Bechamel Sauce

5 from 2 votes
Jump to RecipeEmail Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Learn how to make a creamy, white bechamel sauce recipe with just 3 basic ingredients – butter, flour, and milk.

bechamel sauce in cast iron.
Email me this recipe
Plus, enjoy weekly doses of recipe inspiration!

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:

a slice of lasagna being lifted off a fork.

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!

ingredients on countertop.

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.
making a roux in a cast iron pan.

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.

pouring milk into a roux.

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.

whisking bechamel sauce in in cast iron pan.

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.

5 from 2 votes

Bechamel Sauce

Make this thick and creamy bechamel sauce recipe for your next lasagna or cheese sauce. You only need 4 ingredients!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Email me this recipe
Plus, enjoy weekly doses of recipe inspiration as a bonus!

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.

Watch It

Nutrition

Calories: 129 kcal, Carbohydrates: 8 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 9 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 5 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

love this? leave a comment below!

Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #cheeseknees, we’d love to see what you’re up to!

Similar Recipes:

About Lee Funke

Lee is 1 of 3 founders of The Cheese Knees and is based in Minneapolis, MN. TCK was started in 2020 as an ode to our Wisconsin roots and a place to share all things cheese recipes.

0 0 votes
Recipe Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
Recipe Rating




Recipe Rating

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments