White Bechamel Cheese Sauce

Print Recipe

5 from 36 votes

This easy-to-make white bechamel cheese sauce is delicious on pasta, pizza, veggies, or as a hot dip. Give it a try!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Appetizer, condiment, sauce

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 427kcal

Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

saucepan
whisk

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup all purpose flour
4 cups milk
3 cups (12 ounces) white sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
1 cup (4 ounces) gruyere cheese freshly shredded (can substitute with sharp cheddar)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

In a large sauce pan (at least 3 quarts), melt butter until bubbly on medium heat. Add flour, stirring with a whisk until thick and pasty. Cook for 2 minutes.
Slowly add milk, 1 cup at a time, stirring well in between cups until it is smooth. Add salt, nutmeg, and pepper.
Simmer on low-medium heat until the sauce has thickened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the sharp cheddar and the gruyere to the sauce. Continue stirring until they are completely melted, and it is creamy about 5 minutes. The thickened cheese sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
Serve it over pasta or vegetables. Or use as a dip for raw vegetables, pretzels and pretzel balls, sausage balls, tortilla chips, or corn chips.

Notes

Use freshly grated white cheddar cheese for the best results. Packages of shredded cheese have anti-caking agents to keep the shreds from sticking together.

This means the cheese doesn't melt as well. So, when you make this, it is worth the few extra minutes to grate a block of white cheddar yourself. It will give you the best results for a creamy white cheese sauce.

Pour the it into a gallon-size zip-top storage bag. Close and seal the bag, then lay it flat in your freezer to save space!

How to Store and Reheat:

This can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

When you're ready to enjoy it again, just reheat it on the stove over low heat until it's warm. You may need to add a little milk to thin it out again.

You can freeze it for up to three months. Be sure to store it in a freezer-safe, airtight container.

Nutrition