Béchamel sauce: the French mother sauce
This Recipe includes:
 | All purpose flour |
 | Butter |
 | Nutmeg |
 | Milk |
 | Salt and pepper |
If you enjoy French cuisine, you may have noticed that the béchamel sauce is the foundation for many classic French dishes that we love today. A classic white sauce, the béchamel is a thickened with milk, butter, flour, and at times, herb seasonings.
As one of the 5 classic French mother sauces, it is used in many different dishes. It’s an essential element of many gratins and casseroles, and you’ll also find it finished with a variety white meats and vegetables.
It was invented based on an older cream-based by François Pierre de La Varenne, a chef de cuisine of the Marquis d’Uxelles, in the 17th century. The chef dedicated it to a guest named Louis Béchameil, Marquis de Nointel, as was the custom of flattering nobility at the time.
Making your own French bechamel sauce doesn’t have to be difficult. I know it sounds fancy and all, but the béchamel is actually very simple to make at home, and tastes better than store-bought variety that has artificial preservatives added to it.
The sauce is made from a roux (butter and flour blended together) and milk. I promise you after you try this homemade béchamel sauce recipe, you’ll never go back to the ready-made stuff again.
Mother Sauce, White Sauce, and Other Sauces
Béchamel sauce is sometimes called White Sauce in English cookbooks. Both are made from all-purpose flour, butter, and milk. As a mother sauce, béchamel has several daughter sauces like:
- Mornay: béchamel with onion, cloves, Gruyère cheese, and Parmesan
- Soubise: béchamel with butter and caramelized onions
- Nantua: béchamel with shrimp, butter, and heavy cream
White sauce should not be confused with the French beurre blanc sauce which literally translates to “Butter White”. To compare the two:
- Béchamel: sauce made from butter, flour and milk.
- Buerre blanc: sauce made from butter, vinegar or white wine, and shallots.
Other creamy sauces that are somewhat similar like mayonnaise, aioli, hollandaise and béarnaise are made with egg yolks.
French Béchamel Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 30 g butter
- 30 g flour
- 1/2 litre of milk
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan at a low temperature.
- Once the butter is melted, add the flour to make a roux.
- Stir with a wooden spoon without letting the roux burn. To prevent burning, add a few drops of oil, if necessary.
- Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
- Season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg.
- Serve while warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve béchamel sauce with?
You can use béchamel sauce almost any sort of dish, from pasta bakes and lasagna, to baked chicken. It can also go directly on cooked or steamed vegetables like spinach, cauliflower or broccoli.
Certain French dishes like the quenelles, gratin potatoes, coquilles st jacques, and creamy chicken blanquette are also regularly made with béchamel sauce.
What drinks to serve with it?
For a simple and delicious meal, pair béchamel sauce with a dry white wine from the Loire Valley, like the Muscadet or the Pouilly Fumé. A Chablis wine from Bourgogne (Burgundy) will also work well.
How to store it?
Béchamel sauce can easily be kept in the refrigerator and can even be frozen. Portion the béchamel sauce in an airtight container or silicone ziplock bags, so that you can defrost the sauce for a single serving. (Do not defrost and then refreeze.)
To defrost béchamel sauce, place in the fridge overnight. Place in a saucepan and whisk over low heat for a few minutes to return to its original consistency. Serve while warm.
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