White bechamel sauce
A smooth, creamy classic white sauce made with butter, flour and infused milk, for lasagne, gratins and pies.
Make this once, then cook it into 39 different dishes.
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.50 a head
- Makesabout 1 litre, enough for 2 or 3 dishes for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Stud the onion half with the cloves. Put the milk, onion and bay leaf in a saucepan and warm over a low heat until steaming but not boiling. Take off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
10 min - 2
Remove the onion and bay leaf. Keep the milk warm.
- 3
Melt the butter in a separate heavy saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to make a smooth paste that looks like wet sand. Do not let it brown.
1 min 30 s - 4
Add the warm milk a ladleful at a time, whisking well after each addition until completely smooth before adding more.
- 5
Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, with no floury taste.
9 min - 6
Season with the nutmeg, salt and white pepper. If lumps appear, whisk hard or pass through a sieve.
- 7
Use straight away, or press cling film on the surface to stop a skin forming, and cool within 90 minutes. You should have about 1 litre.
About white bechamel sauce
Bechamel sauce is a classic French white sauce made by cooking butter and flour into a paste (a roux), then whisking in warm milk until it thickens. It is one of the five French mother sauces, and the starting point for many other sauces.
It tastes mild, creamy and savoury, with a faint sweetness from the infused milk, onion and nutmeg. It is not meant to be strong, but a smooth backdrop that holds a dish together. It is the sauce in lasagne, moussaka, croque monsieur, cauliflower cheese and many pies and gratins.
This recipe makes a medium thickness sauce that coats the back of a spoon. One batch makes about 1 litre, enough for two or three dishes for four people at 400 ml each. A dairy free and gluten free version is in the tips.
Tips
- Warm milk goes into the roux more smoothly than cold milk, which helps stop lumps. Add it slowly and whisk constantly.
- If you get lumps, whisk hard over low heat, or blend with a stick blender. Straining through a sieve also works.
- For a gluten free sauce, replace the plain flour with 80 g gluten free plain flour or 50 g cornflour, and cook for a couple of extra minutes.
- For a dairy free sauce, use unsweetened oat or soya milk and dairy free spread. Avoid sweetened plant milks, which taste odd.
- For a thicker sauce for fillings, use 100 g each of butter and flour per litre. For a thinner pouring sauce, use 60 g each.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 90 minutes with cling film pressed on the surface. Keeps up to 2 days in the fridge, or 2 months in the freezer, though it may separate on thawing, so whisk well while reheating. Reheat until steaming hot.
Dishes you can make with white bechamel sauce
Cannelloni di Tacchino e Spinaci (Turkey and Spinach Cannelloni)
EFNFCannelloni al Forno di Manzo (Baked Beef Cannelloni)
NFPapoutsakia (Greek Stuffed Aubergine Shoes with Beef and Bechamel)
EFNFLasagne al Forno with Fresh Pasta and Spinach
NFCannelloni al Ragù
EFNFGnocchi al Forno al Ragù (Baked Gnocchi with Ragu)
NFNidi di Tagliatelle al Forno (Baked Tagliatelle Nests)
NFCrespelle al Ragù (Baked Savoury Pancakes with Ragu)
NFLasagne al Forno with Ragu and Bechamel
EFNFFirinda Makarna, Turkish Baked Pasta with Spiced Mince
EFNFEndives au Jambon, Chicory and Ham Gratin
EFNFCroquetas de Pollo (Spanish Chicken Croquettes)
NFQuestions
Why is my bechamel lumpy?
Usually because the milk was added too quickly or the roux was not stirred enough. Add milk gradually, whisking constantly. To fix lumps, whisk hard off the heat, use a stick blender or strain through a sieve.
Is bechamel gluten free or dairy free?
Not as written. It contains plain flour, butter and milk. It is egg free, nut free and vegetarian. For gluten free and dairy free versions, see the tips. Always check the labels of your substitutes.
Can I freeze bechamel?
Yes, for up to 2 months. It may look split when defrosted, but whisking it over a low heat brings it back. Cornflour thickened sauces freeze better than flour based ones.
What is the difference between bechamel and white sauce?
In English cooking they are essentially the same: a roux with milk. Bechamel is the French name, usually infused with onion, bay and nutmeg for a more refined flavour.
How do I make it thicker or thinner?
For thicker, simmer for a few more minutes. For thinner, whisk in a splash of warm milk. The sauce thickens further as it cools, so aim a little thinner than you want.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
