Cream sauces are used in many recipes from pastas to soups and stews, but most plant-based “cream” sauces, usually made from soy, leave something to be desired. This sauce, made from pureed cauliflower, is a great substitute for traditional cream versions, but it is also a delicious sauce—period. Use it wherever you want a creamy texture in a dish.
By Del Sroufe ,
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
- Unsweetened plain almond milk, as needed
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced small
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons minced thyme
- ¼ cup finely chopped basil
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast, optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the cauliflower to a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the cauliflower is very tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain the excess water and puree the cauliflower using an immersion blender or in a blender with a tight-fitting lid, covered with a towel, in batches if necessary.
- Add almond milk, if needed, to achieve a creamy consistency. Set the puree aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Place the onion in a large skillet or saucepan and saute over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onions from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic, thyme, and basil and cook for another minute. Add the nutritional yeast (if using), nutmeg, and salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through.
- Add the onion-garlic mixture to the cauliflower puree and blend until smooth, adding up to ½ cup of water if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving (¼ cup), 31 calories, 5.4 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g protein, 0.5 g total fat, 0.1 g saturated fat, 41 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugar
Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.
If I used frozen riced cauliflower, what amount (in cups or ounces) would be equivalent to 3 cups/a large head of fresh cauliflower?
Very tasty, I added a sprinkle of “Butter Buds” powder. So good it could go with
Just about anything.
And so darn healthy!
Delicious in lasagna
Looking forward to trying this recipe
Lovely recipe but I like to add some white wine and a little lemon zest.
Apityzer
Awesome
What other milk can you substitute for? Would soy milk work?
I have high sensitivity to almonds.
Thx
You can probably use any plant milk as long as it’s unflavored and unsweetened.
Can this be frozen?
How long can I keep this sauce ?
Good Recipe
This cauliflower bechamel is very easy to make and absolutely delicious!!! I hardly ever eat leftovers but I couldn’t stop eating this sauce with the Delicata Squash recipe. Perfect dish for entertaining especially during the holidays. Thank you for such a creative dish!!
Worked great for a sweet potato lasagna!!