When my Mom was a young bride, her cooking repertoire was limited to very basic ‘kitchen cupboard’ recipes. So when she started spending time with Grandma Tweed in her kitchen, it was a revelation. When Grandma discovered that my mom had never made a white sauce she was appalled and immediately set about to remedy the situation. “There are so many dishes you can make with a white sauce” Grandma said. “You can whip it up in twenty minutes, add cheese, or vegetables, meat or chicken. You can fancy it up with herbs and spices. Goodness, girl, how did you cook without a white sauce?” (Grandma was never one to mince words.)
Long story short, Mom learned to make a white sauce, and passed the recipe down to me. The following is my Grandma’s recipe.
Do you ever crave that thick and creamy white sauce over a freshly cooked bowl of sausage and pasta? I have the perfect 20 minute creamy white sauce recipe. This creamy sauce is easy and quick to make. If you start it as soon as you put your pasta water on the stove, it will be ready at the same time as your pasta. I like to refer to this basic sauce as one of my mother sauces. It is very versatile and can be used for homemade mac and cheese, as a topping for veggies or as a filling with broccoli and cauliflower in crepes.
Ingredients
- Salt and Pepper – Grandma always had a bowl of salt on her stove top. I have no idea what kind it was. My favorite salt to use is sea salt. She used black pepper, but you can use white pepper if you prefer.
- Butter – Salted butter will give your sauce more flavor. The butter and flour are the main ingredients of your roux. A roux is a simple mixture of melted butter and flour that is combined and boiled over heat then used to thicken any sauce. You can use store bought or homemade butter. It can be salted or unsalted.
- Flour – In this case, white flour is best. Whole wheat flour will give you a grainy sauce and we don’t want that! The flour is the second component of the roux that is used to thicken the simple white sauce.
- Milk – The milk is what makes the sauce white and have a creamy flavor. Grandma always used whole milk for this recipe. Skim milk will not thicken as nicely.
- Cayenne Pepper – Cayenne Pepper will give your creamy white sauce a little bit of a zing.
- Mustard Powder – Mustard powder gives a depth of flavor with a wee bit of heat. If you do not have mustard powder, you can use a teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- Garlic – Garlic, the main flavor of the sauce. Grandma loves garlic. She preferred to use minced fresh garlic cloves, but garlic powder or granulated garlic will work as well.
- Salt and Pepper – Grandma always had a bowl of salt on her stove top. I have no idea what kind it was. My favorite salt to use is sea salt. She used black pepper, but you can use white pepper if you prefer.
- Cheddar Cheese – Cheddar cheese will add to the creaminess of the sauce. I recommend using white cheddar if you do not want your sauce to turn a hue of orange. The older aged cheddar will create a more sharp flavor in your sauce.
- Cream Cheese – Cream cheese is optional but can be added if you are looking to make your sauce extra tasty and more creamy.
Grandma Tweed's 20 Minute Creamy White Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour for a thicker sauce add an extra tablespoon of flour
- 2 cups milk
- dash cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder or finely minced garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium heat.
- If using fresh garlic, sauté it in the butter until soft but not brown.
- Sprinkle flour over the butter and cook until bubbly.
- Add mustard and seasonings and stir until blended.
- Add milk slowly and cook until thickened.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
- What causes the sauce to thicken?
- The roux is the thickening agent of the sauce. Once the homemade white sauce mixture begins to boil the flour will begin to interact with the liquid causing it to thicken.
- What should the final consistency of this 20 minute creamy white sauce recipe be?
- This creamy pasta sauce is done when you remove the spoon and it sticks to the back of the spoon. You will want a thin layer of sauce that adheres to the back of the spoon without dripping off immediately.
- What is the difference between white sauce and alfredo sauce?
- White sauce has a more versatile and delicate flavor being it has less spices added to it. Alfredo sauce tends to have a more robust flavor due to the amount of garlic, onion powder, and the parmesan cheese in the recipe.
Ways to Use White Sauce
We personally love to use this 20 minute creamy white sauce recipe over many of our favorite pasta dishes. It is delicious over my Sausage and Kale Pasta Bake. This cheese sauce is the perfect sauce for a quick and easy homemade mac n cheese, just add 2 cups of grated old cheese and mix it well with some pasta. Shredding a rotisserie chicken, mixing it with cooked pasta and topping with the white sauce, will make a delicious creamy chicken dish for all to enjoy with a side of green veggies. The possibilities are endless. (Just ask Grandma!)
If you are looking to really impress your family or guests, you can top your traditional white sauce dish with some chopped fresh parsley.
How to Store and Reheat
Any leftover sauce that you have can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready to use it again, add the sauce to a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until warm. You may have to add a little more milk, as the sauce will thicken further in the fridge.
4 thoughts on “Grandma Tweed’s 20 Minute Creamy White Sauce Recipe”
That looks so good. Wish i could eat cheese
Aww bummer—I hope someday you will be able to enjoy this recipe or maybe you have alternatives that you can substitute?