The Secret to Cream Soups, Gravies, and Cheese Sauces

There is something so special and rich-tasting about creamy dishes. I used to think they all required a lot of heavy cream or were difficult to make, but that’s not the case. I can tell you the secret to creamy soups, gravies, and sauces in one word: roux (pronounced “roo”, it’s French).

What Is Roux? Can It Be Vegan?

Roux is a mixture of fat and flour used to make the base for all these creamy dishes. Most times, butter is used, but I have also tried several different oils at various times, and each has worked (grape seed, olive, avocado, vegetable, canola, and coconut). So yes, Roux is a technique rather than a recipe and can be 100% vegan.

How Do You Make It?

The classic ratio of fat to flour is roughly 1:1. Some people (like me) measure in volume, and some people measure in weight using a kitchen scale. Measuring in weight equals out to be a little more flour. I prefer medium-thick sauces, so I have found that 1 tablespoon butter or oil to 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of flour per cup of liquid I want to thicken is best for me. Most of the time, I no longer measure but rather go off of how it looks. It should be a smooth, thick paste without lumps, often described as the consistency of cake frosting, but it reminds me more of thick liquid glue.

Heat your fat (butter or oil) in the pan until melted and hot. Stir or whisk in your flour briskly until you have a smooth paste without lumps, and then continue to cook the roux, stirring frequently (or constantly, if the heat is higher), until the flour is “toasted” to your desired color. (Keep the heat low to medium-low to prevent burning.) If you don’t cook the flour long enough, your finished sauce will have an unpleasant “raw flour” taste.

As it cooks, your roux will progress through different stages indicated by color: white, blond, and brown (sometimes divided further into light peanut brown and dark brown). The longer you cook it, the deeper the nutty flavor becomes, but the less thickening power it retains. So far, I have only needed to use white or blond roux in my cooking because my main goal is to create thick, creamy sauces (like gravies and cheese sauces). Brown roux is used almost exclusively for flavor (I have read it is the rich, nutty base for Gumbo).

Once you’ve reached the desired color stage, remove the pan from the heat. The secret to avoiding lumps is adding COLD liquid (milk, stock, or water) to the hot roux. Start by adding just a small splash of liquid. Whisk/stir vigorously and constantly until that initial liquid is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Once smooth, continue adding the remaining liquid in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly until all the liquid is added. Return the pan to the heat to finish cooking and thickening.

To keep it creamy and smooth when adding the liquid, it’s important to remember the rule “HOT + COLD“. When you start with hot roux, you add cold liquid so that it keeps it from activating its thickening powers too fast and forming lumps. I’ve also read that you can freeze roux in ice cube trays and add it to hot liquid. I have not yet tried this, but it’s on my list to try later.

How To Make Gravies

Okay, so now that you know how to make roux, you just need to start with a white or blond roux to make gravy. White roux has a neutral flavor and maximum thickening power. Blond roux has a toasted, slightly nutty flavor and slightly less thickening power. The choice is yours, depending on what you want your end result to taste like.

Once your roux is ready, you can make a white gravy using milk or milk substitute (make sure it’s unsweetened) or a brown gravy using broth or stock. Pro vegan tip: if you’re out of plant milk, use about 1.5 cups of water blended with a can of white beans (I like to use an immersion blender for this). Remember hot roux + cold liquid.

A Note on Brown Gravies (Flavor is Key): Simply using stock is not enough for a good brown gravy. For a deep, rich flavor, you must have a savory base built from either meat drippings (pan juices) or caramelized vegetables. For vegetarian and vegan gravies, I highly recommend sautéing mushrooms and onions until they are deeply browned before starting your roux in the same pan. This foundational step is the secret to a satisfying, savory gravy.

Put the pan back over the heat once the roux is fully incorporated with the liquid and simmer, stirring frequently (or constantly) to avoid burning, until thickened. Once it’s thickened, it should coat the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If it’s not savory enough, I have found that low-sodium soy sauce helps. Enjoy your gravy!

How To Make Cream soups

Cream soups are essentially a thinner white sauce/gravy base (made with a white roux and stock/milk) with added ingredients. For example, sauté mushrooms for cream of mushroom, or celery for cream of celery. Pro Tip: You can sauté your add-ins first, then add the fat and flour to the same pan to make your roux. This method requires extra-vigilant stirring to ensure a smooth, lump-free paste.

How to make cheese sauces

Start with a white gravy base, and then, off the heat or over very low heat, stir in shredded cheese until it melts and the sauce is smooth. If you’re vegan, add the nutritional yeast flakes right as you return the pan to the heat to simmer. This allows the yeast flakes to fully dissolve and meld into the sauce for the best cheesy flavor.

“And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof. But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.“

2 Kings 4:39-41