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

Bechamel is … made of butter and flour, stirred over heat with milk and ground nutmeg until thick and savory.

—Patrick Evans-Hilton

Béchamel is the base for a number of creamy dishes, including gratins, macaroni and cheese, and creamed spinach.

—Rebecca Hays

We then added a filling of peas, tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots and more ziti …, all held together with a béchamel sauce.

—Larry Edelson-Kayne

… a quick, easy recipe elevated by creamy and buttery bechamel sauce.

—The Fort Morgan (Colorado) Times (online)

Word History

Etymology

French sauce béchamelle, from Louis de Béchamel †1703 French courtier

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above