How to Make a Basic White Sauce (Béchamel) (2024)

To change the thickness of a white sauce, simply use more or less butter and flour (keeping them equal) while using the same amount of milk.

• Thin white sauce: Use1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour.
• Medium white sauce: Use 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of flour. (Slightly thicker than the 2-tablespoon version in the recipe.)
• Heavy white sauce: Use 4 tablespoons of butter and 4 tablespoons of flour.

With any of these, if the cooked sauce is a little thicker than you'd like, stir in 1/2 tablespoon at a time of milk until it reaches your desired thickness. To thicken a cooked sauce that came out too thin, try cornstarch instead of flour. Mix 1/2 tablespoon each of cornstarch and water to create a slurry, then stir it into the sauce. This avoids introducing the flour taste that you cooked out while making the roux.

• Light stock, cream, or a combination may be used in place of the milk (see the variations below).
• Add more flavor by seasoning with celery salt, nutmeg, a teaspoon of lemon juice, onion juice, or sherry, or a few tablespoons of chopped chives or parsley.
• Avoid substituting the all-purpose flour with self-rising flour because self-rising flour contains baking powder and salt. If you only have bread, cake, or pastry flour, they should work in the white sauce because the primary difference is the gluten content. Even better is a combination of bread and cake flours (essentially making all-purpose flour).

• Standard béchamel sauce: Add the milk to the medium white sauce recipealongside 1 small onion studded with 3 cloves, a bay leaf, and a grating of nutmeg.
• Cheese sauce: Add 1/2 to 1 cup of shredded cheese to the sauce as soon as you take it off the burner. Stir until the cheese has melted. Use this version in a casserole, drizzle it over vegetables, or toss it with pasta or rice.
• Cheddar sauce for macaroni and cheese: Doublea recipe for medium white sauce; add 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard powder along with the salt and pepper. Add 2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Cook 2 cups of elbow macaroni following the package directions; drain well and combine with the cheese sauce.
• Velouté sauce: Instead of milk, this sauce is made with stock or broth. Use chicken, beef, or fish stock, or use vegetable broth. Depending on the kind of stock or broth you use, this is a good sauce to serve with chicken, beef, fish, seafood, or vegetables.
• Herb Sauce: Add about 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil, chives, or dill to the sauce a few minutes before it's done. Or add about 1 teaspoon of fresh herbs.
• Low-fat white sauce: This recipe skips the butter and uses low-fat or nonfat milk. It also uses cornstarch as a substitute for flour.

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