How to make Béchamel sauce
User Reviews
4.4
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
French
How to make Béchamel sauce
Description
To make the Béchamel sauce, butter is melted then combined with flour to form a smooth roux. Milk is poured in slowly while whisking continuously to prevent lumps, with the amount adjusted depending on desired sauce thickness. The sauce is then gently simmered for 7-10 minutes until thick and fully cooked, ensuring no raw flour taste remains.
The sauce is seasoned with a pinch of cayenne pepper, mustard powder, ground or grated nutmeg, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, which add subtle depth to the mild white sauce. For cheese sauce, grated mature cheddar is removed from heat and stirred in until melted and smooth, slightly loosening with reserved milk if needed.
Béchamel serves as a foundational sauce in many dishes, lending creamy texture and gentle flavor when used on its own or enriched with cheese. The key to success is a steady, watchful whisking during milk addition and careful simmering to achieve a silky, lump-free consistency.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter cubed
- ½ cup flour
- 2-3 cups whole milk aka full cream milk
- pinch cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground or grated
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1-2 cups cheddar cheese mature, grated
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour.
- Whisk until smooth then slowly pour in the milk, a little at a time. (I always reserve approximately ½ cup milk. Some flours will absorb more/less liquid so you might not need all of it and sometimes after adding cheese I like to thin out the sauce just a little with the remaining milk.)
- Whisk continuously until the sauce is thick then turn down the heat, add the spices and allow to simmer, stirring, until the sauce is thick and cooked through (this takes around 7-10 minutes on a gentle heat).
- Once the sauce is cooked (the sauce will be completely smooth tasting with no flouriness) season to taste.
- If making cheese sauce, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheese. Season to taste.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
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