Béchamel Sauce
This creamy béchamel sauce is a classic white sauce made with simple ingredients including flour, milk and butter. Perfect to use in pasta dishes like lasagna or casseroles!
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk , at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- Pinch ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Make roux. In a large saucepan, melt 5 Tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Stir in 1/4 cup flour and whisk until smooth. Cook 3 minutes (whisking constantly), or until it has turned a light golden color.
- Whisk in milk. Slowly whisk in 4 cups milk. Turn up the heat to medium and bring to a light simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, or until thickened and is no longer gritty. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt the last minute of cooking with a pinch of nutmeg. Salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
Bechamel Cheese Sauce: To turn this into a cheese sauce, mix in 1/2 cup shredded cheese the last 2 minutes of cooking and let melt. Gruyere is a great addition.
Richer Sauce: For a more decadent sauce, substitute 1/2 cup milk with half-and-half or heavy cream.
Freezer instructions: Let cool before placing in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Nutrition
Calories: 128kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 538mg, Potassium: 194mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 450IU, Calcium: 152mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
