Bechamel sauce
Bechamel sauce is a classic, made from a cooked butter-flour mix called "roux", where milk is added and slowly cooked. We get a thick sauce, used in many recipes.
446 K 4.0/5 (46 reviews)
20 min.
Easy
350 ml
6 IngredientsLast modified on: June 13th 2024
For 350 ml, you will need:
2 tablespoons 
2 tablespoons 
2 glasses 
grated nutmeg
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 3 min.
Cooking: 15 min.
All in all: 20 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 3 min.
Stage 2 - 5 min.
Mix well and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture become light brown.
This mix, which can be prepared beforehand, is called a "roux", and in this case a "blond roux". If you continue cooking, you will get a "brown roux".
This mix, which can be prepared beforehand, is called a "roux", and in this case a "blond roux". If you continue cooking, you will get a "brown roux".
Stage 3 - 10 min.
Pour 2 glasses milk (cold) onto the roux, all at once. Mix thoroughly.
You have there the secret of succeeding with a bechamel:
Salt, pepper and add grated nutmeg.
Leave to cook on low heat, stirring up continuously until bechamel thickens.
You have there the secret of succeeding with a bechamel:
- if roux is hot, add cold milk
- if roux is cold (perpared beforehand), add hot milk
Salt, pepper and add grated nutmeg.
Leave to cook on low heat, stirring up continuously until bechamel thickens.
Stage 4
The thickness of bechamel is a question of taste.
Stage 5
You can make variations on béchamel, such as Mornay sauce, which is a béchamel sauce to which egg yolks and grated cheese are added.
Remarks
Bechamel can be easily made beforehand, and reheated when necessary.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 10 RDI=6 % | 40 RDI=4 % | 40 RDI=6 % | 550 RDI=30 % | 2,310 RDI: 30 % |
| Per 100 g | 5 RDI=2 % | 10 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 200 RDI=10 % | 830 RDI: 10 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 350 ml : 0.50 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipeSee them all 32
Chilli chicken and spinach gratin
A classic combination of chicken and spinach is pepped up with chilli spices and balanced with a velvety bechamel sauce, topped with cheese and browned in the oven.
51 K 1 hour 35 min.
Italian style gratin
This gratin is built up in layers: sautéed courgettes, minced beef, bechamel sauce, fried tomatoes, more meat and bechamel, then grated cheese for a brown topping.
101 K4.8 1 hour 8 min.
Stuffed artichokes au gratin
For this recipe we'll attempt to use the whole of the artichoke: the heart, of course, but also the leaf bases in bechamel sauce with mushrooms and shallots, as a tasty filling for the hearts.
117 K5 1 hour 35 min.
New Zealand pies
New Zealand pies are small pies with different fillings that can be found in any "eatery", those informal places where you can eat in or take away. In this recipe, you'll find a spicy beef version, and another with salmon and bacon.
10 K 1 hour 30 min.
Croque-monsieur
A classic of French "street food" or bistros: a slice of ham between two slices of bread spread with béchamel sauce. The sandwich is then sprinkled with cheese and toasted in the oven.
272 K4 50 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Butter
Like these other recipes: Flamiche, Sweet pastry, Creamy Comtoise artichoke gratin, New peas with almonds, Moist cereal bars, ... See them all 479
Flour
Like these other recipes: Cramique, Nanou's chocolate cake, Fillet of beef in a rosemary crust, Fish in a sesame crust, Escalopes in a sesame crust, ... See them all 204
Milk
Like these other recipes: Tomato, mustard and tuna cake, Jam doughnuts, Kugelhof for Nanou, Potato gratin, Almond tuiles, ... See them all 61
Salt
Like these other recipes: Lebanese-style chickpea salad, New York style pasta, Pan-fried scallops and chanterelles with Noilly Prat sauce, Tomato, mustard and tuna cake, Cauliflower curry, ... See them all 664
Other recipes you may also like
Puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée)
Puff pastry is an incredible assembly of thin layers of butter enclosed in thin layers of dough. After cooking this give a succession of thin crisp pastry leaves that produce exceptional desserts or pies. It's a jewel of French patisserie. Making your own puff pastry is not very difficult, it's just a little work with a good recipe (like this one!). This recipe is for quick puff pastry ("feuilletage rapide") perfect for beginners. January 19th 2011470 K 63.3 2 hours 45 min.
Tournedos Rossini
Tournedos Rossini is a very chic recipe, allegedly inspired by the famous composer. It consists of fried fillet steak, served on buttered toast, topped with a slice of foie gras and a delicious sauce made by deglazing the cooking pan... August 26th 2021356 K 33.7 50 min.
Windfall apple jelly
This jelly is an excellent way to make use of all those unripe apples that have dropped off the tree. They (or rather, their juice) makes a delicious jelly with a very delicate flavour. As these apples are green and generally tart, we need to use a little more gelling agent than for a normal jelly recipe. August 19th 2021187 K5 60 min.
Brioche dough
It's a soft and rich dough, with butter and eggs which give a smooth and incredibly tasty brioche. This is the basic recipe for brioche dough, used for all other brioche-based recipes on the site. September 16th 2020544 K 44.2 14 hours 30 min.
French dressing (vinaigrette)
Here is a very simple recipe, but it could completely transform, maybe even transcend, your salad. July 7th 20111.07 M4.5 7 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-10-12)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe (as 2 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.