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white sauce recipe for baking | Indian style white sauce recipe | béchamel sauce |

Tarla Dalal
18 December, 2024


Table of Content
white sauce recipe for baking | Indian style white sauce recipe | béchamel sauce | with 8 amazing photos
The basic white sauce is also known as béchamel and has its origin in France. The authentic béchamel sauce, makes use of milk boiled with studded onion (onion halve pierced with cloves) and bay leaves, but that is totally optional. It is one of the mother sauces.
Making the white sauce recipe for baking is very easy and can be quickly made, all the basic ingredients are used for making it are available in Indian kitchens. We have made white sauce by first heating butter in a pan and adding flour to it, the rule is to take equal quantity of butter and flour. Once you have added the flour, stir it continuously using a whisk and cook on a slow flame. Stirring continuously helps in even cooking of the flour apart from preventing it from forming lumps. Once the flour turns frothy and turns golden, pour the milk, keep stirring till the milk thickens, make sure you whisk it well or else you might get lumps. Lastly, we have added salt and pepper for taste. Use Indian style white sauce recipe immediately.
If you wish to store it, cool the White Sauce completely, pour in an air-tight container and refrigerate/freeze. Remember, on cooling the white sauce will thicken more. If the sauce is to be used later, add a little milk, mix well and re-heat it.The ratio of butter: flour: milk is ALWAYS remain 1:1:10 to get a perfect consistency thin white sauce.
You can use white sauce as a base for various soups, pastas, sauces and baked dishes which require a certain creaminess.
Enjoy white sauce recipe for baking | Indian style white sauce recipe | béchamel sauce | with step by step photos below.
White Sauce ( for Baking) recipe - How to make White Sauce ( for Baking)
Tags
Preparation Time
5 Mins
Cooking Time
7 Mins
Total Time
12 Mins
Makes
2 cups
Ingredients
For White Sauce
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour (maida)
2 cups milk
salt to taste
Method
For white sauce
- To make white sauce, heat the butter in a broad non-stick pan, add the plain flour and cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously.
- Add the milk, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, or till the sauce thickens, while stirring continuously.
- Add the salt and pepper, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 more minute.
- Store the white sauce in an air-tight container and use as required.
Handy tip:
- If the white sauce is to be used for later use, add a little milk, mix well and re-heat it.
white sauce recipe for baking | Indian style white sauce recipe | béchamel sauce | Video by Tarla Dalal
White Sauce ( for Baking) recipe with step by step photos
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- The basic white sauce is also known as béchamel and has its origin in France. The authentic béchamel sauce, makes use of milk boiled with studded onion (onion halve pierced with cloves) and bay leaves but, that is totally optional. See our white sauce recipe for baking | Indian style white sauce recipe | béchamel sauce | below.
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For making the white sauce recipe for baking | Indian style white sauce recipe | béchamel sauce | heat the butter in a broad non-stick pan.
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Once the butter has melted, add the plain flour.
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Cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously with the help of a whisk. This is called as a roux which acts a thickening agent for the White Sauce. The frequent stirring helps in even cooking of the flour apart from preventing it from forming lumps.
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Once you see the flour has become a little froth and golden in colour, reduce the flame to low and add the milk. Pour the milk with one hand and whisk using the other hand. If you are vegan or allergic to dairy products, then use almond milk.
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Whisk well and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, or till the White Sauce thickens, while stirring continuously. It is very important to mix continuously after you add the milk and whisk until the flour and milk have incorporated well. If not whisked well, you might get lumps in your White Sauce.
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Add the salt and pepper
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Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 more minute. You can even add little nutmeg powder to enhance the flavor of white sauce recipe for baking | Indian style white sauce recipe | béchamel sauce |.
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Cool the White Sauce completely, pour in an air-tight container and refrigerate/freeze. Remember, on cooling the white sauce will thicken more. You can even prepare the white sauce in a microwave, refer this recipe to learn how to make White Sauce In Microwave. If the sauce is to be used later, add a little milk, mix well and re-heat it.The ratio of butter:flour:milk is ALWAYS remain 1:1:10 to get a perfect consistency thin white sauce that is used in White Sauce Pasta recipe and cream soup recipes like the Cream Of Brocolli Soup.
- For making baked and other dishes, this White Sauce is enhanced with addition of an assortment of ingredients or used as a base to make other sauces. For thick consistency white sauce for croquettes and other appetizer recipes, use 2 tablespoons of butter and 2.5 tablespoons of flour to ½ cup of milk. Cheese Corn Balls is my favorite recipe using this mesaurements.
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For making the white sauce recipe for baking | Indian style white sauce recipe | béchamel sauce | heat the butter in a broad non-stick pan.
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- Can i use whole wheat flour instead of maida to make white sauce? Yes you can substitute plain flour ( maida) with whole wheat flour in the same ratio and same method. Note that your white sauce for baking will be light brown in colour instead of white.
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- Can i use Amul ghee instead of butter to make Indian style white sauce for baking? No, the white sauce for baking will not taste good. Please use butter.
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- How many days can i store Indian style white sauce? You can store white sauce for baking in an airtight container for 2 days in a fridge.
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- Can i add extra cheese to Indian style white sauce for taste? Yes you can.
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- Q. 1 cup milk in how many ml ( 200 or 250 ml? A. ?It's 200 ml milk.
Nutrient values (Abbrv)per plate
nullClick here to view Calories for White Sauce ( for Baking)
The Nutrient info is complete

