How to Make Bechamel Sauce

5 from 3 votes

Learn how to make bechamel sauce - a delicious French white sauce that adds flavor and creaminess to dishes and only requires 4 simple ingredients!

Course Sauces, Tutorial

Cuisine French

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 147kcal

Author Yumna Jawad

Equipment

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups milk warmed
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Salt to taste

Instructions

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until fully incorporated and cook, stirring occasionally, until it lightly bubbles.
Gradually pour in the warm milk. Bring mixture to a boil, then decrease heat to medium. Continue to simmer, whisking frequently, for about 2 more minutes or until the sauce is smooth and thickened.
Remove from heat and whisk in the salt and nutmeg. At this point, you can also thicken with a tempered egg or whisk in some parmesan cheese. Use as desired in recipe.

Notes

Storage: Store bechamel sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Gently reheat in a small saucepan over medium heat on stovetop.

To freeze, transfer the sauce to a freezer-safe container or ziptop bag, leaving room for expansion, and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. It may appear separated but should return to its original texture once you reheat it.

Tips:

Use equal parts butter and flour. The standard ratio for a good bechamel sauce is equal parts butter and flour to ensure a balanced and smooth texture.

Warm milk helps the sauce come together quickly. It also helps to add the milk gradually while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.

Whisk frequently. This helps distribute heat evenly and prevents the sauce from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan, forming lumps.

Simmer until thickened. Simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and has a smooth consistency. But avoid vigorous boiling as that may cause the sauce to break down and become grainy in texture.

Add an egg. For a thicker bechamel sauce, you can temper an egg with a small portion of bechamel sauce and then combine that mixture with the bechamel in the pot. This creates a great base for casseroles like my Easy Eggplant Moussaka

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