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My bechamel sauce recipe is critical for making the most creamy and delicious casseroles, pastries, and pasta sauces! I'll show you How to Make Bechamel Sauce quickly and easily so you can use it in all your favorite recipes that will take them from good to show-stopping. It's easy!
Béchamel Ingredients
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter and seasoning with salt separately. However, feel free to use salted butter and simply season less later.
- Flour: I'm using all-purpose flour, but you can also use gluten-free flour and it will work just fine at a 1:1 ratio.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk. Don't use half and half or heavy cream - they aren't the same for a bechamel.
- Salt: Use sea salt flakes or kosher salt for seasoning this sauce, to taste. Be sure to season it accordingly for whatever you plan on making with the bechamel so it isn't over-salted!
For more sauces using a roux, try Espagnole Sauce! Both are great with homemade pasta!
How to Make Bechamel Sauce
- Melt butter over medium heat.
- Sprinkle flour over the melted butter and cook down for a few minutes. It will clump and thicken together. Stir frequently. You don't want it to brown - you want a light roux!
- Reduce heat to low, then slowly add in the milk. Whisk well and continue to whisk occasionally as the sauce begins to thicken for about 20 minutes. Note: It is very important that you turn down the heat for this step and add the milk slowly. You do not want your milk to curdle and want to make sure there are no lumps! You always want a smooth consistency.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and your sauce is ready!
What is bechamel sauce?
Béchamel is one of the French mother sauces recipes. It's a classic sauce base made using a white roux (butter and flour cooked together) and milk. In the U.S., you might hear people refer to it simply as white sauce.
Béchamel is a simple sauce made using a roux. You will only need butter, flour, milk, and a little salt. A roux is a start to every bechamel sauce; learn more about How to Make a Roux and use it as a thickener in recipes!
It's easy to learn how to make béchamel, but there are a few key steps to making it a perfectly creamy, smooth sauce you'll want to add to just about everything.
Bechamel Sauce Recipe Tips
- Warm the milk before adding it to the roux! Please place it in the microwave for a few minutes, stir it, then slowly add it to the flour and butter. The sauce will thicken faster using warm milk and prevent it from splashing as much when you add it to the hot pan. Make sure to turn down the heat when adding your milk, and pour the milk in SLOWLY! It will curdle if you add it in too quickly or over too high of a heat. You can also warm the milk under low heat on the stove.
- Don't let your roux brown too much before adding the milk. You want a light roux so you have a light, creamy sauce. If the roux is too dark, you'll have too thick of a sauce.
- When the roux is ready for you to add the milk, it will have a slightly nutty smell. You'll know the flour has cooked enough at this point, so you won't have a pasty taste.
- You'll know your béchamel has thickened enough when it clings to the whisk or the back of your spoon. You want a nice thick sauce!
- You can place a piece of cling wrap or wax paper directly on top of the sauce in the container to prevent it from forming a film.
Recipe for Bechamel Sauce FAQ
I prefer a light sauce, so I use 2 cups of milk. You can thicken the sauce further by using less milk.
A roux is the base of every béchamel sauce: a mixture of butter and flour, cooked down. What separates this white sauce recipe from a roux is the use of milk.
What does bechamel sauce taste like?
On its own, béchamel is simply a creamy, buttery sauce with a very light flavor. Where it shines is as a base for other sauce recipes, like White Cheese Sauce, or in a dish like Instant Pot Lasagna.
It lends the perfect texture to creamy dishes and makes the most amazing thick sauces to use with pasta, pastry fillings, and more.
What is the basic formula of Bechamel Sauce?
The ratio for béchamel is 1 to 1. For example, use two tablespoons of butter with two tablespoons of flour and 2 cups of milk.
Bechamel Sauce for Lasagna
The most creamy and delicious lasagna recipes feature bechamel sauce. Trust me, this is a must-try for the creamiest lasagna sauce. My favorite lasagna recipe is my Instant Pot Lasagna. You seriously need to try it!
Bechamel Sauce with Cheese
I love adding cheese to this sauce. It makes the most amazing southern macaroni and cheese. Follow the directions for bechamel sauce above, at the end of the recipe add one cup of shredded cheese. Gruyère, Cheddar, or Swiss are perfect for this recipe.
Storing and Reheating
- Let the bechamel sauce cool to room temperature.
- Put it in an airtight container or resealable bag.
- Press out any air bubbles and seal it tightly.
- Label it with the date.
- Keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
When you want to use it again, gently reheat it on low heat on the stove, stirring occasionally until warm. If it's too thick, add a bit of milk to thin it out. Just remember to heat it slowly to avoid scorching or separating.
Recipes with Bechamel
Bechamel Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Whisk or spoon
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 2 cups milk
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium heat.
- Once butter melts, sprinkle flour over the butter and cook for 3-5 minutes until a roux forms. You want a light roux, so don't let it brown. It should have a nutty smell. See How to Make a Roux for an in-depth guide.
- Reduce the heat to low - this is important, don't skip this! - and slowly add in your milk. Whisk well.
- Whisk occasionally as your sauce thickens. When it's ready, it will be thick enough to cling to your whisk or the back of your spoon. This should take about 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with salt to taste, and your sauce is ready!
Notes
- Make sure to turn down the heat when adding your milk, and pour the milk in SLOWLY! If you add it in too quickly or over too high of a heat, it will curdle.
- Don't let your roux brown too much before adding the milk. You want a light roux so you have a light, creamy sauce. If the roux is too dark, you'll have too thick of a sauce.
- When the roux is ready for you to add the milk, it will have a slightly nutty smell. You'll know the flour has cooked enough at this point, so you won't have a pasty taste.
- You'll know your béchamel has thickened enough when it clings to the whisk or the back of your spoon. You want a nice and thick sauce!
Kathy says
I love that you highlight the problem areas, like adding the milk slowly.
Isabel Laessig says
So glad to be helpful, Kathy! Thank you so much!