WHITE SAUCE

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White Sauce is the base sauce used as an ingredient in the preparation of many casseroles, soups, gravies and sauces. It can also be used as a simple thickener for stews and existing gravies.
Following the basic recipes below, suggestions are given for a number of ways in which white sauce can be used. You will, no doubt, have many creative ideas of your own.

When looking for new ideas for weeknight meals, don't forget white sauce and the variations below, which can help transform leftovers into an entirely new dish - even better than the original!

The recipes below may be doubled.

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Ingredients

  • THIN WHITE SAUCE:
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk or 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 1/2 cup water
  • MEDIUM WHITE SAUCE:
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk or 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 1/2 cup water
  • THICK WHITE SAUCE:
  • 3 or 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk or one half cup evaporated milk and 1/2 cup water

Preparation

Step 1

Melt butter in a sauce pan and whisk in flour and salt until smooth. Gradually stir in cold milk, cooking over direct heat and stirring constantly until sauce boils; reduce heat slightly and continue to stir until sauce becomes smooth and thick. When sauce thickens, simmer for an additional 10 minutes over very low heat, stirring occasionally.
Stir carefully to avoid lumps. If sauce becomes lumpy, use a stick blender or rotary beater to blend out lumps or else press through a sieve. Wondra flour may be used to great advantage since this flour does not have a tendency to lump.

CHEESE SAUCE:
Make one of the white sauces above, and stir in 1/4 - 1 whole cup of grated sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack or other sharp cheese. Stir until cheese melts. One quarter to one half cup of chopped jalapeno peppers may be added for Nacho cheese sauce.
HORSERADISH SAUCE:
Using thin white sauce, add 4 teaspoons of grated prepared horseradish and 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard to 1 cup of sauce.
MUSTARD SAUCE:
Add 1 teaspoon of prepared mustard to one cup of thin white sauce. Serve with ham.
ONION SAUCE:
Add 2 or 3 teaspoons of grated onion to 1 cup of thin white sauce. Serve with salmon or salmon loaf, meatloaf, potato pancakes, or crab or fish cakes.
SOUR CREAM SAUCE:
Add one half cup sour cream to one couple of medium white sauce. Serve with cheese blintzes, waffles or potato latkes. Add 1 teaspoon each of chopped fresh chives and dill and serve as a topping for baked potatoes.
CHICKEN POT PIE:
Add white sauce to cooked, boned chicken and mixed vegetables with a teaspoon of low sodium chicken soup base or bouillon and a pinch of rubbed sage; mix well and pour into a pie filling; cover with top crust and crimp to seal; bake at 350°F about 45 minutes or until golden to make an easy chicken pot pie.
Other Uses for White Sauce:
White sauce can be used as a starter for making creamed soups. Puree a vegetable, such as cooked carrots, cooked celery, cooked mushrooms, potatoes, and add along with milk or cream to white sauce to make a soup which can be used to make casseroles (replacing store bought "Cream of Mushroom", "Cream of Celery", etc. Or add chopped cooked chicken or beef and frozen mixed vegetables and serve over popovers.
White sauce may be flavored by adding 1 teaspoon of low sodium Soup Base or bouillon. Or make gravy by adding roast drippings and a few drops of soy sauce, Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet.

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