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Béchamel Sauce (White Sauce)

This classic French white sauce is made with just three ingredients: butter, flour, and milk. It's the creamy base for mac and cheese, lasagna, and countless other comfort food favorites.
Course Sauces & Dressings
Cuisine Italian
Keyword bechamel, Cream Sauce, make ahead, mother sauce, roux, white sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 cups

Equipment

  • Medium Saucepan
  • Whisk

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces unsalted butter
  • scant 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (2 ounces)
  • 2 1/2 cups cold whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or white pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

  • Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium saucepan or high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add scant 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, and immediately whisk to incorporate. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture resembles loose scrambled eggs or wet sand, and no longer has the aroma of raw flour, 3 to 4 minutes (do not let brown).
  • Add 2 1/2 cups cold whole milk all at once. Whisk to combine and remove any lumps. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg if using.

Notes

Storage: Transfer the sauce to an airtight container. Press a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper directly onto the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Reheat over low heat, adding a splash of milk if needed to loosen upon reheating.
Pepper swap: Use white pepper instead of black if you prefer a speckle-free sauce.
Milk swap: Low-fat milk can be used for a lighter sauce. Heavy cream will result in a thicker, richer sauce.
Butter swap: If using salted butter, skip the added salt and season to taste at the end.
Too thin? Whisk in a slurry of flour and milk, or cook it longer. Remember that the sauce will thicken as it cools.
Too thick? Whisk in more milk until it reaches the desired consistency.
Lumpy sauce? An immersion blender will smooth it right out.
Make it a Mornay: Stir in shredded cheese at the end and you've got cheese sauce.