Uses for a White Sauce

When you know how to make a simple white sauce, the cooking possibilities are endless. An added bonus is the low cost of making a white sauce. A basic white sauce can be the base for a cream soup, the beginning of a cheese sauce for broccoli, or a hamburger gravy for topping noodles, rice, or potatoes. You can alter the thickness of your white sauce by increasing or decreasing the amount of milk. In addition, the richness of the flavor and texture of a white sauce can be affected by the type of milk you use. The richest, creamiest white sauce is made with heavy or whipping cream. This will be very high in fat. You can decrease the fat content by using whole, 2 percent, 1 percent, or skim milk. Skim milk will make a less rich white sauce, but the flavor can still be acceptable with addition of herbs, cheeses, etc. Experiment to see where your preferences lie. Some people find it worth the fat to have the rich texture of a white sauce made with cream. Others find white sauce made with 2 percent milk comparable, yet with a fraction of the fat.

Try these variations on white sauces:

1. Cheese sauce for topping steamed vegetables, pasta, or baked potatoes: Prepare white sauce as instructed, except add 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard with the flour. When the mixture is heated and thick, add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.
2. Hamburger gravy for topping noodles, rice, or potatoes: Brown half a pound of ground beef well. Remove meat and reserve fat to be used instead of butter or margarine in the white sauce recipe. Sauté 1/4 cup chopped onion in the fat. Add 1 tablespoon dry parsley flakes with the flour and seasonings. Complete the white sauce as directed. Add cooked ground beef and heat thoroughly.