Gluten-Free Vegan Bread Sauce Recipe for Holiday Roasts

Is gluten-free, dairy-free bread sauce an oxymoron? Maybe — but you don’t have to miss out. Bread sauce is a creamy, warmly spiced accompaniment that has graced English roasts for centuries. It’s simple to make and perfectly elevates roasted vegetables and vegan holiday mains.

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Origins

Bread sauce is a long-standing British classic that dates back to medieval times. Originally it was a clever way to use stale bread to thicken milk into a sauce. The basic method has endured: milk is infused with onion and aromatic spices, then thickened with breadcrumbs to create a silky, fragrant sauce that pairs beautifully with roast dinners — especially a traditional Christmas lunch.

Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Bread Sauce?

This sauce is personal to many of us. When I went gluten-free, I feared bread sauce would be gone from my table, but gluten-free bread works just as well to thicken milk. Likewise, oat milk or a mild nut milk makes an excellent dairy-free base. With the right bread and plant milk you can enjoy a gluten-free, dairy-free (and vegan) bread sauce that tastes wonderfully traditional.

Ingredients

• Onion – a standard brown onion works best.
• Spices – cloves, bay leaf, ground nutmeg and peppercorns are traditional; adjust to taste.
• Oat milk – I recommend unsweetened oat milk made from gluten-free oats; mild nut milks are an alternative.
• White gluten-free bread – stale is ideal for texture, but fresh works if needed. Keep bread ends frozen for sauces, stuffing or croutons.
• Rapeseed (canola) or olive oil – traditionally butter is used; I substitute a neutral oil or vegan butter to enrich the sauce.

How do you make vegan GF bread sauce?

The method is straightforward and forgiving:

1. Stud the onion with cloves (or add cloves to the pan) and place it in a saucepan with the oat milk, bay leaf, peppercorns and nutmeg.
2. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
3. Strain the milk, discard the solids, return the milk to the pan and add the gluten-free bread cubes. Gently heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens (about 5 minutes). Do not boil.
4. Whisk in rapeseed or olive oil, or vegan butter, if using, to enrich the sauce. Serve immediately.

Vegan and Gluten-Free Bread Sauce FAQs

Serving suggestions

Bread sauce traditionally accompanies roast chicken or turkey and is a staple at many English Christmas tables. The vegan, gluten-free version complements roasted vegetables, potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce, and is an excellent partner for nut roasts or any plant-based main.

Leftovers

Leftover bread sauce can be stirred into pies or casseroles. For example, mix it with leftover vegetables, gravy and vegan protein for a creamy pie filling, or serve it on the side with reheated leftovers and a spoonful of cranberry sauce.

📖 Recipe 📖

Bread Sauce (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

A creamy, spiced bread sauce made with gluten-free bread and plant milk — perfect with roasts and holiday feasts.

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Infusing Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Servings: 6 people

Author: Camilla Sanderson

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, peeled
• 6 cloves
• 290 ml oat milk (or any mild plant-based milk)
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 black peppercorns
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 55 g plain gluten-free bread, cut into small cubes
• 25 g rapeseed (canola) oil or olive oil (optional)

Instructions

• Peel and halve the onion. Stud the onion with the cloves if you like, then place it in a pan with the oat milk, bay leaf, peppercorns, nutmeg and salt. Ensure the cloves are covered by the milk. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, strain the milk through a sieve and discard the solids. Rinse the pan to remove any residue, then return the strained milk to the pan.
• Add the gluten-free bread cubes and reheat gently over medium heat, stirring constantly. Do not boil — cook until the bread breaks down and the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk in rapeseed or olive oil (or vegan butter) to enrich the sauce if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

• This quantity serves six with a generous portion each; double it if you expect extra helpings.
• If storing for later use, omit the oil when finishing. Pour the cooled sauce into a container and add a thin layer of oil to seal it. Reheat gently and whisk the oil into the sauce before serving. Do not boil when reheating.
• When infusing, make sure the clove-studded onion is fully submerged so the flavours transfer evenly.

Nutrition

Calories: 102 kcal | Carbohydrates: 12 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 5 g

If you like this recipe, please leave a ⭐ star rating ⭐ on the recipe card!

More Christmas Recipes

If you enjoy this recipe, try other vegan and gluten-free holiday dishes such as roasted parsnips with mustard and maple, braised red cabbage with apple and balsamic, or homemade vegan mince pies.

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