Today I want to share a basic recipe bechamel, which is a creamy white sauce that is easy to make and goes great in a variety of recipes. In Mexican cuisine, flavorful sauces play such an important role. That is also the case in Italian cuisine, seeing as how a lot of pasta dishes have a variety of different sauces.

This recipe is super easy to make and is one of my favorite recipes when I am getting ready to do some Italian cooking. My kids love Italian food, so we often are experimenting with different types of pasta and sauces, including this one.

What is béchamel sauce?

Bechamel is one of the “mother sauces” of Italian cuisine. In its basic form, it is a white cream sauce that consists of a combination of butter, flour, and whole milk. It can be used in a variety of Italian recipes, but is most well known as a layer in lasagna. It also can be used as the base sauce for macaroni and cheese and other pastas.

How do you make bechamel?

This is one of the most simple recipes that you can make. To start, you need the following ingredients:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons of flour
• 4 cups of cold milk (whole)
• 1 tsp of ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• Salt to taste

Start by heating up a large saucepot over medium heat and add the butter, letting it melt. Be careful not to let it burn, because that will affect the flavor.

After the butter has melted, add the flour to the pot and mix well until a somewhat thick paste forms. The French term for this initial mixture is a roux and is what will eventually thicken this sauce. Let it cook over low heat for a couple of minute, but do not let it burn.

Add a cup of milk, stirring constantly, and then slowly add the rest of the milk. You will want to stir it constantly for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to thicken. At that point, you can add the nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste and stir.

The final result should be a smooth, creamy sauce. The longer you leave it over the heat, the thicker it will become. If it gets too thick, add a bit more milk and continue stirring.

That is it! Now that you have your bechamel sauce, you can use it in your favorite Italian recipes or even as a sauce for tasty veggies.

Let me know in the comments below how it turned out and what your favorite way to serve it is.

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Homemade Bechamel Sauce

This creamy white bechamel sauce is easy to make and goes great in a variety of Italian recipes.

Course Appetizer, Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bechamel, sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 9 minutes minutes

Total Time 14 minutes minutes

Servings 16 1/4 cup servings

Calories 95kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 1 Stick unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt more or less to taste

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a large saucepot over medium heat
• Add the flour and mix well until a roux is formed. Let cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.
• Add the milk one cup at a time, stirring constantly.
• Stir for about 5 minutes, or until it reaches your desired consistency.
• Add the nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 11/4 cup serving | Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 0.004mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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