Homemade White Sauce — Easy Bechamel for Pasta and Lasagna

Versión en Español

Homemade white sauce, or bechamel, is a roux of butter and flour cooked for 2 minutes, whisked off the heat with whole milk, then brought to a boil until smooth and thick and seasoned with nutmeg and salt. It takes 10 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking, and makes 6 servings.

Perfect for pasta and lasagna, and the base for mushroom sauce or Chilean conger eel in salsa margarita.

How to Make White Sauce or Bechamel?

It is a very simple sauce of whole milk, flour, butter, and ground nutmeg, cooked gently until it reaches a creamy consistency. Adding the milk off the heat and little by little keeps it free of lumps.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of homemade white sauce contains approximately 85 kcal, 5 g of carbohydrates, 6 g of fat, 3 g of protein, 0 g of fiber, 3 g of sugars, 25 mg of cholesterol, and 150 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade White Sauce Recipe

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 400 ml (1⅔ cups) of whole milk
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• Ground nutmeg
• Fine salt

Instructions

1. In a medium pot or large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, add the flour, and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Remove from the heat and add the milk little by little, whisking constantly. Return to medium high heat and cook until it boils and reaches the consistency you want, then season with nutmeg and salt.

3. Use the white sauce right away with stews, pasta, or lasagna. To store it, cover it while still hot with foil without touching the surface so no skin forms, and reheat over low heat, stirring constantly.

Additional Tips

Make it creamier

Replace part of the milk with cream or stir in a little grated cheese while it cooks.

Add herbs for pasta

Fresh basil or parsley personalize the sauce for your favorite pasta.

Fix a thin sauce

Whisk in a little flour dissolved in cold water and cook a few minutes more, stirring constantly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I make bechamel with skim milk?

Yes, but it will be a little less creamy. Whole milk gives more smoothness and body.

2. Can I make white sauce without butter?

Yes, with olive oil or margarine, though the flavor changes slightly. Olive oil is a lighter option.

3. How do I thicken bechamel?

Add a little flour dissolved in cold water and cook a few minutes more, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.

4. How long does white sauce keep?

Up to 3 days in the fridge, well covered so no skin forms. It can be frozen, but it tends to separate, so reheat it slowly and stir well.

History of Bechamel

Bechamel is one of the mother sauces of classic French cooking. A popular theory says it came from Florence with Catherine de’ Medici’s cooks when she married the future Henry II of France in 1533, and its name is linked to the Marquis Louis de Béchameil, steward to Louis XIV.

Recommended

• Chilean Salsa Margarita Recipe
• Chilean Conger Eel in Margarita Sauce Recipe
• Chilean Swiss Chard Gratin Recipe
• Homemade Heavy Cream Recipe