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White Sauce

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  • Prep 5 min
  • Total 10 min
  • Servings 16
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This White Sauce, also known as béchamel sauce, is one of France’s four “mother sauces,” and it’s a perfect complement to many dishes. Pair it with vegetables, turn it into a creamy casserole or ladle it over seafood or sliced chicken.
Updated Jun 13, 2023
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup milk
Make With
Gold Medal Flour

Steps

  • 1
    In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.
  • 2
    Gradually stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

  • tip 1
    There are few recipes more essential in an accomplished cook’s repertoire than a basic white sauce. Called a béchamel in France, it’s the start of any number of recipes, from a cheesy mac ‘n cheese to a creamy chicken pot pie.
  • tip 2
    Need some meal inspiration to go along with this White Sauce recipe? Stir up your sauce with hot cooked macaroni, pour it over toasted tortilla chips for a homemade nacho platter or spoon it over simple omelets.
  • tip 3
    Stir the butter and flour together with a wooden spoon or wire whisk. Stir constantly as you pour in the milk so no lumps form. If there seem to be a few once your White Sauce thickens, strain the sauce through a wire-mesh sieve.
  • tip 4
    Stir in 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill and a dash of ground nutmeg with the flour; continue steps to make a delicious sauce perfect for fish.
  • tip 5
    To make an irresistible cheese sauce, start with making the White Sauce with 1/4 teaspoon dry ground mustard added to the flour. Once the sauce is thickened, stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheese—try a sharp cheddar or a nutty fontina—until melted.

Nutrition

25 Calories, 2g Total Fat, 0g Protein, 1g Total Carbohydrate, 0g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
Calories
25
Calories from Fat
15
Total Fat
2g
3%
Saturated Fat
1g
4%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
5mg
2%
Sodium
55mg
2%
Potassium
25mg
1%
Total Carbohydrate
1g
0%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
0g
Protein
0g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
0%
0%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
0%
0%
Iron
0%
0%
Exchanges:
0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 0 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
0
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

  • In France, this white sauce recipe is one of the five basic sauces called “meres” or “mother sauces,” the basis of all other sauces. White sauce for fish and white sauce for chicken are classic preparations, but you also can find all sorts of creative ways to make this basic white sauce a regular part of special occasion meals, or as a brilliant way to bring new life to ho-hum leftovers. Try adding shredded sharp cheddar instead to make a zippy cheese sauce that’s equally at home with steamed broccoli or a plate of nachos. If you’d like to try more traditional favorite recipes, intriguing variations and fresh new takes, you’ll find plenty of inspiration in this collection of Betty’s Best Slow-Cooker Sauces.
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