White or Cream Sauce Recipes

While many people shy away from making white sauces because they believe them to be difficult to execute, these sauces are relatively simple if you understand the basic techniques behind cooking them. Most white sauces are variations on béchamel, which starts with a roux.

Mother Sauces

In French cooking, five mother sauces serve as the basis for all other sauces. They are:

• Béchamel (white roux with milk)
• Espagnole (brown roux with veal stock and seasonings)
• Hollendaise (a rich, emulsified butter and lemon sauce)
• Velouté (blonde roux with chicken or fish stock)
• Tomato

White and cream sauces are made with a béchamel base, to which you add other ingredients.

White and Cream Sauces

All white and cream sacues start out with a basic béchamel, which is a flour and butter roux combined with milk, salt and pepper. From that recipe, you can create many recipes and sauce variations including:

• Macaroni and cheese
• Fettucine Alfredo
• Pasta or vegetables Mornay
• Creamed onions and spinach
• White spinach lasagna
• Horseradish sauce
• Classic tuna casserole

Saucy Tips

Consider the following when making white sauce:

• The thickness depends on the amount of butter and flour used in proportion to the milk. More milk makes it thinner, while less milk (or cream) makes it thicker and richer.
• Don't be afraid of roux! It's just a mixture of flour and butter. Don't overcook it and stir it constantly as you mix. Cook the flour with the butter and your roux should turn out perfectly every time.
• Wait to stir in the flour until the butter is melted, and don't cook the roux over too high a heat.
• To maintain the white color of the sauce, do not overcook the roux. You want to cook it long enough to lose the raw flour flavor, but not so long to add color to it.

Beautiful Béchamel Sauces

White or cream sauces that begin with a béchamel base are a delicious way to add flavor to your favorite dishes. Master making these sauces and wow your family and friends.