Béchamel sauce

Bechamel sauceBéchamel sauce is one of the 5 mother sauces of French cuisine. This sauce is made from a white roux (equal amounts of butter to flour), whole milk and a studded onion (white onion with whole cloves and a bay leaf pinned to it).

The phrase mother sauce was first coined by French chef Auguste Escoffier in the 19th century.  Whilst these classical mother sauces have been largely replaced with more modern lighter sauces, Béchamel still continues to be used in quite a number of dishes in the form of cheese sauce (with the addition of parmesan cheese) and can be used in Lasagne, Moussaka or even a great Mac and Cheese!

bechamel 2

Key Steps To Making A Lump-Free Smooth Bechamel
You need to cook the roux for a few minutes (keep stirring) before you begin to add the hot milk.  Add the milk a little at a time, stirring in well before adding more milk.  You should make sure your spoon is touching the bottom of the saucepan so the sauce does not burn.

Bechamel
75 grams plain flour
75 grams unsalted butter
750 ml whole milk
1/2 white onion
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf

Method:

  1. Pin your two cloves to the half onion and make a slice in the onion to hold the bayleaf, we call this a studded onion. In a non stick saucepan add your studded onion to the milk and bring to a simmer, then keep warm.
  2. In a separate heavy saucepan melt your butter over a medium heat.   Once all the butter has melted stir in the flour and keep stirring so the mixture (called a roux) cooks but does not brown (this takes about 5 minutes).
  3. Gradually stir in the hot milk a little at a time making sure to stir the mixture well to allow the milk to be absorbed into the roux before adding more.  Keep stirring and make sure your spoon is touching the bottom to prevent from the sauce from burning.
  4. Once all the milk is added and the sauce is smooth  turn the heat down further and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Here is my YouVideo to help you

Béchamel sauce © Kevin Ashton 2024

30 thoughts on “Béchamel sauce”

    1. Thanks Peggy, you are most welcome.

      I haven’t used much bechamel myself, then suddenly I’ve used it to make cheese sauce for Lasagne and tomorrow I’m making Moussaka.

      Like stylish clothes, a classic sauce always comes back into fashion.

      Best Wishes

      Kevin

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  2. The photo of the studded onion looks so cute! I really like the video because you explain it step by step so I feel I could have a go at making this.

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    1. Thanks Anne, Bechamel is such a useful sauce.
      Last night I poached some fish and used up the small amount I had left which I flavoured with a little fresh tarragon. This helped to make a quick dinner after we got back from the gym.
      Best Wishes
      Kevin

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    1. Thanks Elvira, It is always good to hear from you. I can not believe how fast this year has gone, almost the end of May. This weekend I’m cooking dinner parties both on Saturday and Sunday. I hope all is well with you? Best Wishes from Kevin and Sophie x

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    1. Thanks Noelle,

      Often recipes get changed and added to, which is both interesting and frustrating at the same time. For example, I saw American chefs put thyme or even nutmeg in their bechamel when I was working out there. Indeed I have seen Gordon Ramsay put nutmeg into bechamel. But I would take exception with Gordon for using cold milk and a whisk 🙂

      I guess it all depends on the text book that a chef or cook learns from. In the UK, like France, we use a reference book called
      Le Répertoire de la Cuisine.

      The only time I put in nutmeg in is when I am using the bechamel sauce for a Moussaka.

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  6. I never knew what a studded onion was. I guess I supposed it was one selected specifically for selective propagation. This looks amazing! Bon appétit!

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    1. The great thing about food is we are all learning.
      The French call a studded onion “Onion Pique” but for many years I thought this was called “Onion Cloute” But this apparently is the name when cloves are pinned to the onion and no bay leaf.
      Whereas my best friend Chris said he thought studded onion referred to an onion that had been to University. 🙂

      Best Wishes
      Kevin

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    1. Hi Mary and thank you for asking this most intriguing question about nutmeg and Béchamel sauce.

      Like other food recipes, particularly old ones there is always claim and counter claims as to the ingredients and who first created the dish. Even Wikipedia contradicts itself!
      In Wikipedia text it states that Béchamel has nutmeg in it, however if you click on the link Cookbook:Béchamel Sauce which is just below the photo of béchamel the recipe has no nutmeg in it.

      Many years ago when I was training at culinary school we were told to buy a text book called Le Répertoire de la Cuisine Our chef/teachers told us this was the culinary Bible!
      It is not a recipe book but a reference book listing classical French dishes and what ingredients they must have in them. In this text book there is no nutmeg. Though I do put nutmeg into my Béchamel if I am using to top a Moussaka.
      So put nutmeg in if you wish ( at the end) but first you must have a studded onion to give the sauce falvour and because the bible says so 🙂 🙂

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      1. Thank you, Kevin. This is excellent information. I’m going to check out this book. Perhaps, it’s available on Amazon. My sister has an extensive cookbook collection and is a more gourmet chef, whereas I’m more of a family-style cook. I know she’d love this book.

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  10. Finally getting around to cleaning out my email box and saw your post.

    I catered a party years ago and made a bechamel sauce for crepes. The crepes were filled with ground beef. My chef friend Jan helped me with the process and everyone enjoyed the luncheon.

    Jan was a cooking instructor at our local grocery store. She was in her mid 70’s and like a mother to me. We spent a lot of time together cooking, making apricot jam, and sewing. She was an excellent seamstress also and showed me how to make pillow cases with special no show seam.

    Unfortunately, Jan had a heart attack and was never the same again. She became angry with me (I still don’t know why), we stopped getting together, and she died from cancer a few years later.

    I have fond memories of her. She was like a mother to me. I was closer to her than my actual mother, who is still alive. My mother never had the patience to teach me how to sew, and she wasn’t that great of a cook.

    I always add nutmeg to my white sauce, yet never knew about the onion, bay leaf and clove trick. Thanks for the recipe and I hope it has stopped raining in the UK.

    Teri

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    1. Weatherwise, this has been the worst summer in my lifetime. So far in July we have had 2-3 sunny days the rest hs been overcast and cool about
      65 F compared to the rest of western Europe that has seen temperatures of 30- 40 C (86F -104 F).
      Here is todays weather 17 C ( 62 F ) https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2636767

      And talking of erratic weather, extreme turbulance during plane travel is also becoming an increasing problem.

      Sad to hear about your friend, life can take its toll. Glad you hang onto those earlier memories.
      Best Wishes
      Kevin

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      1. Sorry to hear it is overcast and cool there in the UK.
        The temperature is better this week. The high is only 76 degrees today. The tomatoes are thriving.
        Hope you get sunshine soon.
        Thanks Kevin.
        Teri

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