Sauces Made from Bechamel

Bechamel is a standard white sauce and one of the five mother sauces of classical cuisine. That means it's the starting point for making other sauces, called "small sauces." Here's a list of small sauces that are based on bechamel.

1. Bechamel Sauce Recipe

Photo c Michael Newman

A traditional bechamel is made by whisking hot milk into a simple flour-butter roux. The sauce is then simmered with onion, cloves and nutmeg until it is creamy and velvety smooth.

2. Cream Sauce Recipe

The Cream Sauce (or Creme Sauce) is a the original classic cream sauce and one of the simplest variations on the Bechamel sauce. It's made by whisking heavy cream into the finished bechamel.

3. Mornay Sauce Recipe

The Mornay Sauce is made by enriching a standard Bechamel sauce with Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. The Mornay Sauce is an ideal accompaniment for vegetables, pasta or fish.

4. Soubise Sauce Recipe

For the Soubise Sauce, a classic cream sauce for vegetables, we saute onions and then puree them before adding them to the Bechamel. For a simple variation on the classic Soubise sauce, you can add some tomato puree to the finished sauce just before serving.

5. Nantua Sauce Recipe

This version of the Nantua Sauce, a classic seafood sauce, is made by incorporating shrimp butter and cream into a basic Bechamel sauce. Traditionally, however, it is made with crayfish. The Nantua sauce is delicious with fish and seafood, especially shellfish.

6. Cheddar Cheese Sauce Recipe

The Cheddar Cheese Sauce is made by adding cheddar cheese, mustard and Worcestershire sauce to a standard Bechamel sauce. Like the Mornay sauce, the Cheddar Cheese sauce is great with vegetables, pasta and fish.

7. Mustard Sauce Recipe

Here's another bechamel variation that's easy to make. The Mustard Sauce is made by adding prepared mustard to a basic Bechamel sauce. This tangy sauce can be served with vegetables, eggs or chicken.

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