Making béchamel sauce used to be one of the first lessons in home economics classes; invariably white and pasty, it coated many a bland dish. When well made, however, this classic white sauce has a proper place in homey, creamed dishes, often making leftovers stretch or giving cooked foods new life. And it is important as a base for soufflés. The French term for this medium-thick white sauce is béchamel. The foolproof way to attain a perfectly smooth sauce is to have the milk hot when added to the butter and flour. It uses an extra pot, but as you become more proficient, this cautionary measure may not be necessary.
This recipe was adapted for style from ‘The Fannie Farmer Cookbook’ by Marion Cunningham. Buy the full book on Amazon.
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What you’ll need
Small Saucepan
$235 $120 At Amazon
Kosher Salt
$12 $11 At Amazon
Pepper
$8 At Burlap and Barrel
Silicone Spatula
$10 At Amazon
Ingredients
Makes about 1 cup
Preparation
Step 1
Warm the milk on low heat until little bubbles form at the edges; remove from heat.
Step 2
Melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown, about 2 minutes. Slowly add 1¼ cups whole milk, heated, whisking to incorporate. Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly, as sauce thickens. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Reduce to low heat, and cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
Do ahead: To cool this sauce for later use, cover it with wax paper or pour a layer of milk over it to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
VARIATION:
Cheese Sauce: Stir in ½ cup grated cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Leave a Review
Reviews (199)
Back to TopAs you said, this is a staple recipe! Traditionally includes a pinch of nutmeg.
Gwen
1/1/2023
My mother called this Milk Sauce and made it for the first picking of small potatoes, peas and tiny carrots. OMG it was so delicious.
Cindy
Jackson MI
11/7/2022
DO NOT ADD ALL THE MILK AT ONE TIME!!!!! Add about a quarter to a half cup and mix until there are no more lumps before adding more. This ensures that you end up with a completely smooth sauce, with no lumps or grainy textures
Anonymous
3/22/2022
I have been making this as a cheese sauce for years. made it usually for macaroni or potatoes. MMM good.
Fran Smith
Oregon
10/16/2021
A few notes: This is a basic bechamel... Use low to medium low heat when adding butter to your pan. I use 2 1/2 tbs. butter and brown it before I add flour. It adds a nutty depth of flavor and removes unneeded moisture. Add flour and whisk constantly to combine and to prevent browning the roux. Allow milk to come to room temp. for 20-30 minutes (about the same time you pull meat). Add 1/3 of the milk to the roux while whisking and blending until it is combined and warmed...about 30 seconds. Repeat with another third of milk, then last third. Simmer for about 2 minutes until it is homogeneous. However, I never let bechamel sauce hit even close to a rolling boil, just little bubbles on the edges and a few creeping through the middle. Add cheese now, then 2 more minutes of simmering and whisking. Otherwise, it tends to coagulate a bit and separate into oil vs. dairy. I typically use 1 cup 2% milk and either 1/2 cup of heavy cream or 1/4 cup of half & half. It just makes it that much creamier. I use this for Creamed Soup Base, Alfredo, adding to Ricotta for Lasagna/ Shells or homemade Mac & Cheese. Make Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese by adding smoked paprika, a dash of nutmeg, hot sauce and diced grilled chicken. Trust me on the dash of nutmeg. It complements a smoked paprika perfectly. (I didn't realize these spices were typical of a bechamel. I've just always used them in my Creamed Spinach and it adds a flavor party in your mouth. Lol) I always use this sauce fresh, so I'm not sure about freezing it. I've also doubled the recipe with great success. Just gotta whisk it, whisk it real good😁
SugarBlossom
Ohio
8/10/2021
It was DELICIOUS! My son wanted more, so next time I will double the recipe! Very easy too.
Bigmacmama
Chicago
7/6/2021
I did 4 tbsp butter and flour then added 1 1/4 cup milk and a cup or so of cheese. Sprinkled in cayenne and black pepper and poured over macaroni and topped with chives (wish I had breadcrumbs) DELICIOUS!!!!
YogaChef
Houston
4/27/2021
This sauce was so good. I gave it to my son at his birthday party and he loved it so much. I will cook this sauce everyday and dip chips in it because it is just that good. I think everyone that sees this should create this sauce on there own time. The milk blends the sauce together perfectly. I own a restuarant in Houma Louisiana called Big Easy Bakery and we cook this sauce and put it on busicuits every single day of the year. I think everyone should create the suace and put it on your favorite dish. This sauce w0uld go great on a beautiful cheesburger or a gumbo with shrimp and chicken and sausage. This sauce is a must have inside of your gumbos or stew. It is just so good.
ConnorGuidryProChefReviews
Houma
3/16/2021
Learn this recipe by heart. You'll use it over and over again.
Foodie Fan
Idaho Falls, ID
3/6/2021
Was the best bechmel ever
Bbecky
Ca
12/24/2020
Simply delicious and so easy. We love it. Brings back early childhood memories of simpler times.
Windee
Montreal
11/29/2020
Very easy to make. If you look this recipe up in Bing search engine, you can choose the number of servings, and the ingredients is automatically adjusted. The cheese twist (for a cheese sauce is delicious). I tried that for the first time. I was not aware that it is a possibility and it turned out very good. I also substituted some of the milk with white wine. The twist is delicious especially if you are using the bechamel sauce with meat.
simoncauchi72233
Gaithersburg, Maryland
9/10/2020
So easy, worked perfectly - tasted beautiful.
maija77
Adelaide, SA
7/31/2020
The milk shouldn’t be heated is what my teacher Taught me it affects the roux.
Jaspercasper
5/6/2020
Hands down, the best classic recipe. A life keeper that's incredibly adaptable.
cookinvictoria
5/5/2020
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