How To Make White Sauce: A Simple Recipe With Perfect Results

Learning how to make white sauce is one of those skills that can seem a bit daunting. Have you done your time with endless stirring followed by lumpy sauce and a burnt pot?

Even once you get the hang of it and make good white sauce, it can be a slow and tedious process, particularly when making large quantities.  This fast and easy method is my solution.  It’s very quick and the results are always perfect.

Ingredients:

25g/1oz/¼ stick of butter
25g/1oz/¼ cup of plain all purpose flour
450mls/16fl oz/2 cups milk
pinch of nutmeg
salt and white pepper (I specify white pepper here because using black pepper means that your sauce will have black dots in it.  When entertaining you might be fussy about that but black is absolutely fine from a taste point of view)

Equipment:

Hand whisk
Microwave-safe jug
Small pot or saucepan

Method:

1. Put the milk in a microwave-safe jug and heat for about 3 minutes in the microwave until very hot.  This is the quickest, easiest way to heat the milk but if you don't have a microwave, you can heat the milk in a pot.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pot or saucepan over a medium heat. 
3. Stir in the flour. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly with a whisk.

4. Slowly add in the hot milk, whisking all the time.  Keep whisking until thick.  This should only take about 1-2 minutes.

5. Remove from the heat. Add the nutmeg and some seasoning.  


Now you know how to make white sauce, you can use it in your favourite recipes or why not try it in this vegetarian moussaka recipe.


 

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