Bechamel sauce forms the base for many dishes like mac and cheese, augratin, casserole, pasta etc.This bechamel sauce or white sauce is the mother sauces of the French cuisine.
This is a rich white sauce made with milk,butter and flour as main ingredients flavoured with herbs and spices.This sauce is made from a white roux (butter and flour) and milk.This bechamel or white sauce comes very handy when you don’t want to throw in cubes of cheese but still need a creamy silky texture.The remaining sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for 3-5 days but I always make it fresh and finish it off the day I prepare itself.
Bechamel sauce is basic white sauce made with butter,flour and milk as main ingredients.
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk
- a genrous pinch freshly ground pepper
- salt to taste
- a pinch nutmeg powder(optional)
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Heat butter - when it is melting add the flour.
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Cook the flour for 3-5 mins then immediately add milk.
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Cook in medium flame, it will bubble.Keep stirring with a whisk.Whisk vigorously until smooth so that there are no lumps forming. It will start to thicken,I switched to spatula now.
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It will form a smooth creamy paste like consistency,It should coat the laddle, and when you draw a line it should stand still as shown in the picture.This is the right consistency.
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Add salt and pepper.If you want you can add nutmeg powder too.Mix well and switch off.Now the basic white sauce is read.You can add cheese if you prefer at this stage. It depends on the recipe you want to use this recipe.
- If you want the sauce to be a little runny you can add 1/4 cup more milk.
- This is the basic white sauce recipe, you can add spice powders or cheese as per your preference.
- The sauce keeps well in refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Steps to make bechamel sauce recipe:
- Heat butter – when it is melting add the flour.
- Cook the flour for 3-5 mins then immediately add milk.
- Cook in medium flame, it will bubble.Keep stirring with a whisk.Whisk vigorously until smooth so that there are no lumps forming. It will start to thicken,I switched to spatula now.
- It will form a smooth creamy paste like consistency,It should coat the laddle, and when you draw a line it should stand still as shown in the picture.This is the right consistency.
- Add salt and pepper.If you want you can add nutmeg powder too.Mix well and switch off.Now the basic white sauce is read.You can add cheese if you prefer at this stage. It depends on the recipe you want to use this recipe.
Warm it a bit then use it.
Creamy,silky white sauce ready!
The milk can be boiled with some pepper corns , bay leaves , couple of cloves and garlic pods – left for a while till the milk gets suffuced with the spices – then strained. This milk when added to the butter and flour adds more flavour to the sauce .
Also , one or two egg yolk is added finally to the sauce, when the cream thickens and before the pan is taken off the stove . The egg yolks add to the creaminess and richness of the sauce
thanks for the suggestion
Hi Sharmi, what kind of sandwiches can be made using this white sauce? Can you please give recipe for that as well.
Give a search as white sauce sandwich, grilled aloo sandwich