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A bowl of béchamel sauce with pepper on top and a spoon inside. Salt and pepper in the background.
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Béchamel Sauce Recipe

Perhaps the best known of the French “mother sauces,” Béchamel Sauce is a key ingredient for lasagna, croque monsieurs, & more!
Course sauces
Cuisine French
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 338kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Medium Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups of whole milk (480mL) (warm or room temperature)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted.
  • Add the flour and reduce the heat to medium-low. Whisk constantly for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the mixture makes a light roux that is blonde in color.
  • Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture bubbles and thickens.
  • Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 4 to 6 more minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
  • Stir in the salt and pepper. Taste the sauce and season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

  • Don't overcook the roux—it's a white sauce, after all! We're looking for a pale blonde color, just enough to make the flour taste nutty, not raw.
  • Add the milk slowly while whisking constantly. The first little bit will make the roux clump a bit, so keep pouring as a steady, thin stream.
  • Warm milk is better for incorporating into the roux. While the roux will clump a bit when the milk is first added, cold milk will make this much worse because it dramatically drops the temperature in the pan. The sauce will also cook and thicken more quickly if you start warm.
  • Make sure the sauce coats the back of a spoon before you take it off the heat. Not sure what that means? Dip a spoon into the sauce, then lift it out. It should leave a coating, not immediately slide off. To test for thickness, drag your finger across the back of the spoon—the sauce should hold the line for at least a second or two before it starts dripping down to fill the hole. For a thick bechamel, the line should hold without filling in at all.

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 921IU | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 1mg