béchamel
noun
bé·cha·mel
ˌbā-shə-ˈmel 
variants
or béchamel sauce
or less commonly bechamel
or bechamel sauce
plural béchamels or béchamel sauces also bechamels or bechamel sauces
: a creamy white sauce made with milk, flour, and butter and often salt, pepper, and nutmeg
Prepare the béchamel with 1 oz. of butter, 2 tablespoonfuls of flour, and 1 1/2 pints of hot milk. Season it with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and let it cook for at least 15 minutes.—
Elizabeth David
Elizabeth DavidBechamel is … made of butter and flour, stirred over heat with milk and ground nutmeg until thick and savory.—Patrick Evans-Hilton
Patrick Evans-HiltonBéchamel is the base for a number of creamy dishes, including gratins, macaroni and cheese, and creamed spinach.—Rebecca Hays
Rebecca HaysWe then added a filling of peas, tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots and more ziti …, all held together with a béchamel sauce.—Larry Edelson-Kayne
Larry Edelson-Kayne… a quick, easy recipe elevated by creamy and buttery bechamel sauce.—The Fort Morgan (Colorado) Times (online)
The Fort Morgan (Colorado) Times (online)Examples of béchamel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Enjoy the crisp mountain air under a heated and covered outdoor patio or sidle up to the bar to order specialties such as Rocky Mountain elk chili, flatbread topped with black truffle bechamel and roasted mushrooms, and hot cocoa spiked with aged rum.
—Linnea Covington, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
The moussaka — one of Farah’s personal favorites — is a baked casserole made with seasoned ground leg of lamb, layered between eggplant and zucchini, topped with bechamel sauce, as well as Swiss and vlahotiri cheese and served with rice pilaf.
—Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Jan. 2025
Guests can expect dishes like Croque Madame with ham, gruyere, egg and bechamel, country pate, and duck confit with radicchio, apples, pumpkin seeds, dates topped with a vinaigrette.
—Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Bring to a boil, continuing to whisk, and cook until the bechamel is smooth and thick, about 5 minutes.
—Brianna Crane, Axios, 23 Nov. 2024
Starbucks holiday food New turkey sage Danish: A flaky savory pastry filled with turkey sausage and a bechamel sauce.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 17 Nov. 2024
Ragu sauce and bechamel are fillers between each layer.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Bianca al Forno is a white lasagne with a classic bechamel base.
—Kaila Yu, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
No trendy or costly ingredients went into her one-pot dishes, no spices beyond salt and pepper, no sauces other than homemade bechamel, mayonnaise or vinaigrette whisked up quickly with a fork.
—Jamie Schler, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
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Linnea Covington, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
The moussaka — one of Farah’s personal favorites — is a baked casserole made with seasoned ground leg of lamb, layered between eggplant and zucchini, topped with bechamel sauce, as well as Swiss and vlahotiri cheese and served with rice pilaf.
—Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Jan. 2025
Guests can expect dishes like Croque Madame with ham, gruyere, egg and bechamel, country pate, and duck confit with radicchio, apples, pumpkin seeds, dates topped with a vinaigrette.
—Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Bring to a boil, continuing to whisk, and cook until the bechamel is smooth and thick, about 5 minutes.
—Brianna Crane, Axios, 23 Nov. 2024
Starbucks holiday food New turkey sage Danish: A flaky savory pastry filled with turkey sausage and a bechamel sauce.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 17 Nov. 2024
Ragu sauce and bechamel are fillers between each layer.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Bianca al Forno is a white lasagne with a classic bechamel base.
—Kaila Yu, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
No trendy or costly ingredients went into her one-pot dishes, no spices beyond salt and pepper, no sauces other than homemade bechamel, mayonnaise or vinaigrette whisked up quickly with a fork.
—Jamie Schler, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
Dictionary Entries Near béchamel
Cite this Entry
“Béchamel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/b%C3%A9chamel. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.
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