White Sauce
White sauce, commonly known as béchamel, is a foundational French mother sauce made from a roux—a mixture of butter and flour—combined with milk or stock. The roux is cooked briefly before the liquid is gradually whisked in to create a smooth, creamy sauce. Béchamel is one of the five French mother sauces and serves as a base for numerous derivative sauces and dishes across European and international cuisine.
Culinary Applications
Béchamel is widely used in layered and baked dishes where its creamy texture acts as a binding ingredient. It appears prominently in lasagna, where it creates a rich layer between pasta sheets, and in moussaka, gratins, and various pasta bakes. The sauce also features in croque monsieur sandwiches and other dishes where a mild, cohesive coating is desired. Its neutral flavor profile allows it to complement both meat-based and vegetarian preparations without overwhelming other ingredients.
Preparation
The basic technique involves melting butter over medium heat, whisking in flour to form a roux, and cooking it briefly before gradually adding warm milk while stirring continuously to prevent lumps. The sauce thickens as it simmers, typically reaching its desired consistency within a few minutes. The ratio of roux to liquid can be adjusted to produce variations ranging from thin coating sauces to thick binding sauces suitable for layered dishes.
Source Notes
- 2026-05-01: # Andy Cooks’ Detailed Lasagna Recipe: Ragout, Pasta, Béchamel Generated: 2026-05-01 · API: Gemini 2.5 Flash · Modes: Summary --- Andy Cooks’ Detailed Lasagna Recipe: Ragout, Pasta, Béchamel Clip title: Lasagna Better Than Your Mums Author / channel: Andy Cooks *URL: (Andy Cooks’ Detailed Lasagna Recipe: Ragout, Pasta, Béchamel)