Here’s my straightforward method for how to make a simple white sauce (béchamel sauce) – one of the first things any beginner cook should learn!
Easy Cheesy Vegetarian is a site for expert cooks and beginners alike, so I do like to share some more basic recipes every now and then. And you can’t get much more basic than a simple white sauce (béchamel sauce) – the basis of so many amazing recipes.
I asked in my Facebook group recently what sorts of ‘kitchen basics‘ guides people would like to see, and lots of people said they had trouble making a good white sauce – so here’s how!
Add salt and pepper to taste, along with some parsley or chives if you think the color looks boring. Or really, add any other seasoning that suits your fancy. See curry sauce below.
How to make a simple white sauce
Here are my top tips for making a perfect white sauce. Once you get the hang of it, it’s incredibly simple, and it’s a skill you’ll use again and again.
A white sauce is the same as a béchamel sauce, so you might see those two terms used interchangeably.
I’ve obviously broken the process down into tiny little steps for the purposes of this blog post, but in reality it only takes about 10 minutes max.
Step 4: Add some flavour!
A white sauce that’s literally just made with butter, flour and milk won’t have a huge amount of flavour. At the very least, you’ll need to add a big pinch of salt and pepper.
I like to add some whole herbs and spices to my sauce, which I then remove after a few minutes of simmering. This means that their flavours can infuse into the sauce without affecting its luscious smoothness. It’s a technique I first tried when I made my vegetable cobbler, and it works surprisingly brilliantly! The only downside is that you have to find them again afterwards…
This time, I added a couple of whole bay leaves and some black peppercorns. Other great options are a whole nutmeg, some chunks of onion, or a couple of whole garlic cloves. If you’re simmering these in your sauce for a little while, you’ll need to start with a sauce that’s slightly thinner than you want it to end up, as it will thicken up a little more as it cooks.
If you don’t want to have to deal with fishing whole herbs and spices from your sauce, just use pre-ground ingredients instead – a pinch of ground nutmeg is great, along with some onion powder and garlic powder if you fancy it.
How to Make Basic White Sauce – Cream Sauce at its Simplest
FAQ
How do you fix white sauce?
What can I add to white sauce?
White sauce is great with a meat added in. Add chicken, ham, or sausage. Delicious! Serve with biscuits, and you’re in business. Add white sauce to vegetables for a creamy experience. A white sauce is just flour, butter and milk.
What can be used as a substitute for white wine vinegar?
Champagne vinegar is another mild wine-based vinegar. Fermented rice and has a sweet and mild flavor. It is mainly used in Asian cuisine. Apple cider vinegar made from fermented apples, apple cider vinegar. All being a great option.
What can I eat with white sauce?
It can dress up a breakfast sandwich or top an otherwise dry egg casserole. However, it can also be enjoyed at dinner time too depending on what you’re topping with it. White sauce is great with a meat added in. Add chicken, ham, or sausage. Delicious! Serve with biscuits, and you’re in business.
Do you add cheese to white sauce?
Cheese should be always added when the white sauce is finished. Turn off the heat and add the cheese in very small handfuls, whisking each bit until melted into the sauce before adding the next bit. If the white sauce cools too much during this process, turn the heat under the pan back on to very low and gently warm back up.