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    Home » Recipes » French Touch

    Published: Jan 22, 2014 · Modified: Feb 23, 2025 by Mélanie · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    How To Make A Bechamel

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    Bechamel is a white velvety sauce made in 2 easy steps. Make a roux and add gradually your milk. Season with salt & nutmeg, delicious!

    Sometimes, French words can intimidate, therefore people tend to think it is too fancy and complicated!  Well, I am going to break the news to you, it is very easy! You know I love to demystify French recipes so you can easily make them at home such as my crème brûlée recipe.

    Bechamel, another easy tutorial

    What is a bechamel? It is a French sauce that is used for dish such as lasagna, gratins, croque-monsieur, etc... If you add cheese to a bechamel and it is then called a Mornay sauce.

    Empty pot surrounded with ingredients, mise en place

    First things first, you have to make a "roux".   What is that? It is butter and flour, same for same. The butter will be melted and mixed with the flour to get a kind of paste.  It is a base for the bechamel and some sauces to thicken them.

    Melted butter in a pot with flour and a wooden spoon on the side
    Roux in pot

    Then, you will have to add the milk gradually not to get any lumps. The bechamel looks like a creamy and velvety sauce! Yummy!

    Milk poured on a roux in a pot

    If you enjoy quick kitchen lessons, I made a few tutorials to learn some skills in under a minute: How to cut an onion, how to peel a tomato, or how to cut a pepper.

    I highly recommend using a scale for a bechamel, a perfect roux is equal weight of butter and flour.

    Bechamel dripping from a wooden spoon
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    How to make a bechamel

    Bechamel is a white velvety sauce made in a 2 easy steps. Make a roux and add gradually your milk. Season with salt & nutmeg, delicious!
    Prep Time2 minutes mins
    Cook Time6 minutes mins
    Total Time8 minutes mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: French
    Servings: 1 cup
    Calories: 806kcal
    Author: Mélanie

    Ingredients

    • ⅓ cup flour 40g
    • ⅓ cup butter, cubed 40g
    • ¾ cup milk
    • Salt to taste
    • Nutmeg to taste optional

    Instructions

    • Prepare your ingredients: Mise en place.
    • In a pot, on low to medium heat, melt the butter.
    • Add the flour.
    • Stir well, you have a roux.
    • Add a little bit of milk and stir. Repeat until you have poured all the milk.
    • Season to taste.
    • Stir (still on low to medium heat) until the sauce coats the back of the spoon.

    Notes

    petitporcini.com

    Nutrition

    Calories: 806kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 784mg | Potassium: 351mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3003IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @petitporcini or tag #PetitPorcini!

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    Comments

    1. Mum says

      February 28, 2014 at 3:26 pm

      5 stars
      Une très bonne idée !!!

      Reply
      • bonappeteatdotca says

        February 28, 2014 at 3:33 pm

        Merci Maman

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




    Bonjour! I’m Mélanie!

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    Step by step picture for the tutorial of the bechamel
    Bechamel dripping from a wooden spoon

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