Servings
Font
Back
5.0 from 3 votes

How to make White Sauce (Bechamel Sauce)

Homemade white sauce, or béchamel, is a kitchen essential. It's super easy to make, too! Knowing how to make a basic white sauce is something all of us home cooks can do to elevate our dishes and our creativity in the kitchen.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 281 kcal
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: French , Italian , American

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 3/4 cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
  2. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly over medium heat, until bubbles appear. Cook, but don’t brown for a minute.
  3. Whisk in the milk, stirring as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a simmer.
  4. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more.
  5. Remove from the heat.

Notes

  • To turn your white sauce into cheese sauce, add 1 tsp mustard powder to the flour, and stir in ½ cup grated Cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking. A pinch of nutmeg too! Sauce for Fish Add a little dill to the sauce for use over fish.

Nutrition Information

Calories 281kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 19g (6%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 19g (29%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 5g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 55mg (18%) Sodium 797mg (33%) Potassium 349mg (10%) Fiber 0.4g (2%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 931IU (19%) Calcium 268mg (27%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2cups

Amount Per Serving

Calories 281

% Daily Value*

Calories 281kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 19g 6%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 5g 25%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 55mg 18%
Sodium 797mg 33%
Potassium 349mg 7%
Fiber 0.4g 2%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 931IU 19%
Calcium 268mg 27%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.