Our Tips for a Successful Béchamel Sauce

Béchamel is one of the cooking basics, but it’s not always easy to get it right the first time, especially when you skip steps or pay more or less attention to the preparation. But getting a smooth, lump-free sauce is not that complicated. Here are our tips to succeed.

Make the Roux

The list of ingredients for béchamel sauce consists of butter, flour, milk and a spice, often nutmeg. Melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the flour. The important thing at this point is to cook them together for at least one minute. This way, you’ll avoid having the taste of flour in the foreground. This mixture, called “roux,” is used to thicken the milk, making the sauce unctuous.

Whisk in the Milk

Then, incorporate the milk and bring it to a boil, whisking constantly. Whisking the preparation constantly as it cooks is essential for a smooth, creamy result.

Add the Spices

Once boiling, add a pinch of nutmeg to the sauce, then season with salt and pepper. Leave the béchamel to simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

For a Stronger Flavour

You can infuse the milk by adding a peeled onion studded with two or three cloves.

Check out this video in which Ricardo shows us how to make a perfect béchamel sauce.

Loading the player...