“most of the milk added.” by rjw1, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr

White sauce

Name: White sauce
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 12 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 60 g butter; 30 g plain flour; 500 ml milk; 0.25 tsp ground black pepper; 0.5 tsp salt

Smooth, buttery béchamel. Makes 2 cups (500 ml)

Features:Vegetarian Quick

Cuisine:

The classic white sauce behind pasta bakes, lasagne, baked vegetables and creamy soups. Butter and flour are cooked together first so the sauce tastes of nothing raw, then milk is whisked in until it turns thick, glossy and smooth. Use it straight away, or keep it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Total time: 12 min
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 4

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Ingredients

Serves4

2 ⅛ oz butter
1 oz plain flourabout 2 tbsp
2 cups milk
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp saltor to taste

Method

0/5 done

Step 1: Melt 2 ⅛ oz butter in a saucepan over a medium heat until it foams.
2 min
Step 2: Stir in 1 oz plain flour and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring all the time. It should bubble and smell lightly toasted but not turn brown.
3 min
Step 3: Take the pan off the heat and whisk in 2 cups milk, a little at a time at first, so no lumps form. Warm milk blends in even more easily.
Step 4: Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce comes to the boil and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5 min
Step 5: Season with ¼ tsp ground black pepper and ½ tsp salt. If you're not using it straight away, press a piece of baking paper onto the surface to stop a skin forming.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 215 kcal
Protein: 5 g
Carbs: 12 g
Fat: 16 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

Badal Patel

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does white sauce take?: About 12 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?: Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of butter?: The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
What can I use instead of plain flour?: Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).