ashwin
March 13, 2025, midnight
very tasty

Tarla Dalal
March 13, 2025, midnight
Hi Ashwin, Delighted to know you loved the recipe. Thank you so much for your kind words. Do try more and more recipes and share with us your feedback. Happy Cooking!

Manjulaben Parekh
March 13, 2025, midnight
Great work on khahras by Tarlaben. Various type of khakras we can make as per our tastes & likes. I made & liked Bajra-methi and nachni-till khakras!

Mrs indu sharma
March 13, 2025, midnight

Tarla Dalal
March 13, 2025, midnight
Glad you liked the Palak Raita Video.

Rupa
March 13, 2025, midnight
Nice recipe and easy to follow

Shilpa Goel
March 13, 2025, midnight
Thanks for the white sauce recipe.

Eva Luna
March 13, 2025, midnight
Thank you for your information. I came across asafoetida for the first time about maybe 6 or 7 years ago in a Krishna cookbook. I had been suffering from mild garlic and onion gut intolerance and was looking for spices to fill in the umami gap so I could use substitutes in other recipes. It is a hard spice to find. Do you have any recommendations on buying and storing?

Jay
March 13, 2025, midnight
1 Cup = 250 ml? for milk?

Tarla Dalal
March 13, 2025, midnight
200 ml for milk

jean
March 13, 2025, midnight
Can i add cheese for that extra taste

Tarla Dalal
March 13, 2025, midnight
Hi Jean, Yes you can add cheese if you wish to..

Dr. Saunil Malvania
March 13, 2025, midnight

Dr. Saunil Malvania
March 13, 2025, midnight
Very nice. I used whole grain wheat flour instead of Maida. I also added cheese. A pinch of nutmeg powder made a big difference to the final taste.

Tarla Dalal
March 13, 2025, midnight
Happy to hear Dr. Saunil that you tried the recipe. Do keep trying more recipes and share your feedback. Happy Cooking!!!

Koda Cruz
March 13, 2025, midnight
Great great recipe I enjoy making it very easy nice and thick. I did it with shrimp, potatoes and beans and I pour the sauce over it. It was delicious.

RAJMOHAN CAMERON
March 13, 2025, midnight

Madhu Agarwal
March 13, 2025, midnight
for hw many days can we store it

Monika
March 13, 2025, midnight
Hi , can I use Amul ghee instead of butter to prepare white sauce?

Tarla Dalal
March 13, 2025, midnight
Hi, It wont taste good with ghee , please use butter...