A quick and easy béchamel sauce recipe (white sauce) made with butter, flour and milk. Perfect for lasagne, pasta bakes and creamy Italian dishes. Ready in minutes!

Béchamel — bechamel or besciamella in Italian or ‘white sauce’ as it is often called abroad — is one of those essential kitchen recipes that instantly makes any dish feel richer and more comforting.

It is famously used in lasagne and creamy cannelloni, but also uncountable other preparations: béchamel adds that lovely silky texture that ties everything together.

The best part? It’s incredibly simple to make at home. With just three basic ingredients and a few minutes on the stove, you can prepare a smooth, creamy sauce that tastes far better than anything store-bought. It is one of those cases when the home made dish is so different from anything store bough, they don’t even compare and you’ll never go back!

Here’s the exact recipe I use for Italian-style béchamel, with step by step photos.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

50 g butter
50 g flour
500 ml milk
Salt
A bay leaf (optional but very classic in Italian cooking)

This quantity makes enough for one medium lasagne.

Instructions

1. Melt the butter

Place a medium saucepan over low heat and melt the butter without letting it brown.

2. Add the flour

Stir in the flour to form a smooth paste (the roux). The perfect thickness is when the paste sticks together enough that you can move it around like a smooth ball. Cook for 1–2 minutes, still on low heat, to remove the raw flour taste.

3. Add the milk gradually

Pour in the milk a little at a time, whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
The mixture will start thick but will smooth out as you add more liquid.

4. Season

Add salt, and your bay leaf.

5. Simmer until thick

Let the sauce cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until it becomes silky and coats the back of a spoon.

If the sauce becomes too thick for your recipe, simply add a splash more milk to loosen it.

Tips for Perfect Béchamel

Whisk continuously — this is the key to avoiding lumps.
Use warm milk for a quicker, smoother sauce (optional but helpful).
Cook the roux briefly — not long enough to brown, but long enough to remove grittiness.
Adjust thickness depending on the recipe: thinner for baked pasta, thicker for croquettes.

Dishes you can use it in:

Use this béchamel for:

Lasagne al pesto
Classic Italian lasagne
Pasta bakes
Vegetable gratins
Cannelloni
Croque monsieur
Creamy baked fish dishes

Easy Bechamel Sauce (Classic Italian White Sauce) from scratch: pin this!

Home made béchamel (white sauce) base recipe

A super easy recipe you can use over and over again to make perfect home made white sauce (béchamel) in minutes

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Prep Time 15

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

50 gr butter
50 gr flour
500 ml milk
salt to taste
1 bay leaf

Method

Melt the butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until it’s foamy.
Add the flour: Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for 1–2 minutes to form a smooth paste (roux). This cooks out the raw flour taste—no burnt bits allowed!
Pour in the milk: Slowly add the milk in a thin stream while whisking continuously. This keeps the sauce smooth and lump-free.
Cook until thickened: Keep whisking over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until the béchamel coats the back of a spoon and has a silky texture.
Season and finish: Add a pinch of salt, give it one last whisk, and voilà—your béchamel is ready to use in cannelloni, lasagna, or any recipe that deserves a creamy touch