salt and pepper, or add a pinch of nutmeg or other herbs and spices such as cloves or bay leaf to complement your recipe. You could also add garlic or a pinch of mustard powder.
How to make dairy free white sauce with oat milk
It's important to start with cold oat milk and a cold pan to make a smooth sauce.
Whisk the milk and cornflour together in pan, and add the seasoning.
Place the pan over a medium heat, and bring the sauce up to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly. The sauce will start to thicken. Simmer gently for a minute, then remove from the heat.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Expert tips
- You can also use this dairy free white sauce to make a vegan or dairy free cheese sauce. Just add some grated vegan cheese to the warm sauce at the end of the recipe and stir until it melts. You could also add some nutritional yeast which enhances the savoury, cheesy flavour.
- Dairy free oat milk béchamel is naturally very low in fat. If you want a slightly richer tasting sauce, stir a tablespoon of olive oil into the sauce.
- Leftover oat milk can be frozen. Or try this oat milk porridge, oat milk custard or hot cocoa with oatmilk. You can also use oat milk in baking - try these delicious fluffy oat milk Yorkshire puddings.
Serving and storage
You make dairy free white sauce ahead of time and store it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken further as it cools - if necessary you can whisk in a splash more milk to thin it down again.
Oat milk white sauce is ideal for:
- Dairy free fish pie
- Beef lasagne
- Turkey lasagne
- Vegetarian lasagne (with kale, beans and sweet potato)
Oat milk béchamel is a great pasta sauce, so you could just serve it over a bowl of your favourite pasta and vegetables.
If you're looking for dairy free family favourites, you might also like this dairy free toad in the hole with oatmilk.
Frequently asked questions
The best substitute for milk in white sauce is dairy-free milk. There's a good selection available nowadays. I like to use oat milk for a white sauce as I think it's neutral in flavour, but you could use an alternative if you prefer. Bear in mind that if you use a substitute such as coconut milk, you will end up with a strong flavour so make sure it combines well with your other ingredients.
Yes, oat milk is plant-based and is naturally lactose-free. It is also possible to buy dairy milk which is lactose-free if you prefer.
Other dairy free recipes you might like
When baking dairy free, I try to use healthy alternatives to butter. Try these scones made with olive oil, or healthy dairy free crumble.
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Recipe
Dairy Free White Sauce with Oat Milk
Equipment
- sauce pan
- whisk
Ingredients
- 400 ml oat milk gluten free if needed
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- salt and pepper
- grated nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Add the oat milk, cornflour and seasoning to a cold pan and whisk together.
- Place over a medium heat and bring up to a simmer, stirring constantly. Simmer gently for a minute, then remove from the heat. The sauce should be thickened and smooth.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Notes
- Dairy free white sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Oat milk white sauce can be used to make a vegan or dairy free cheese sauce. Add some grated vegan cheese to the warm sauce at the end of the recipe and stir until it melts. You can also add some nutritional yeast which enhances the savoury, cheesy flavour.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
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