White Sauce (Béchamel Sauce) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a white sauce and a bechamel sauce? ›

The term “white sauce” is a more general term that is sometimes used to refer to any white-coloured sauce, while “béchamel sauce” specifically refers to the white sauce made from a roux and milk. However, the two terms are often used interchangeably. In most cases, they refer to the same sauce.

In its purest form, béchamel is comprised of butter and flour that have been cooked together (a mixture that's also known as a roux) and milk, with just a bit of seasoning. The result is a silky cream sauce that can be used either on its own or as the base for countless other sauces.

Although they look similar, the difference between bechamel and alfredo sauce is their ingredients. While bechamel sauce is made with milk and flour, alfredo sauce is mainly made with heavy cream and cheese.

Bechamel – a milk based sauce that is thickened with a roux (clarified butter and flour). This sauce is named after its creator Louis XIV's steward, Louis de Béchamel. Considered the king of all sauces, and often called a cream sauce because of its consistency, this sauce is most often used in all types of dishes.

For quick recipes, gratins or a helping hand, you can count on the ready-made béchamel, with flour, butter and French milk! You can already smell the smell of a good gratin or a gourmet croque-monsieur.

Smooth and creamy white gravy, one of the American South's most beloved and versatile sauces, is really just a variation of béchamel, which was brought to Louisiana by French explorers in the 17th century. Excellent draped over chicken fried steak, biscuits or.

Nutmeg in Béchamel

This spice—that you might be familiar with from eggnog or holiday cookies—is a subtle but necessary addition. It brings warmth, spice, and complexity to the blank canvas that is white sauce.

With a lovely creamy texture, cream cheese is a great bechamel alternative, as it's stable and won't split. It has a slightly tangy flavour, so it won't taste like a traditional bechamel – try flavouring with parmesan, chopped chives or a pinch of ground nutmeg.

Daughter Sauces from Bechamel

But with your base, you can add crayfish butter and tails, and a bit of cream to make Nantua sauce, which goes beautifully on pasta or with fish quenelles. Soubise sauce simply adds pureed onions to the béchamel.

Do you use hot or cold milk for béchamel? ›

Although you can technically make a béchamel by adding cold milk to the pan with the roux, warming the milk in a separate pot on the stovetop or even in a glass measuring cup in the microwave will make for a less-messy experience since cold milk will spatter when it hits the hot pan.

Béchamel sauce (pronounced /beɪʃəˈmɛl/ in English, IPA: [beʃaˈmɛl] in French, IPA: [beʃaˈmɛlla] in Italian), also known as white sauce, is a basic mother sauce. It can be used to make other sauces, such as Mornay sauce, which is Béchamel and cheese.

Béchamel sauce is a white sauce that is one of the basic sauces in French cuisine and serves as a versatile foundation for many dishes. It is a simple and classic sauce made from a roux (butter and flour) combined with milk. I love ricotta cheese, but using a béchamel sauce creates a much creamier and richer lasagna.

It's easy to get lost when it comes to the creamy sauces of French cuisine. Learn the difference between a classic roux, béchamel, and mornay.