Béchamel is a famous sauce with French origins, that has also been a part of the Italian culinary tradition for ages now. It’s also known as salsa madre in Italy (meaning ‘mother sauce’ in English), because so many other sauces use béchamel as the base – like the slightly richer version of mornay sauce. Lasagna and cannelloni simply don’t exist without béchamel – and the same goes for baked pasta and baked veggie pies!
Many people buy it, perhaps because they don’t know that preparing it at home is really very simple. The ingredients and steps are few, however – you only need to follow a few rules.
The ingredients for béchamel sauce
Let's start first of all from the ingredients to make ½ liter of béchamel: 500 ml of milk, 40 grams of butter, 40 grams of flour, and salt and nutmeg to taste.
How to make the perfect béchamel
1. According to the original recipe, the fat part (i.e. butter) and the flour must have equal weights.
2. Use a small pot with fairly high edges. It’s best to use a non-stick pot.
3. Melt the butter over medium heat. If it is not clarified butter, wait for the bubbles to reduce (and for the water to evaporate).
4. The flour should be added all at once and mixed quickly using a hand whisk.
5. Stir until the mixture becomes liquidy without lumps. This is the most important step.
6. Cook the flour for a couple more minutes so it absorbs and takes on the flavor of the fat.
7. The butter and flour mixture is technically called a ‘roux’ in French, which you can also use to thicken other sauces or gravies.
8. To make the béchamel sauce, add milk to the roux. It should be cold and added in one go, whisking quickly.
9. Stir continuously until it reaches a fairly dense consistency. Then lower the heat to minimum and cover for five minutes.
10. At the end of cooking, add a pinch of salt and nutmeg.
FAQs
How to make the perfect béchamel
- According to the original recipe, the fat part (i.e. butter) and the flour must have equal weights.
- Use a small pot with fairly high edges. ...
- Melt the butter over medium heat. ...
- The flour should be added all at once and mixed quickly using a hand whisk.
Fun facts about Bechamel:
- Bechamel is a French word meaning “white sauce”. ...
- It looks like a complicated word to pronounce, but it is actually pretty easy to say: bay/shah/mehl.
- Also, this white sauce was an ingredient in the original recipe for lasagna.
Adding in small increments is key. It allows you to ensure that the flour isn't sitting in clumps at the bottom of the pan, which can lead to a grainy or lumpy sauce later on. If you've got good coordination and a nice heavy pan, you can slowly drizzle with one hand while whisking with the other.
Is it better to make béchamel with hot or cold milk? ›
Although you can technically make a béchamel by adding cold milk to the pan with the roux, warming the milk in a separate pot on the stovetop or even in a glass measuring cup in the microwave will make for a less-messy experience since cold milk will spatter when it hits the hot pan.
What are the 3 tips for making a good sauce? ›
Condimaniac's Top 5 tips for making sauce at home
- Overdo it. You're trying to make something that carries not only itself but also other food that goes with it. ...
- Chill it. ...
- Time changes flavour. ...
- Scaling up doesn't always work. ...
- Good quality ingredients make all the difference.
Sauces add flavor, texture, moistness, viscosity, and eye appeal to a dish. They help pull together the various elements of a plate and make it whole.
Why add nutmeg to béchamel? ›
It's not a flavor you should necessarily be able to pick out if you didn't already know it was there, but nutmeg lends this otherwise kind of one-note sauce a considerable amount of warmth, spice, and complexity. It's like putting a coat on over your favorite sweater. The whole situation gets cozier. And that's it!
Why is béchamel the king of all sauces? ›
Bechamel – a milk based sauce that is thickened with a roux (clarified butter and flour). This sauce is named after its creator Louis XIV's steward, Louis de Béchamel. Considered the king of all sauces, and often called a cream sauce because of its consistency, this sauce is most often used in all types of dishes.
What are 5 derivatives of béchamel sauce? ›
Some of the Béchamel sauce derivatives are:
- Mornay – White wine reduction, Gruyére cheese, and Parmesan.
- Cheddar Cheese – Aged cheddar, freshly grated nutmeg.
- Mustard – Cream, Dijon, and wholegrain mustard.
- Soubise – White onions, butter, and tomato puree.
- Nantua – Shrimp butter and heavy cream.
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Béchamel
- Using the wrong ratio.
- Not cooking your roux the correct length of time.
- Using cold milk.
- Adding all the milk at once.
- Not cooking it long enough.
If your bechamel sauce is turning lumpy while cooking, add ice-cold water instead of the next splash of milk and whisk like a banshee - it'll magically sort out the lumps!
Why won't my béchamel thicken? ›
Cause: Ratios are wrong (too much liquid or not enough flour) or roux is cooked too long or too short. Solution: First try and cook it for a bit longer and see if it thickens up. If not, make a little more roux in a separate saucepan (using equal parts butter and flour).
Why scald milk for béchamel? ›
Scalded milk is called for in the original recipes for Béchamel sauce, as adding hot liquid, including milk, to a roux was thought less likely to make a lumpy sauce or one tasting of raw flour.
Which is the best way to come up with a good bechamel sauce? ›
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk into the melted butter until smooth. Cook and stir until flour turns a light, golden, sandy color, about 7 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in milk until thickened by the roux.
What are the 3 basic elements of finishing a sauce? ›
Remember that the three basic elements of a finished sauce are a liquid, a thickening agent, and additional seasoning and flavoring ingredients.
What are the 3 important ingredients used in most sauces? ›
There are three basic kinds of ingredients in most sauces: a liquid, a thickening agent, and other flavoring and seasonings. The quality of the liquid base determines the quality of the sauce.
What is the importance of bechamel sauce? ›
It is one of five mother sauces, a rich, flavorful base that can be used on its own or to create different sauces. Béchamel is used in dishes like mac and cheese, lasagna, and cheese souffle to add a wonderfully creamy element.
