Beans Are Your Secret To A Creamy Sauce With No Dairy

For those eating dairy-free — whether they're vegans or lactose intolerant — there can be times when a recipe with a thick, creamy sauce can pose a challenge. There is a whole host of readily available dairy-free milks at the grocery store and, of course, a wide array of vegan cheeses. However, because each vegan milk and cheese is formulated differently and sometimes from different bases, creating a thick, creamy sauce requires a bit more thought and sometimes thinking outside the box. One delicious and nutritious solution is to use beans! 

If, for example, you want to make a creamy vegan version of fettuccine Alfredo, all you need is a can of cannellini beans, great Northern white beans, or another white bean. Saute some onions and garlic with margarine or olive oil, add some freshly ground black pepper and oregano, and add your beans. Stir in water, vegan milk, or vegetable stock, depending on your taste. If you want to get close to a Parmesan flavor, try adding a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. When your beans have softened, remove them from the heat and blend them into a thick, creamy sauce just as rich as a traditional Alfredo. This sauce is then ready to serve dairy-free and absolutely delicious.

This same trick of creating a thick bean sauce can also be used with all sorts of other sauces to add dairy-free richness and flavor. If you are making penne alla vodka, create your vodka tomato sauce as usual, and make your bean cream in a separate pot. The key is to mimic the spices and flavors you will have in your final dish in your beans. For this simple recipe, focus on oregano and maybe a bit of paprika. Don't reach for kidney or pinto beans for this recipe, as they have too much of their own flavor. Then simply add the bean cream to your vodka tomato sauce as you would heavy cream and stir until blended thoroughly for a delicious dairy-free result.  

You can essentially follow the same steps to add a creamy, beany kick to a grilled eggplant and roasted tomato sauce. Believe it or not, you can even use beans to create a vegan cacio e pepe sauce. To do so, focus on fresh black pepper and a strong vegetable stock for your beans, which will mimic the saltiness of Pecorino cheese.

It's not just white beans — and not just for pasta sauce — various types of beans can be used in all kinds of sauces as a creamy, dairy-free alternative.​ The key is thinking about what flavors the beans will have and what they will bring to your final dish.

For example, chickpeas are highly flavorful and add depth and heartiness to any meal. They also blend easily, so they can be used to thicken sauces and creams. They may not work in pasta dishes, where they will overpower the tomato and onion, but in a curry, they can be the perfect substitute for dairy. Especially in a dish that already has chickpeas, like a Swiss chard coconut curry, a bit of blended chickpeas is a delightful way to thicken and add creaminess to a sauce. 

In much the same way, you can try just adding already-made hummus (made mostly of mashed-up chickpeas) to dishes to add dairy-free creaminess. Add some hummus to a tuna salad for a treat that is mayo-free but still plenty rich, or stir a few spoonfuls of hummus into harissa, sweet potato, and chickpea stew to make it extra creamy and hearty.