Chickpea Cheese Sauce - WFPB Recipe • Healthy Midwestern Girl (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken cheese sauce without flour or cornstarch? ›

Mix in an egg yolk.

Slowly add a cup of the cheese sauce into the bowl containing the egg yolk, stirring to combine. Then add the mixture back into the cheese sauce on the stove, stirring to combine. Let the sauce boil over medium heat, and the cheese sauce should thicken.

Alternative uses for chickpea flour

This can be in the form of: Thickener: When used instead of cream, cornflour or wheat flours in soups, sauces and curries, it thickens and helps prevent curdling, especially in warm yoghurt based sauces.

Flour or cornstarch can both thicken a liquid. In a small separate bowl, mix a tablespoon of either flour or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cheese sauce until the mixture is smooth. Add the mixture back to the milky cheese sauce, and stir until combined and desired thickness is achieved.

*1 15-ounce (425 g) can of chickpeas typically yields about 1/2 cup (120 ml) aquafaba, which typically whips up into ~2-3 cups aquafaba.

Easy-to-access alternatives are wheat flour, arrowroot flour, and rice flour. These are good alternatives to cornstarch because they are more nutritious and contain fewer carbohydrates and calories. Xanthan and guar gum are much stronger thickeners than cornstarch, but they can be harder to obtain and use.

Ratios for Substitutions

As far as swapping ratios go, if you're exchanging tapioca starch, arrowroot starch, or sweet white rice flour for cornstarch, it's a 1:1 ratio (so if your recipe calls for one tablespoon of cornstarch, you can use one tablespoon of these starches).

It offers more protein and fiber than corn starch or wheat flour and doesn't risk the clumpy, gritty texture or raw taste that these other, more traditional options can sometimes lead to.

Oat Flour. Oat flour is a great alternative to traditional wheat flour when thickening sauces.

Substitute equal amounts of chickpea flour for the flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot powder called for to thicken sauces and gravies.

Toss flour with cheese. Add to simmering milk by handfuls, stirring in each handful and letting it melt before adding the next. After all cheese has been added bring the sauce to a gentle simmer for one minute. Remove from heat and let sit 3-5 minutes before using on any food that tastes good under cheese sauce.

How do you keep cheese sauce creamy? ›

Remove the saucepan from heat and slowly incorporate the cheese, whisking constantly. According to AlSawwaf, adding the cheese over heat can cause the fats and milk solids to separate, resulting in a lumpy sauce with a curdled texture — so always take the pan off the burner first.

Pour 500ml milk into a large saucepan and add 4 tbsp plain flour and 50g butter. Turn on the heat to medium and start to whisk the mixture. Keep whisking fast as the butter melts and the mixture comes to the boil – the flour will disappear and the sauce will begin to thicken.

Aquafaba may not be as effective in recipes where the high protein content of egg whites is crucial, such as in some types of custards or protein-rich baked goods, where egg whites contribute significantly to the structure.

Aquafaba will freeze well for about 3 months. You will need to defrost the Aquafaba overnight in the refrigerator before using. Always smell your Aquafaba before using it. It will smell like spoiled beans (not pleasant) if it is no longer good.

Suitable options include using reduction, vegetable purees, dried mushrooms, egg yolks, cheese or cream, chia seeds, almond and coconut flour, flax meal, konjak powder, nut/seed butter, gelatin and xanthan gum.

The problem with flour is that when you reheat the cheese sauce it tends to get lumpy. By using cornstarch instead of flour you get a nice smooth sauce and you avoid problems if anyone has a gluten sensitivity.