A white enamel pan filled with white sauce and a wooden spoon, on a stone board with a linen napkin

White sauce

Name: White sauce
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 600ml whole milk; ½ small onion; 3 cloves; 1 bay leaf; 50g unsalted butter; 40g plain flour; grating of nutmeg; pinch of white pepper

Anna Glover

Published: May 10, 2022 at 1:04 PM

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Serves 4 - 6

Easy

Total time: 25 mins

+ infusing

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White sauce is a versatile base that can be used in lots of dishes, from creamy vegetable bakes to cheesy pasta creations. It's a simple recipe that's well worth keeping in your back pocket

Vegetarian

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Make this versatile white sauce, then try our blue cheese sauce, cheese sauce, hollandaise sauce, tomato passata and easy bolognese sauce. Also discover more pasta sauce recipes.

Ingredients

Nutrition

600ml whole milk
½ small onion
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
50g unsalted butter
40g plain flour
grating of nutmeg
pinch of white pepper

Nutrition: per serving

kcal156
fat11g
saturates6.7g
carbs11g
sugars5.3g
fibre0.6g
protein4.2g
salt0.1g

Method

step 1

Put the milk in a pan over a low heat. Press the cloves into the onion and add to the milk along with the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
step 2

In a separate, heavy-based pan, melt the butter over a medium heat until foaming. Sprinkle over the flour and continually stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until the flour absorbs the butter and makes a thick paste. Strain the infused milk into a jug, and add to the roux a splash at a time while continually stirring. Only add a little at first, as you see the flour expand and loosen – if you add the milk too quickly this can make the sauce lumpy. Once the mixture is a little looser, you can add the milk a little more at a time, until it’s all been added.
step 3

Cook the white sauce for 4-5 minutes or until lightly thickened. Season with salt, nutmeg and white pepper. It will thicken up a lot as it cools but can be covered and chilled for up to two days. Reheat, stirring well, adding a splash more milk to loosen.

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Anna GloverSenior food editor

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