White Sauce | Béchamel Sauce (Homemade & Easy)

Name: White Sauce | Béchamel Sauce (Homemade & Easy)
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1 medium bowl
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour; 1 cup milk; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 generous pinch ground nutmeg; salt

User Reviews

4.7

18 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
1 min
Cook Time
1 min
Total Time
15 mins
Servings
1 medium bowl
Calories
377 kcal
Course
Side Dish
Cuisine
International

White Sauce | Béchamel Sauce (Homemade & Easy)

Chad Simpson

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White Sauce also known as Béchamel Sauce is a popular base for many recipes in Italian and European cuisines. It is basically prepared with a roux of butter and flour to which milk and other flavorings are added later.

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Ingredients

Servings

2 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour or 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk - cold or chilled
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or ground white pepper, add as required
1 generous pinch ground nutmeg or grated nutmeg
salt as required

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Instructions

Heat a saucepan. Keep the heat to a low and add 2 tablespoons butter.
When the butter melts and starts to bubble, then add 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour or 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.
Using a wired whisk, stir the flour quickly as soon as you add it. Keep on stirring so that no lumps are formed.
The frequent stirring helps the flour to cook evenly.
You will see the flour frothing and bubbling up while stirring. Sauté the flour till you get a nice cooked aroma from the flour and a pale golden color. Don't brown the flour.
Keep the heat to the lowest and then pour 1 cup of cold or chilled milk in a gentle stream.Pour the milk with one hand and stir the sauce mixture with the other.
The milk has to be chilled, so that lumps are not formed. If you use hot or warm milk or milk at room temperature, lumps can form.
Do stir frequently while the milk warms and heats up.
On a low heat, simmer the sauce till it thickens.
When the sauce has thickened well and coats the back of a spoon, turn off the heat.
Keep the saucepan on your kitchen countertop and add the seasonings - ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder, a generous pinch of nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg and salt as required. For a cheese sauce, you can add 2 tablespoons of grated cheddar cheese.
Mix very well.
The white sauce is ready and can be used for pasta or baked veggie dishes or soups. Do note that on cooling white sauce will thicken more. So you can keep the consistency accordingly.
Once cooled, store the white sauce in the refrigerator if planning to use it later. It keeps well for 1 to 2 days in the fridge.

Notes

Black pepper powder can be added less or more as per your taste.
You can skip nutmeg powder if you prefer.
Almond milk can be used instead of dairy milk for a plant based option. Also add olive oil or a neutral tasting oil instead of butter.
Do use chilled or cold milk so that lumps are not formed.
If after cooling the sauce has become too thick for your liking, add in a few tablespoons of hot milk and mix, so as to thin the consistency.
The recipe can be scaled up to make for more portions of the white sauce.
The approximate nutrition info is for the entire amount of béchamel sauce made from this recipe.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 377kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 17g (6%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 31g (48%) Saturated Fat 19g (95%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 8g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 89mg (30%) Sodium 273mg (11%) Potassium 408mg (12%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 12g (24%) Vitamin A 1099IU (22%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.2mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.4mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg Vitamin B6 0.2mg Vitamin B12 1µg Vitamin C 0.03mg (0%) Vitamin D 3µg Vitamin E 1mg Vitamin K 4µg Calcium 313mg (31%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 5µg Iron 0.3mg (2%) Magnesium 42mg Phosphorus 281mg Zinc 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1medium bowl

Amount Per Serving

Calories 377 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	377kcal	19%
Carbohydrates	17g	6%
Protein	9g	18%
Fat	31g	48%
Saturated Fat	19g	95%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	8g	40%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	89mg	30%
Sodium	273mg	11%
Potassium	408mg	9%
Fiber	1g	4%
Sugar	12g	24%
Vitamin A	1099IU	22%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)	0.2mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	0.4mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	1mg
Vitamin B6	0.2mg
Vitamin B12	1µg	42%
Vitamin C	0.03mg	0%
Vitamin D	3µg	15%
Vitamin E	1mg
Vitamin K	4µg
Calcium	313mg	31%
Vitamin B9 (Folate)	5µg
Iron	0.3mg	2%
Magnesium	42mg	11%
Phosphorus	281mg
Zinc	1mg