Basic White Sauce (Béchamel)
Versatile basic white sauce is an essential French sauce used in various dishes. It's a sauce you'll use to make macaroni and cheese, lasagna, croquettes, and gratins.
Ingredients
For Medium White Sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg (optional)
- 1 cup whole milk
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.2 tbsp unsalted butter
- When the butter begins to bubble, whisk in the flour and add the 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and a 1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper along with the nutmeg, if using.2 tbsp all-purpose flour | 1/4 tsp kosher salt | 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper | 1/8 tsp nutmeg (optional)
- Increase the heat to medium-low and cook the roux while whisking constantly for 2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium and gradually whisk in the milk.1 cup whole milk
- Continue cooking until the sauce is thickened and bubbling. It should coat the back of a spoon.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper, as needed.
Notes
For a thin white sauce, decrease the butter and flour to 1 tablespoon each.
For a thick white sauce, increase the butter and flour to 3 tablespoons each.
Keep the milk at 1 cup for these variations.
Nutrition
Calories: 100kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 169mgPotassium: 97mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 274IUCalcium: 77mgIron: 0.2mg
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
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