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Yeast, nuts and leeks - secrets to a great plant-based 'cheese' sauce
The Guardian Weekly
|January 24, 2025
I love cheese sauce, but I'm now plant-based. Are there any easy alternatives? I don't want to use too many processed foods.
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Mike Davies, chef/owner of The Camberwell Arms in London, says he discovered "the dark arts" of plant-based "cheese" sauce from his wife, Bonita, who is vegan and a chef. The simple answer, he says, is to make a vegan bechamel, which can be achieved in one of two ways.
The first comes courtesy of Bonita: "She makes a roux with plantbased gear, then flavours it with nutritional yeast to get those cheesy, umami vibes." You can adulterate this further with mustard powder, nutmeg or a pinch of cayenne.
A roux is also Katy Beskow's preferred route, especially when it's a lasagne or cauliflower cheese.
This story is from the January 24, 2025 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
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