Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel is a one of the five mother sauces from French cuisine. It is a simple cream sauce made from flour, butter, onions, milk and seasonings and is the base for many sauces and dishes. Some foods that come from a bechamel sauce are cheese sauce, soubise sauce, pot pie fillings, creamy soups and chowders.

What is a Mother Sauce?

In French cuisine there are five sauces known as ‘Mother Sauces.’ They are the foundation of many sauces and the base in which many come from by adding other ingredients. The sauces include bechamel, espagnole, veloute, hollandaise, and tomato sauce. If you know the techniques of how to make these five sauces, you can make thousands of sauces from it.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions in a Bechamel:

• Butter – This is the fat used to saute the onions and make the roux. You can always use a neutral oil instead.
• Onion – A yellow onion is used to flavor the bechamel, but you can omit.
• Flour – Use all purpose flour or a gluten free 1-1 blend like I did in my recipe.
• Whole Milk – This is the standard liquid used in a bechamel, anything thinner will be too thin, and heavy cream will be too thick. If you are dairy free use a DF alternative such as coconut milk or a thicker soy milk.

Derivatives of a Bechamel Sauce:

• Mornay Sauce – aka cheese sauce used for mac and cheese
• Lasganas
• Souffles
• Gratins
• Creamy Soups
• Chowders