The 5 Sauces Every Chef Needs to Learn

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is lower in saturated fat.

milk

🥗Healthier: almond milk

💰Cheaper: water + powdered milk

Almond milk is lower in calories.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and adds umami.

Get the milk warm.

Add an onion studded with cloves to the milk for aroma.

Melt butter in a saucepan until it starts to turn golden.

Add flour to the melted butter and cook out on low heat.

Look for a consistency that resembles wet sand.

Gradually add warm milk to the mixture, whisking to avoid lumps.

Continue adding milk until the desired consistency is reached, ensuring no lumps remain.

Cook the sauce until it thickens and becomes glossy, about 5 minutes.

Remove the onion from the sauce if making a white sauce, and add nutmeg for flavor.

For a cheese sauce, add cheese after the sauce has thickened.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens