A good béchamel tastes gently of milk and butter, with enough body to settle between layers of lasagne or cover a gratin. The roux stays pale, and the sauce gets a quiet simmer after the milk goes in. This medium-thick version is deliberately restrained: nutmeg should register as warmth, rather than perfume.
Béchamel Sauce
A pale roux, warm milk, and a little nutmeg
This medium-thick white sauce is suited to gratins and lasagne; a gentle simmer cooks out the flour.
TypeSauces
Prep5 minutes
Cook15 minutes
Rest0 minutes
Total20 minutes
YieldAbout 550 g
Servings10
ServingAbout 55 g
DifficultyEasy
CuisineFrench
Ingredients
Batch
Instructions
Serving Ideas
- Spread between lasagne layers, fold through cooked leeks, or pour over cauliflower before baking.
Substitutions
- For a thinner pouring sauce, add another 50–100 ml milk. A cheese sauce is a separate variation: melt grated cheese into the finished béchamel off the heat.
Chef Tips
- Keep a whisk for adding the milk and a flexible spatula for the simmer: the spatula reaches flour that can settle at the bottom edge.
Storage
Cool in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep at 4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat gently, stirring in milk to restore the consistency.
Allergen Notes
Contains milk and wheat.