Description
Bechamel is one of the five French mother sauces and the basis for countless dishes including lasagna, mac and cheese, croque monsieur, and gratins. It is simply a white roux finished with milk and seasoned with nutmeg. Once you can make a smooth bechamel, an entire world of creamy sauces opens up.
Ingredients
Units
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When it foams, add the flour and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook the roux without browning it. It should smell faintly cooked but remain pale.
- Begin adding the warm milk gradually — about 1/3 cup at a time — whisking vigorously after each addition until the mixture is smooth before adding more. This gradual addition is the key to preventing lumps.
- Once all the milk is incorporated, continue to cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, for 5-7 minutes. The sauce will gradually thicken to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
- Season with the salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust.
- If the sauce has any lumps, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer. Use immediately, or press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming and keep warm until needed.
Notes
- Warming the milk before adding it to the roux significantly reduces the chance of lumps.
- For a thicker bechamel (like for lasagna or soufflé base), use 3 tablespoons each of butter and flour.
- For Mornay sauce, stir 1 cup of grated Gruyere or Parmesan into the finished bechamel — this is the cheese sauce for gratins and mac and cheese.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface if holding the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 330
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 9
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 4