One Sauce, Endless Dishes: Mastering Homemade White Sauce
There’s Something incredibly comforting about a creamy, velvety white sauce made from scratch. It’s the king of foundational recipe that every home cook should know - simple, versatile, and packed with potential. Whether your making macaroni and cheese, alfredo, or want to mix things up with custom pastas, this easy white sauce has you coved.
After you learn to make this you will kiss store bought pasta sauces good-bye.
If you’ve never made one before, don’t worry - it only takes a few ingredients, a whisk, and a few minutes on the stove.
What is White Sauce?
Also known as béchamel, white sauce is one of the five classic French “mother sauces.” It’s made by cooking butter and flour together (called a roux), then adding milk to create a smooth, creamy base.
What makes it so great? You can turn it into cheese sauce, mushroom sauce, alfredo sauce, or use it to make custom sauces (ex. Chicken Bacon Ranch sauce, Philly Cheesesteak sauce). The possibilities are truly endless.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta made from white sauce
Basic White Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
2 tblsp Butter
2 tblsp Flour
2 cups Milk (room temperature is best)
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly to remove the raw flour taste.
Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
Keep whisking as the sauce thickens - this should take about 5-8 minutes.
Once sauce is thick it is ready to make it your own. Add the necessary ingredients for the desired dish.
Tips for Success:
Let your milk get to room temperature before adding to the roux for a smoother sauce.
Whisking helps to achieve a lump free sauce.
If it gets too thick you can add more milk; or add more roux if it is too thin
Ways to use it:
Stir in grated Italian cheeses and spices to make an awesome alfredo.
Stir in grated cheddar cheese to make a quick cheese sauce for mac and cheese
Add Ranch Seasoning and bacon grease to make sauce for a bacon chicken ranch pasta
Sauté onions and peppers for a sauce for philly cheesesteak pasta
Final Thoughts
Having a go-to white sauce in your cooking toolkit opens up a world of possibilities. It’s simple, satisfying, and so versatile - a true kitchen essential.
Give it a try, and let me know how you make it your own!