How to make bechamel sauce: recipe with description and photo, features and cooking secrets

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Bechamel is one of the four main sauces in French cuisine. It is a milky sauce that can be served on its own or used as the base for a more elaborate dish. It contains only three ingredients, but can be seasoned in a variety of ways if needed. How to make bechamel sauce at home?

Basic and easiest recipe

As noted above, the basic composition of this sauce includes three components:

• 2 tablespoons uns alted butter;
• 2 tablespoons table flour;
• 1 glass of milk.

How to cook it?

How to make bechamel sauce at home? Below is the basic recipe. If desired, the classic sauce can be seasoned in a variety of ways to taste.

Place two tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan. Heat it over low heat until it melts. Mix the melted butter with two tablespoons of flour to make a roux or starter sauce.

The secret to cooking is to always keep the ratio of butter and flour the same, whether you want a thinner or thicker béchamel.

Make the base carefully, stirring well, until the mixture turns pale and straw-colored. This is the basic rule for making bechamel sauce without lumps.

Reduce heat and slowly pour in 2 or 3 tablespoons of milk. Continue stirring until it is completely incorporated into the roux. Pour in 2-3 more tablespoons of milk and mix until the ingredients are completely combined.

Here's another secret. The gradual addition of the milk component is another important rule for making bechamel sauce.

Continue adding milk two or three tablespoons at a time until the entire glass has been added. Do this slowly so that it is easy to mix the ingredients. Adding milk at once can make the sauce lumpy.

Then remove the pot from the stove, add pepper and s alt if needed. This is the entire instruction on how to make bechamel sauce. You can use it with a wide variety of dishes.

What can you cook with it?

What can be done with bechamel sauce? Once you get the hang of making this classic white sauce, you can use it in many delicious dishes. It is used everywhere, from such classics as lasagna,to more unusual options (such as soups). The proposed dishes will turn out to be very tasty and appetizing if you managed to correctly follow the instructions on how to make bechamel sauce correctly.

Lasagna

If you're cooking for a large family or want to satisfy voracious eaters, lasagna is the perfect option. This all-in-one dish is incredibly satisfying. It's also great for parents of picky kids, as it's the perfect way to hide any number of unloved but he althy vegetables. Add some shredded cheese and ground pepper on top of the béchamel sauce and you have a delicious dish.

Spaghetti and Beef Pasta

The combination of tender beef stew and pasta with a creamy sauce is a classic. This is one of the best varieties of pasta. Besides beef, it also looks great with salmon. The main thing in such a dish is to remember how to make bechamel sauce more liquid. You just need to add a little more milk, and leave the ratio of butter and flour unchanged.

Moussaka

This dish is often referred to as "Greek lasagna". In fact, it consists of layers of eggplant and spicy meat, covered with béchamel sauce. Potatoes and zucchini are often added to it, as well as various other vegetables.

Soups and stews

If you want to make a thick soup or stew, the ideal way to achieve this consistency is to add bechamel. To thicken the sauce and make it velvety, cook it in a separate bowl.saucepan, then add to soup at the last minute.

Fish casserole

This is a white sauce dish with spices, soft fish, cheese and herbs. Pasta or rice are a common hearty side dish for this flavorful mix. Some recipes call for the pasta to be cooked separately, while others call for it to be added directly to the dish. Everything is then baked in the oven until golden brown.

Fish pie

The classic fish pie is a wonderful thing. Its filling should be creamy as the fish is mixed with mashed potatoes and drizzled with béchamel sauce. Fish pie is very easy to prepare and is a complete meal.

Pasta

You can make plain boiled pasta tender and delicious by adding bechamel to it. If you want a little more flavor, you can add a couple more handfuls of your favorite cheese.

Chicken Pie

One of the best ways to use bechamel is in a creamy chicken pie. Mix it with lots of vegetables and serve it straight out of the oven while it's still hot.

An example of cooking a dish with this sauce

The above is an instruction on how to make bechamel sauce. It has also been noted that it is an ideal filling for lasagna. How to make such a delicious dish?

Traditional lasagna is labor intensivea process that can take several hours. In the recipe below, you will use fresh spinach leaves and creamy tender bechamel, which will greatly simplify the cooking process. You will need the following:

• 250 grams of fresh spinach leaves;
• 4 garlic cloves;
• 120 grams of mozzarella cheese;
• basil bunch;
• 1 shallot;
• 500 ml tomato puree;
• 1 medium eggplant;
• 3 tablespoons table flour;
• 2 cups vegetable broth;
• 2 tablespoons butter, uns alted;
• 70 grams of grated parmesan cheese.

How to do it?

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. Wash and dry fresh vegetables. Heat a large pot of s alted water, bring to a boil over high heat. If necessary, trim fresh spinach leaves to fit the bottom of your baking dish. Peel and mince the garlic and shallots. Grate the mozzarella cheese. Strip the basil leaves from the stem. Cut the eggplant into small pieces.

Make tomato sauce. To do this, in a small saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over low heat. Add shallots and garlic, season with s alt and pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until vegetables are softened, stirring frequently. Add tomato puree and adjust the spice content. Reduce the heat to below medium and simmer for 10-12 minutes for a strong aroma and rich flavor. Remove from stove.

Then cook the eggplant. While the sauce is being prepared,Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a separate pan. Add eggplant slices in one even layer, season with s alt and pepper. Fry 3-4 minutes or until browned. Turn the eggplant over, add a little oil to the pan and season again with pepper and s alt. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes, turn off the heat and set aside, leaving the eggplant in the pan.

Then you need to prepare a white base. Have you forgotten how to make bechamel sauce for lasagna? Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour and simmer, stirring frequently, about 1 minute, or until light golden. Slowly pour in the milk until lumps start to appear. Whisking frequently, cook for 7-9 minutes to break up lumps and thicken the sauce. Remove from heat and toss with half the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses until fully combined and smooth.

While the pasta and béchamel sauce are cooking, place the spinach leaves in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse with ice water to stop further cooking.

After that, assemble the lasagna. Take a baking dish and lay out the components in alternating layers of tomato sauce, eggplant, spinach leaves and béchamel sauce. Top with the last layer of lasagna using the remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand at least 5 minutes before serving. Slice the dish and garnish with the remaining basil. Enjoy!