What if I told you that one of the most essential French sauces is also one of the simplest to master? Enter bechamel, the velvety white sauce that forms the backbone of countless beloved dishes, from lasagna to creamy mac and cheese. It's not just a sauce -- it's your ticket to elevating everyday meals into culinary classics.
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In this post, we'll break down the steps to making bechamel so you can perfect this versatile staple at home. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a kitchen newbie, this guide will give you the confidence to conquer bechamel and even experiment with its delicious variations.
What is Bechamel?
Bechamel is a white sauce made with milk (sometimes cream) thickened with a roux. In French cooking, it is one of the five classic mother sauces. A mother sauce is a base out of which many other sauces can be made. We will talk about some of the sauces that can be made with bechamel shortly.
Don't let the fancy name fool you. It is not nearly as intimidating as it seems. As I said in the lasagna post, it is more than likely that you have made bechamel before and didn't know it.
How to Make Bechamel
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 1 tablespoon Flour gluten-free all-purpose or regular all-purpose
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- pinch pepper
- pinch Salt
- pinch Nutmeg
- pinch Garlic Powder
- pinch Onion Powder
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small pot. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Whisk the milk and seasonings into the butter and flour mixture and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
Bechamel Notes
First things first, let's talk about pepper. A lot of people like to use white pepper in their bechamel so they don't get the black specks you get with black pepper. I happen to hate white pepper. I find it smells and tastes like a horse barn. I also don't mind the black specks in my white sauce. I'll leave it up to you whether you use white or black pepper.
It is very easy for the roux to stick to the bottom of the pan and burn as the bechamel is simmering. There are a few ways to help prevent this:
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot. A thick, even base distributes heat more evenly and reduces hot spots that cause scorching.
- Stir regularly and scrape the bottom. If you scrape the bottom of the pot and notice brown or black bits floating in your bechamel, strain it right away and put it in a new pot. Taste it before you continue cooking because it may already taste burnt. In that case, you have to start over.
- Make the roux separately. This is probably the safest option. Cook the butter and flour together in a separate pot. Heat the milk with any softened onions in the main pot, then whisk the roux in. You will still have to be vigilant in making sure the roux doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot, but this way is safer.
Scaling Your Bechamel
The beauty of bechamel is that it scales effortlessly. The basic ratio is equal parts butter and flour by weight, plus milk. For a thinner sauce (like for a gratin), use more milk. For a thicker sauce (like for binding a filling), use less. Here's a quick guide:
- Thin bechamel: 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon flour, 1.5 cups milk -- good for soups and gratins
- Medium bechamel: 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 cup milk -- the standard for most recipes
- Thick bechamel: 2 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoon flour, 1 cup milk -- ideal for croquettes and souffles
Derivative Sauces
From that basic bechamel recipe above, many other sauces can be made. Below, I am going to name the sauce and list what ingredients need to be added to make it. All the below additions are based on the above recipe. I should say that the sauces I'm about to list are very old school. You will likely only ever use one, maybe two of them.
Bohemienne
Adding a teaspoon or two of tarragon to the bechamel makes it a bohemian sauce. This sauce is traditionally served cold with cold fish or poached salmon.
Cardinal
The additions of truffles and lobster make a Cardinal sauce. How much lobster and truffles do you add? Until you can't add any more. This sauce is about decadence, not moderation. This sauce would typically be served over fish, lobster and truffles. That's right, lobster and truffles on lobster and truffles.
Ecossaise
Three or four whole eggs whisked into the bechamel make it an Ecossaise sauce. Unsurprisingly, this sauce is traditionally served over eggs.
Mornay
This is probably one of only two of these derivative sauces you will ever make. This is 1 cup of grated gruyere and ¼ cup of grated parm, whisked into the bechamel. At the last minute before serving 1-2 tablespoon of butter is whisked in as well. Traditionally, this sauce is served with fish, but it is also the base for mac and cheese. You can obviously add whatever cheeses you would like.
Alfredo
2-3 cloves of garlic sauteed with the onion, a ¼ cup of white wine reduced before the milk is added and then 1 cup of parmesan whisked in at the end. You likely already know what to do with alfredo sauce.
Conclusion
Bechamel is genuinely one of those sauces I think every home cook should feel comfortable making -- it's the foundation for so many dishes I come back to again and again. Once you have the basic technique down, the derivative sauces open up a whole world of possibilities, from a rich Mornay on a weeknight to an indulgent Cardinal sauce for a special occasion. If you're looking to build on this, check out the other mother sauces like veloute and hollandaise next.
