Basic Béchamel Sauce Recipes

BASIC MEDIUM BéCHAMEL SAUCE WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan or saucier over medium heat. Add flour and stir until mixture is well blended. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
• Gradually stir in hot milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to boil and thickens.
• Simmer, stirring frequently, over very low heat for 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a little nutmeg, if desired.

BASIC BECHAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is soft, 4 minutes. Add flour, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until mixture is pale golden with a nutty aroma, 4 minutes. Whisking constantly, add half the milk. Add the remaining milk and whisk until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, until sauce comes to a boil and thickens, 10 minutes. Use immediately.

BéCHAMEL

Steps:

• Put the milk in a glass measuring cup and microwave until just warm, about 1 minute.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk until combined. Continue to whisk until the mixture bubbles a bit, but does not brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Gradually pour in the warm milk while whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, whisking often and occasionally running a rubber spatula around the edges of the saucepan to prevent burning. When the sauce is boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened to a nice coating consistency, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the Parmesan, if using, and stir until the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

BASIC BECHAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the flour until smooth. Continue stirring as the flour cooks to a light, golden, sandy color, about 7 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in milk until thickened by the roux. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering until the flour has softened and not longer tastes gritty, 10 to 20 minutes, then season with salt and nutmeg.

CLASSIC BECHAMEL: WHITE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat the milk and 1 bay leaf to a gentle simmer, stirring so it doesn't scorch the bottom of the pan. Keep the milk on low heat.
• Make a white roux by melting butter over low-medium heat in a thick-bottomed saucepan. Just as the foam subsides, add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk to prevent lumps. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to coat the flour and remove the starchy taste. Do not allow to brown. Remove from heat, then gradually add a bit of the warm milk to the roux and whisk vigorously. Return the saucepan to the heat and bring up to a low simmer, continuing to add more milk and whisk. Cook for 5 minutes until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Check seasoning; add salt, white pepper, garlic and the remaining bay leaf.
• To prevent a skin from forming as the sauce cools, lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface.
• Serve with fish, shellfish, vegetables or egg dishes.

BECHAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Scald the milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Keep it warm over very low heat.
• Melt the butter in a separate saucepan over low heat. When it's bubbling, add the flour and whisk until it forms a golden paste, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Whisking constantly, add the hot milk in a steady stream. Bring the milk to a gentle simmer and continue to whisk until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
• Whisk in the nutmeg and the cheese, and serve at once

BASIC BECHAMEL (WHITE SAUCE)

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until blended, 1 minute. Add the paprika and/or nutmeg (if using) and add the bay leaf.
• Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper.
• Increase the heat to medium and simmer to blend the flavors, 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaf before using.
• Now you can use your sauce any way you like. Like I said before, my personal favorite use is for making Recipe #514039, but I also like eating this bechamel, AS IS, on veggies or making a cheese sauce (see *Notes below). Enjoy!
• *Note: For a thinner sauce, reduce the flour and butter to 2 tablespoons each, but stay the same with the liquid(s). (I highly recommend this if you plan to make a cheese sauce with this (posted below).
• *Note: To create a cheese sauce, whisk 1/2 cup (or more) of grated Gruyère, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Sharp Cheddar or Farm-house White Cheddar (my fav) or any other cheese into the finished béchamel sauce. If a lighter cheese sauce is desired, substitute chicken stock for part of the milk, or use a lesser amount of the flour & butter ratio (like posted above).

BASIC BECHAMEL (WHITE) SAUCE WITH VARIATIONS INCLUDING AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook over medium, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• NOTE - It is best to use warm to hot liquids when making sauce, which helps to prevent lumps. Also, constant stirring will help prevent the sauce from scorching on the bottom. If sauce turns lumpy, whisk vigorously with a wire whip or strain through a wire sieve before serving.
• Stir in milk or other liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Option: Reduce milk by the same amount you add white wine, sherry or brandy will create a lovely flavor.
• CHEESE SAUCE - Once sauce is made, remove from heat and stir in 1/2 to 1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese (or whatever flavor compliments what you are making -- better yet use 2 different cheeses), stirring until melted. To Au Gratin anything use this sauce mixed with potatoes, veggies, meats or whatever and heat through. Top with seasoned bread crumbs and more cheese finishing in the broiler.
• CURRY SAUCE - Stir in 1/2 teaspoon curry powder with the flour.
• DILL SAUCE - Stir in 1 teaspoon chopped fresh, or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed and a dash of ground nutmeg with the flour.
• MORNAY SAUCE.
• Add 1/2 cup grated cheese to 1 cup of hot sauce; stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Season with a little mustard or Worcestershire sauce to taste.
• VELOUTE SAUCE.
• Substitute chicken, beef, fish, or vegetable broth for the milk.
• HERB SAUCE.
• Add 1 teaspoon of freshly chopped herbs or 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs to 1 cup of hot sauce. Cook for a minute or two longer to get more flavor from the herbs.
• CREAM SAUCE.
• Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of heavy cream to the finished sauce. For an onion flavor, add an onion slice to the milk when heating; remove onion slice before adding milk to flour and butter mixture.
• MUSTARD SAUCE.
• Combine 1 teaspoon dry mustard to flour used in sauce. This sauce is especially good with fish and chicken.

BECHAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• MICROWAVE METHOD: In microwave oven, melt butter in a 1-quart glass measuring pitcher for about 1 minute at HIGH.
• Add grated onion and flour and mix well. Gradually add warm or room temperature chicken broth (NOT hot) and half-and-half to container, stirring constantly.
• Cook uncovered for 5-6 minutes at HIGH or until sauce is thickened. Do NOT boil.
• After 2 minutes, stir mixture, then stir again every 30 seconds to one minute as needed. When sauce reaches medium thickness, remove from microwave, add seasonings and stir. Mmmm!
• STOVETOP METHOD: In a small saucepan, melt butter and stir in the flour, salt and white pepper. Add cold half-and-half and COLD chicken broth all at once. Stir well. Cook, stirring frequently, at medium heat until thick. Remove from heat and stir in seasoning.

BECHAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium. Add onion and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add flour and salt; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is pale golden, has a slightly nutty aroma, and is the texture of cooked oatmeal, about 5 minutes.
• Whisking constantly, pour in 2 cups milk; add 2 more cups milk and whisk until smooth. Cook mixture, stirring constantly along the bottom of pan, until boiling, about 7 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and does not feel grainy when a very small amount is rubbed between two fingers, about 10 minutes.

SUPER EASY BéCHAMEL/WHITE SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan on low to medium heat.
• Sieve and stir in the flour.
• Whisk in the milk a small bit at a time until you have a slightly thick and creamy sauce.
• Take off the heat and allow to cool. Store in airtight container in fridge.

BASIC WHITE SAUCE/BECHAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in saucepan over low heat until it bubbles up. Blend in flour. This is the roux.
• In another pan, warm the milk. Infuse with flavours, if desired.
• Strain milk into the roux, combine and bring to boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
• Adjust taste by adding salt and pepper. Strain.

BASIC WHITE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Use immediately or refrigerate.