Smooth, creamy bechamel is a staple in so many Italian recipes. In Italy, it’s so frequently used that it can be purchased in the pre-made in the supermarket. However, this besciamella sauce recipe (as it is called in Italian) is easy and delicious to make at home, so why not?
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How to Make Bechamel Sauce: Tips
It’s super easy to make bechamel sauce. First, simmer milk in a pot. In a separate pot, melt butter in a pan and whisk in the flour until you have a smooth paste. Then, slowly add the hot milk, a ladle at a time. Whisk constantly to prevent your bechamel sauce from getting lumpy.
When all of the milk has been added, simmer the sauce until it begins to thicken. When the sauce can coat (and stay) on the back of a spoon or spatula, it’s ready!
White Sauce for Lasagna
This Bechamel Sauce recipe is the perfect white sauce for lasagna. In fact, it is the traditional sauce used for many types of lasagna in Italy, including Bolognese Lasagna (Lasagna alla Bolognese).
Lighten it up!
You can replace the butter with olive oil and still achieve a great bechamel.
Freeze it for later.
Save yourself some time by making big batches of this and freezing it for later.
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Bechamel Sauce Recipe (Besciamella Sauce)
Equipment
- sauce pan or pot
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3.5 tbsp butter or, olive oil
- 6 tbsp flour
- nutmeg to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
Make the Sauce
- Bring the milk to simmer in a saucepan, then keep the milk on low heat.2 cups whole milk
- Make a roux: In a separate sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk vigorously for about a minute until thick and smooth.6 tbsp flour, 3.5 tbsp butter
- Add a ladle of the warm milk to the roux a little at a time, whisking vigorously until smooth before adding more milk. When all of the milk has been incorporated, continue to simmer the sauce (whisking regularly) for about 5 minutes or until the béchamel coats the back of a spoon.
- Add salt and nutmeg to taste.nutmeg, salt
