Classic Béchamel Recipe (A Scratch Cooking Essential)
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This classic béchamel recipe is a scratch-cooking essential. Three ingredients, 10 minutes, and endless ways to make meals richer and more delicious!
Table of Contents
Years ago, my husband and I stumbled upon on a random YouTube video of Italian grandmas making classic recipes.
One of them—grumpy as can be and clearly not in the mood for any of it—demonstrated béchamel. It was my first time hearing about it, and I was forever changed.
Since then, it’s been my secret to easy, delicious dinners.
Béchamel is a simple white sauce that elevates almost any dish. As a classic “mother sauce,” it can be used as-is or customized with your favorite flavors.
It’s my go-to for quick dinners because it’s ready in just 10 minutes. I love mixing it with leftover rice, broccoli, and chicken for a fast casserole or melting in cheddar cheese for an easy mac and cheese.
I also like to add a little into Instant Pot stewed tomatoes for a simple creamy tomato base. Really, the possibilities are endless.
For daily scratch cooking to be sustainable, it has to be simple and made with pantry staples. And this recipe is exactly that.
On those days when you don’t know what to make and don’t have much time, whip up a batch of béchamel and mix it up with pasta, veggies, and anything else you have on hand.
No one will believe that it took you just a few minutes.
Why You Need a Béchamel Recipe
- Easier Scratch Cooking: Simple, time-saving recipes are the key to sustainable scratch cooking, and béchamel is one of the best. It comes together in minutes and elevates any meal.
- Quick: Béchamel requires no prep beyond warming the milk, making it a decadent sauce that comes together in just 10 minutes.
- Versatile: Béchamel is a base sauce for your favorite flavors. Add cheese, seasonings, or a splash of tomato sauce.
- Easy Batch Prep: You can make a large batch and then season it accordingly for each recipe throughout the week. It’s even freezer-friendly (more on that below)!
Ingredients
- Milk: I use whole milk, but you can use any milk you have on hand.
- Butter: Use salted or unsalted butter. I use unsalted butter in just about everything. If you use salted butter, use less salt when you season the finished sauce.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is best for making béchamel sauce. It’s smooth and creamy and creates a reliable consistency.
Get the full list of ingredients on the printable recipe card below.
Tools You May Need
- Saucepot: You’ll need a heavy-bottomed saucepan. I love my All-Clad 1.5-quart saucepot.
- Whisk: Mixing the ingredients with a whisk creates a smoother texture.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium heat.
Step 2: Add the flour to the melted butter. Whisk constantly until a thick paste begins to form. Cook until bubbly, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 3: Slowly pour in the warm milk and whisk until thoroughly combined. Bump up the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, whisking constantly to prevent burning, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools.
Step 5: Add a pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6: Enjoy over pasta or in lasagna. Or stir in shredded cheese until melted and enjoy the best cheese sauce ever!
Tips for Success
- Use Warm Milk: Taking the chill off the milk will prevent lumps and from sizzling and burning as you pour it into the hot pan.
- Adjust the Thickness: Use less milk if you want a thicker béchamel. Or, if you prefer a thinner sauce, add extra milk.
- Whisk Constantly: Keep the sauce moving! Whisking it constantly prevents clumps from forming and prevents burning.
- Don’t Brown the Roux: Brown butter is delicious, but a browned butter roux will make your béchamel an unsavory brown hue.
How To Use Béchamel
- Simple Creamy Sauce: The best thing about béchamel is how easy it is. Just season it to your liking and pour it over pasta. It’s simple and delicious!
- Macaroni and Cheese: Once you try mac and cheese with homemade cheese sauce, you’ll never go back. Just melt shredded cheese into béchamel and enjoy!
- Nacho Cheese: For creamy nacho cheese, melt shredded cheddar in béchamel and season with chili powder or taco seasoning. Then smother chips in nacho cheese and candied jalapeños.
- Creamy Soup: Sauté onion (lacto-fermented onions work great), veggies, and chicken, then stir in béchamel for an easy soup. Thin with milk if you prefer.
- Pizza Base: Béchamel makes a delicious white base for pizzas. I like to slather it on sourdough pizza dough or a fresh-milled pizza.
- Chicken Pot Pie: Béchamel makes the perfect pot pie gravy. Add a touch of sage and mix it with the filling. I also like to use freeze-dried herbs to season my pot pie béchamel.
How To Store and Reheat
To Store: Transfer leftover béchamel to a storage container.
To prevent a skin from forming, place plastic wrap or parchment paper directly onto the surface of the sauce.
Cover with an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To Reheat: Warm leftover béchamel over low heat on the stove.
You may need to add a little milk to thin the consistency.
How To Freeze Béchamel
To freeze leftovers or an extra batch, let the sauce come to room temperature.
Then, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Before using frozen bechamel, let it completely thaw first. To reheat, warm the béchamel over low heat and stir constantly.
If it has separated, add a little butter and continue to whisk until it has come together and is warmed through.
FAQs
Yes! If you prefer to use fresh-milled flour, I recommended using a soft white wheat. Its mild flavor and texture will create a creamier sauce.
If you are new to milling flour, check out my fresh-milled flour guide for everything you need to know to get started.
Whisking with a little extra muscle can help break apart lumps. But you can also use an immersion blender to break up large clumps.
Yes! To use sourdough starter in béchamel, replace the flour with 100 g of sourdough starter (about 1/3 cup). And reduce the milk by about 2 tablespoons.
To learn more about this conversion, check out my post about how to add sourdough discard to any recipe.
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Béchamel Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk, warm (just warm enough to take the chill off)
- A pinch of nutmeg, about 1/16 tsp
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium heat.2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Add the flour to the melted butter. Whisk constantly until a thick paste begins to form. Cook until bubbly, about 1-2 minutes.2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Slowly pour in the warm milk and whisk together until thoroughly combined.1 1/4 cup whole milk
- Bump up the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Whisk constantly to prevent burning, about 5 minutes.
- Once the sauce has thickened, remove from heat. It is ready when the sauce coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.A pinch of nutmeg, Salt and pepper to taste
- Enjoy over pasta or in lasagna. Or stir in shredded cheese until melted and enjoy the best cheese sauce ever!
We use this recipe for SO many meals. Mac and cheese is probably our favorite. But I also throw together super quick casseroles with béchamel, Italian seasoning, and anything I have on hand in the fridge for pantry challenge or clean-out meals.