White sauce
1 cup
| Thin | Medium | Thick | |
| Fat (tablespoons) | 1 | 1 or 2 | 2 or 3 |
| Flour (tablespoons) | 1 | 2 | 3 or 4 |
| Salt (teaspoon) | ¼ | ¼ | ¼ |
| Milk (cup) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Melt butter, margarine, or other fat in heavy saucepan. Blend in flour until smooth. Add salt. Add milk slowly, stirring rapidly to prevent lumping. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Thin white sauce is used in cream soup, gravy, and in creamed and scalloped vegetables, eggs, fish, and meat.
Medium white sauce is also used in gravy and in creamed and scalloped vegetables, eggs, fish, and meat.
Thick white sauce is used in hollandaise sauce and as a binder for croquettes and souffles.
Variations
Cheese sauce.—Add 1 cup of finely grated cheese to 1 cup hot white sauce, either thin or medium. Stir until cheese is melted, taking care not to overcook.
Egg sauce.—To 1 cup of hot medium white sauce add: 3 chopped, hard-cooked eggs; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; a few drops of yellow food coloring, if desired. Stir.
Onion sauce.—Use proportions for medium white sauce. Brown ½ cup of finely chopped onion in fat before adding flour; then continue as directed above. Add white pepper, as desired.