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Easy Vegan Hollandaise - Plant-Based, Oil-Free Sauce - Healthy Whole Foods Recipes from Plants-Rule — Easy Vegan Hollandaise – Plant-Based, Oil-Free Sauce – Healthy Whole Foods Recipes from Plants-Rule

Whole Foods, Plant-Based Vegan Hollandaise Sauce

This savory, rich vegan sauce is a great stand-in for traditional Hollandaise. Made with oil-free plant-based ingredients like cashews and lemon, this is a must-have recipe.

What is Traditional Hollandaise?

Traditional hollandaise is an emulsified sauce, made by carefully combining egg yolks and butter. Then, lemon juice, mustard, and a dash of cayenne pepper are added to make the flavor pop. Warm, rich, and creamy, hollandaise is often used in Eggs Benedict or served with steak. Classic to French cuisine, hollandaise is one of the mother sauce recipes taught in culinary school.

How do you make a Healthy, Plant-Based, Vegan Hollandaise?

For a vegan version of hollandaise, you need to get rid of the eggs and butter. However, these are the two fundamental ingredients. Therefor, it’s not as easy as omitting them. Instead, you must substitute with comparable whole foods, plant-based ingredients.

Cashews are a rich, creamy substitute for butter in your dairy-free recipes. Soaked until soft, they work really well here to create a rich, creamy base. They can replace both the eggs and butter for a vegan base.

However, the eggs in traditional hollandaise do more than just flavor the dish. They also add a golden yellow color. To achieve this in a plant-based, vegan recipe, ground turmeric is used. Turmeric adds a beautiful yellow color. Plus, the other ingredients (lemon, Dijon, and cayenne) help hide the turmeric flavor.

How to make Oil-Free Hollandaise taste rich and creamy?

Without the butter and egg yolks used in the fattening, traditional version of Hollandaise, you need healthier fats to replace them. Cashews are a natural source of whole foods, plant-based fats. Soaking cashews helps soften them to get an even smoother, fluffier sauce. I’m on a mission to cook without any refined oils, and cashews make a great option.

What if I can’t eat cashews?

If you can’t eat cashews, due to a nut allergy or sensitivity, you can substitute with other whole foods, plant-based foods. Macadamia nuts are higher in natural fats and can be soaked to use in this recipe. If you can’t tolerate nuts at all, I would try using firm tofu. Use the same amount of tofu as you would of the cashews (3/4 cup).

What are other Flavor Variations of Hollandaise?

Hollandaise is considered a mother sauce in French cooking. It is a base. Then, you can add other ingredients to created different flavor variations. Some classic variations on hollandaise include:

Bernaise – Add a reduction of tarragon, shallot, red wine vinegar
Maltaise — Add 1-2 tablespoons orange juice
Foyot – Add 1-2 tablespoons reduced stock or broth (like mushroom stock)

Easy, Creamy Delicious!

You’ll love this healthy, plant-based whole foods recipe! It is:

Full of rich, creamy flavor
Easy to make
Ready in minutes
Freezer-Friendly
A crowd-pleaser!

Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips:

Raw Cashews: Raw cashews are best for this recipe for neutral flavor. Roasted nuts would overpower the subtle flavors of this creamy sauce.

Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne pepper adds a pop of flavor. Even if you’re sensitive to spice, I suggest trying it at half of what the recipe calls for. The rich cashews help mellow the spice of the pepper. You can also substitute with hot sauce, tobasco, or ground black pepper.

Turmeric for Detox: Turmeric has been linked to reducing inflamation and helping to detoxify the body. It also has a signature golden yellow color that will stain your cutting board (and your hands). Use turmeric in vegan recipes to add yellow color (like when replacing eggs in a tofu scramble). Or add a dash to Oatmeal and Salad Dressing for a kick of detox.