The short answer
The béchamel is a classic and indispensable for dishes Lasagna and macaroni and cheese. It is creamy, indulgent, and results in wonderful comfort food! I once ordered Lasagna in a restaurant and the Bechamel was horrible. It ruined the whole dish. Let’s make sure that will never happen to you. 🧑🍳
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The base of Bechamel: The roux
A perfect béchamel starts with a perfect roux: a mix of flour and fat.
Traditionally, butter was used. In my vegan version, I use olive oil instead, I’ll return to it in a bit ⬇️.
What made this restaurant's béchamel terrible? A poorly cooked roux. It was undercooked, It felt like I was eating raw flour 🤮.
When making your roux, make sure to cook it long enough to remove the flour taste. Aim for a light blond color, just enough to eliminate the floury rawness without adding the nutty taste of a blond roux.
Which fat: Oil or Vegan Butter? 🧈
I use olive oil over vegan butter because it’s basically the same. Vegan butter is a blend of oil and water stabilized with a soy emulsifier. It contains at least 80% of oil. Therefore, it doesn’t make any difference in a roux. 🤷
Make it simple for yourself, use oil.
Choosing the right milk 🥛
The milk is the body of the béchamel sauce, choosing it wisely is crucial. I prefer soy milk for its neutral flavor and consistency, but any unsweetened plant-based milk will do. The key here is unsweetened, sweet milk will ruin your bechamel.
Perfect your bechamel with these tips
To make sure your béchamel is a hit, follow these tips:
- Whisk consistently both the roux and as you add the milk to avoid lumps.
- Add your milk gradually to find the perfect consistency for your sauce.
- Season your sauce. Traditionally, white pepper and nutmeg are used to flavor the béchamel while keeping its white color intact.
- Optionally, pass your sauce through a fine mesh to remove any left flour lump.
- Also optional, infuse your milk for 15 to 30 minutes beforehand for an aromatic boost.
Infusing the milk
This step might be optional, but it's a simple way to make your béchamel unforgettable. Warm the milk with two garlic cloves, a bay leaf, and a few peppercorns, and let your milk rest for 15 to 30 minutes. It’s a small touch that will have your guests nodding in approval 🥰.
The comforting power of Béchamel
Whatever you make with Béchamel, it will make transform this dish into comfort food. Whether you make Lasagna or add nutritional yeast to create a cheesy sauce, the béchamel will transform simple ingredients into indulgent comfort food like Mac’N’Cheese 🤤.
The Recipe
Bechamel Sauce
The béchamel sauce is one of the French mother sauces. It is the one that creates super comfy food for you and your guests!
Prep time
5
mins
Cooking Time
10
mins
Servings
2
people
Ingredients
- 20g flour
- 20g extra virgin olive oil
- 250 ml unsweetened soy milk
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Make the roux: Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously to avoid lumps. Cook until the mixture is sandy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the soy milk: Slowly pour in the soy milk, whisking constantly to mix it smoothly with the roux. Keep stirring to prevent lumps as the sauce thickens.
- Season the sauce: Lower the heat and add the nutmeg and pepper. Stir for another minute to blend the flavors.
- Adjust the thickness: Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed. If it’s too thick, add a bit more soy milk until it’s just right.
