Basic White Sauce Recipe

How to Make White Sauce

Making this classic, creamy sauce couldn’t be more simple. In only a few easy steps you’ll have an impressive béchamel sauce that’s ready to liven up almost any meal. Here’s how it’s done.

Melt the Butter

Keeping your pan on low heat, add your butter and warm until it is melted to a liquid consistency. Make sure to whisk occasionally so it melts evenly and doesn’t burn.

Stir in the Flour

Add your flour, salt, and pepper. Keep that whisk working, stirring constantly until your mixture is smooth, bubbly, and slightly browned. Then remove from heat to avoid overcooking.

Add the Milk

While your pan is off the heat, gradually add your milk while still stirring constantly. Once the milk has been incorporated and your sauce has a smooth consistency, place your pan on medium heat and keep stirring until your mixture boils. Let it boil and bubble while you stir for one minute, before removing your finished sauce from the heat again.

Find the full, detailed directions for this simple white sauce below.

How to Thicken White Sauce

If your finished white sauce isn’t coming out with the perfect creamy consistency you were hoping for, not to worry! It’s easy to make small tweaks that can thicken up or thin out your sauce as needed.

If you need to add a bit more oomph to a too-thin white sauce, there are a few tricks to try. The first is to try cooking your sauce for a few extra minutes over low heat. Sauces thicken as they cool, so coming down from a high heat may be just what’s needed to reach the right consistency. If your sauce is still on the thin side, sprinkle in a bit of extra flour. Be careful not to add too much—start with a tablespoon and add more as needed—and keep whisking your sauce as you add the flour to avoid lumps.

If your white sauce is too thick, you can add a bit of milk to thin it out. Start with 2-3 Tablespoons, and whisk together to incorporate. Add an additional Tablespoon of milk, as needed.

Regardless of what you add to your sauce, make sure to taste it before serving. Additional salt and pepper may need to be added to account for the additional ingredients. This will ensure the flavor and consistency will be to your liking when you add the sauce to your dish.

Dishes That Call for White Sauce

The best part about this luscious White Sauce recipe is that it’s so amazingly versatile. From pizza to pasta, meat to veggies, it pairs perfectly with so many savory side dishes and delicious main courses.

If you’re in the mood for something creamy, hearty, and oh-so-satisfying, give these scrumptious Scalloped Potatoes a try. Simply pour plenty of white sauce over piles of sliced potatoes and bake until hot and bubbly for the ultimate easy and decadent side dish.

White sauce also makes pizza night even better. It provides a fun change from a traditional tomato-based pizza sauce, and goes great with toppings like chicken, bacon, mushrooms, or spinach. If you want to try a slight twist on a traditional white sauce, give this Parmesan White Pizza Sauce a whirl and watch your family come back for slice after slice.