Learn how to make a creamy, white bechamel sauce recipe with just 3 basic ingredients – butter, flour, and milk.
What is bechamel sauce?
A traditional bechamel sauce is a white sauce made from a white roux (butter and flour) and milk. Think of it this way, pretty much every cheese sauce (including our famous mac and cheese sauce) is made from the base of a bechamel sauce!
Roux + Milk = Bechamel Sauce
What is a bechamel sauce used in?
A bechamel sauce can be used as the start of many sauces. Here are some popular uses:
- Pasta sauce: alfredo sauce
- Cheese sauce: mac and cheese sauce and cheddar cheese sauce,
- Lasagna: bechamel lasagna
Try it!
Bechamel Lasagna
This delicious bechamel lasagna recipe is comfort food at its finest! Made from a simple meat sauce, bechamel sauce and layered to lasagna perfection. Enjoy!
Featured Ingredients
The glory of this thick and creamy sauce is that you only need basic ingredients.
- Butter: we’re using butter as the fat in this bechamel sauce. But, you can also use a different fat such as olive oil.
- Flour: we’re sticking with all-purpose flour for this classic bechamel sauce recipe, but we’ve used other glutenous flours such as white whole wheat.
- Whole milk: milk is used to create this thick and creamy sauce. We’re using whole milk, but other fats will work too.
How to Make Bechamel Sauce
Melt Butter
Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan.
Add Flour
Once the flour has melted, add the flour and whisk until the roux forms. It should be a thick paste and take 1-2 minutes.
Slowly Add MilK
Slowly pour the whole milk into the roux, constantly whisking. Within a few minutes, the bechamel sauce should become thick and creamy.
Remove from Heat
From here, you can either turn this yummy sauce into a bechamel cheese sauce by removing it from the heat and adding cheese or use this as a plain white sauce in something like lasagna.
FAQ
Can I use olive oil instead of butter in a bechemel sauce?
es, you can use olive oil instead of butter but keep in mind using olive oil will indeed change the flavor of the sauce.
Can I add other ingredients to a béchamel sauce?
Yes, you can. You can add dried or fresh herbs to give your sauce extra flavor.
Can I make béchamel sauce gluten free?
Yes, you can make béchamel sauce gluten free by using a 1:1 gluten free flour. However, it will significantly change the flavor.
What else can I use béchamel sauce for?
You can use béchamel sauce as a general pasta sauce, not just in lasagna. You can also use béchamel sauce as a warm dip for vegetables and crackers, kind of like a fondue.
Storage
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I reheat béchamel sauce?
Yes, you can reheat bechemel sauce. Place the cold béchamel sauce into a small saucepan and heat over low heat and add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time to thin out the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.
Bechamel Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3.5 cups whole milk
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter to the saucepan.
- When the butter is melted, add the flour to the saucepan and whisk the two ingredients together to create a roux. Allow the roux to cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly drizzle the whole milk into the saucepan while whisking. The milk should thicken within a few minutes and turn into a beautiful bechamel sauce.
- Add the salt to the sauce and stir. When the sauce is thick and creamy, remove the sauce from the heat.
Tips & Notes
- Fat: while butter is our preferred fat, you can swap it for a different fat such as olive oil.
- Flour: if you’d like to use a different flour, we suggest another glutenous flour such as white whole wheat.
