Béchamel Sauce

Name: Béchamel Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 tbsp butter; 3 tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 cups warm milk; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; Salt and white pepper, to taste

4 servings5 min prep15 min cookEasy

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Béchamel Sauce

Story updated September 18, 2026

Béchamel is one of French cuisine's five 'mother sauces,' codified in the 19th century by chefs like Marie-Antoine Carême. It's often linked to Louis de Béchameil, a 17th-century French courtier, though Italy has its own similar sauce, balsamella, with a competing claim to influence.

Ingredients

Scale:· 4 servings

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups warm milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Salt and white pepper, to taste

Instructions

1Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2Whisk in flour and cook 1-2 minutes, until pale and foamy (this is a roux).
3Gradually whisk in warm milk, a little at a time, until smooth.
4Simmer, whisking often, 8-10 minutes until thickened.
5Season with nutmeg, salt, and white pepper.

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