White Sauce (Bechamel Sauce)

A pot of white sauce and a wooden spoon showing how thick it is.

White Sauce is a basic recipe everyone needs and it’s naturally gluten free. Then you can make Mac 'n Cheese, Moussaka, Eggs Florentine and so much more!

Course Homemade Sauces

Cuisine French

Keyword gluten free white sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings cups

Calories 303kcal

Author Cinde Little

Ingredients

2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon cornstarch *see notes to ensure sauce thickens
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk (the higher the fat the richer the sauce)

Instructions

Melt butter in small saucepan.
Add cornstarch, salt and pepper, whisk until smooth and bubbly.
Slowly pour in a third of the milk. Stir off and on as it thickens.
Add the next third and allow sauce to thicken again.
Add the final third, stirring until sauce is thick and smooth.
For cheese sauce add cheese and stir until melted.

Notes

You can over stir a sauce with cornstarch and break it. Just stir off and on letting it thicken but preventing it from sticking to the bottom. If you're having trouble getting it to thicken use an extra ½ tablespoon of cornstarch and don't stir it as much.

Nutrition