A Chef's Decadent Béchamel Sauce Recipe With a Secret Ingredient by Chef Gigi

Béchamel is a cooked mixture of butter, flour and milk. Béchamel is one of five mother sauces, and a rich, flavorful base that can be used on its own or to create different sauces. Béchamel is used in bases for dishes like macaroni and cheese, lasagna and cheese souffle to add a wonderfully creamy element.

I add another layer of flavor by adding chicken stock, my secret ingredient, to my recipe. Let me know what you think.

To make this decadent Béchamel sauce recipe you will need unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, chicken stock, whole milk, salt and a pinch of nutmeg. Make this French sauce whenever a recipe calls for Béchamel or drizzle it over vegetables. 

Curious what the other four mother sauces are? They are veloute sauce, espagnole sauce, tomato sauce and hollandaise sauce.

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Cuisine: French  
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup whole milk
• salt, to taste
• pinch of nutmeg

Helpful Products

• French Cookbooks
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• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Salt and Pepper
• Airtight Containers

Recipe Notes

• This sauce will become a Mornay sauce if you add cheese. Parmesan cheese is the perfect addition to a fast, weekday, creamy white pasta sauce. Oooh, la la.

• It's so easy to buy nutmeg pods and grate fresh nutmeg instead of buying ground nutmeg.

Here's how to make it: 

1. Warm the milk over low heat in a small pot and the stock in another pot, or warm it for a few minutes in the microwave.
2. Melt the butter over medium heat in another small saucepan.
3. Add the flour to make the roux by whisking until cooked. It has a nutty fragrance and pale golden color. This is your thickening agent.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. While whisking briskly, add the warm stock in a steady stream and stir out any lumps. Add the warm milk to the roux and whisk until completely absorbed. Return to low heat and cook to the consistency of a sauce that coats the back of a spoon.
5. Once all the milk has been added, simmer for 5 minutes while whisking. Finish by seasoning with salt and a dash of nutmeg.
   

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 249

Total Fat: 6.9g

Saturated Fat: 4.1g

Cholesterol: 17mg

Sodium: 133mg

Total Carbohydrate: 39.5g

Dietary Fiber: 1.4g

Total Sugars: 1.3g

Protein: 6.6g

Vitamin D: 4mcg

Calcium: 40mg

Iron: 2mg

Potassium: 91mg

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