You can make Béchamel Sauce for Lasagna in 10 minutes! You'll love this easy white sauce accented with basil and garlic.
If you want to make Authentic Lasagne alla Bolognese, you'll need this easy béchamel recipe, known as "besciamella" in Italian. You'll use it instead of ricotta.
Béchamel is the French name for this creamy white sauce. It's known as a mother sauce, because it's the basis of other recipes, such as the cheese sauce for macaroni and cheese.
Béchamel starts with a roux (pronounced "roo") made of equal parts butter and flour. Then, heated milk gets whisked in until the sauce thickens into a velvety texture.
Seasonings typically include salt, pepper and nutmeg. But we're omitting the nutmeg and using garlic and basil accents instead. Yum!
Recipe ingredients
Milk: Béchamel is a milk sauce, so this is the main ingredient. Use whole milk and not a low-fat version, because you'll need a thick, creamy result. It's rich enough, but you can substitute cream if you want a more decadent sauce.
Butter: This recipe calls for salted butter, so if you use unsalted, you'll need to add a little extra salt so it won't be bland.
Flour: All-purpose flour works best. It thickens the creamy sauce.
Garlic: One medium clove of garlic, cut into three pieces, imparts savory flavor to our homemade béchamel sauce. Drop the garlic into the pot when you add the milk, then remove it after cooking and stirring for a few minutes. That way, you'll have a tasty, smooth sauce.
Basil: Fresh basil leaves bring the X-factor, transforming basic béchamel into a delicious, Italian white sauce. Basil béchamel for the win!
How to make béchamel sauce for lasagna
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
You'll need a whisk and wooden spoon (affiliate links).
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan (affiliate link) and whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook it for a minute while whisking.
- Gradually add warmed milk while whisking. Add garlic, salt and pepper.
- Use a wooden spoon to stir the sauce until it's thick.
- Mix in fresh basil.
Recipe tips
- You'll know the béchamel sauce is thick enough when you can push a spoon through it and see the bottom of the pan.
- If you aren't going to use the sauce immediately, press a piece of wax paper over the top to prevent a film from forming.
Uses for béchamel sauce
Use this creamy sauce for lasagna with homemade spinach noodles and beef Bolognese sauce. It's also delicious in vegetable casseroles like this broccoli au gratin.
Try stirring it in pasta dishes such as orecchiette with Italian sausage and rapini. And don't forget using it on homemade pizza topped with veggies!
Frequently asked questions
Béchamel sauce lasts for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. When cooled off, transfer it to a container and place wax paper or plastic on its surface. Then tightly seal the container.
To reheat béchamel sauce by itself, place it in a pot on the stove over low heat. Whisk constantly to prevent lumps, until it's heated through. This will give you a smoother result than using the microwave.
Once the béchamel is used in lasagna, however, you can reheat the lasagna in the microwave with no problem.
You can freeze béchamel sauce for up to three months, but it will separate. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then add it to a pot on the stove to reheat it. Whisk it constantly over low heat, and it should reconstitute.
More sauce recipes to try
- Alfredo Sauce with Romano Cheese
- Walnut Cream Sauce
- Pesto Recipe with Pine Nuts
- Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce
Enjoy!
If you try this Béchamel Sauce Recipe for Lasagna, please leave a comment and a rating!
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Béchamel Sauce for Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk (warmed)
- 1 garlic clove (medium)
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter
- 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 4 fresh basil leaves (medium)
Instructions
- Heat the milk in a microwave-safe cup or bowl for 50 seconds, or just until it's warm. Peel the clove of garlic and cut it into three pieces.
- In a small or medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour, whisk to combine and continue whisking and cooking the flour mixture for a minute. Lower the heat if it bubbles too much.
- Slowly add the warmed milk, a little at a time, whisking it in as you go. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to stir the sauce over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, or until it's thick and smooth. It's ready when you can push the spoon through it and see the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and remove the garlic.
- Cut or tear the basil leaves into small pieces and stir them into the sauce.
- If you're not going to use the béchamel immediately, place a layer of wax paper or plastic wrap on its surface, so a film doesn't form. The sauce can sit at room temperature for up to two hours, then it needs to be refrigerated. It can be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for 3-4 days.
Notes
- We don't use nutmeg in our béchamel sauce, even though it's traditional. If you don't mind its flavor, you can add some. Start with ⅛ teaspoon and stir it in, then taste the sauce to see if you want to add more.
- To reheat béchamel sauce by itself, place it in a pot on the stove over low heat. Whisk constantly to prevent lumps, until it's heated through. This will give you a smoother result than using the microwave.
- Once the béchamel is used in lasagna, however, you can reheat the lasagna in the microwave with no problem.
- You can freeze béchamel sauce for up to three months, but it will separate. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then add it to a pot on the stove to reheat it. Whisk it constantly over low heat, and it should reconstitute.
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C)
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