Béchamel Sauce, a creamy white sauce that is made with butter, flour and milk. The sauce is used for binding various pastas and vegetables based dishes, and also used as topping in baked lasagna and cannoli. Béchamel Sauce has its origin in Italy but the sauce become popular as the French sauce. The sauce can be flavoured with fresh bay leaf, nutmeg and black pepper.
Years back in a T.V show on TLC channel I saw this method of making Béchamel Sauce. In this method, butter was flavored the butter with crushed garlic, then made the roux with equal quantity of butter and flour in milk and cooked to thick cream like consistency. I keep a batch of this sauce ready, it is easy to dish out creamy vegetables or pasta for kids in quick time. The sauce can also be used as spread for sandwiches or pizza.
In Italian and French Cuisine, white sauce or béchamel sauce is the base if many dishes like pasta, baked dishes like lasagna. It is also used as the base for many other sauces. The dishes like pasta, lasagna are served as first part of the main course in Italian meal structure, which is also known as Primo. For Complete Italian Meal Structure click here.
How to prepare Béchamel Sauce or White Pasta Sauce
Italian Bechamel Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 3 tbsp Flour
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 2.5 Cups Milk
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- Salt
Instructions
- In a pan melt butter, crush garlic clove and saute in butter till light brown. You can take out the garlic from butter while making roux or leave it.
- Add flour mix with butter and saute till golden brown. Once the roux starts bubbling, then add milk.
- Add milk and whisk it continuously, till it thickens to cream like consistency,
- Add nutmeg and black pepper. Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container. Satys good for 15 days, or use as required in the recipe.
Notes
- You can leave garlic in the first step. After butter starts bubbling, add flour and mix well.
- Fresh Bay Leaf, Cloves can also be added after adding the milk and cooked with milk, till it reaches creamy consistency.
- Keep stirring after adding milk to avoid lump formation.
I made this Creamy Broccoli and Farfalle pasta. Sadly I couldn't take good pics and it was finished soon by kids that there was no more left for the clicks. Will upload new pics whenever I make next make it.
If you kids also like creamy veggies and pasta, make a batch of this sauce and store it. It reduces the cooking time and you can dish up their favourite pasta within minutes.
It is better than the store bought ones as you know what ingredients go into this and a readily available when you need. There is no cheese in the sauce. You can add cheese if you want extra cheesey pasta. I use this sauce as topping for making my favourite mushroom white sauce pizza.
Do give me your feedback and whenever you make this will be glad to see my pics on any of my social media handles.
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My other post on Italian Meal Structure was Bruschetta which comes under light appetizer(antipasto).
Other easy appetizers from the blog..Pizza Crackers, Baked Parmesan Crackers, Baked Potato Wedges, Garlic Knots and many more.
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Thanks for stopping by!!
mayurisjikoni
A very useful sauce as it can be used with pasta, baked vegetable dishes and I love to add it baked cauliflower. Like your idea of leaving some in the fridge for immediate use.
shobhakeshwani
I love this creamy sauce. Actually this is the first sauce that I tried making for my baked dishes.
namscorner18
Wow.. creamy white sauce is my favorite. Yours looks so perfect and delicious. I make it fresh and use them. Never know we can store them.
Swati
Thanks, glad you liked it!!
Sushma Pinjala
the sauce looks nice and creamy.
srividhya
My son loves white sauce and I make it quite often. Adding nutmeg is a great idea. I should try it soon.
Swati
Thanks Srividya!! Ya nutmeg adds on to the flavour of the sauce,
Pavani
My daughter loves these types of sauces and the sauce looks super rich and creamy. Thanks for sharing.
gayathriraani
This sauce adds such a nice creaminess and flavour to the pasta. Adding garlic to butter sounds fantastic.
Simply Tadka
I heard about this sauce.. looks super rich and creamy but never tried at home.. thanks for sharing.
Megala
Looks yummy! Kids will definitely like this creamy sauce infused with flavorful herbs.
Sharmila Kingsly
Same pinch i usually store it ,it comes handy in too my ways..
harini
i just made this the other day and didn't realise that the sauce has a specific name to it and so no pictures 🙂 My kids love this sauce with their pasta.
Varada
A useful recipe to have. Nicely explained. Storing for later use is a nice idea to get something cooked quickly.
samira0894
Very true, this sauce is real saviour as it is just loved by everyone especially kids. Yours look awesome. Just one query, you said you store it in the refrigerator. Doesn't it get too thick then?
Swati
Yes Samira it get thick, so while making pasta you can add the pasta water to adjust the consistency and when making lasagna or baked veggies, milk can be added as per the required consistency.. pasta water has starch so the sauce doesn’t loose the creaminess and has the perfect texture. Storing it outside may reduce the shelf life especially during summers has milk and no added preservatives like the readymade ones.
samira0894
Thanks dear
Srivalli Jetti
I love this sauce and homemade version surely tastes so much so better!