Bechamel (or classic white sauce) is one of the “mother” sauces of French cuisine, so it is fitting that I would have to figure out how to make a Gluten Free Bechamel to make a gluten free version of my Mother-in-Law’s lasagna.
In any case, I am still relatively new to the Gluten Free scene (I still haven’t tried many of Erika’s recipes yet), so it should be no surprise that I needed to do some experimentation before getting a wheat free white sauce I liked.
That being said, it turns out a gluten free bechamel isn’t all that difficult (and can even be made vegan and keto by swapping out a couple ingredients). I could have learned that pretty quickly by doing a little research online, but I want to be familiar with the gluten free flours and starches I am going to be using to develop new gluten free recipes.
After failed attempts using arrowroot powder, rice flour, and potato starch, I eventually settled on glutinous rice flour (also known as sweet rice flour).
The Tools & Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are:
Gluten Free Bechamel Recipe
- Prep Time: 2
- Cook Time: 6
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 36 oz
- Cuisine: Gluten Free
Description
One of the 5 French “mother” sauces, Bechamel is often used in making lasagna, gratins, scalloped potatoes, moussaka, and mac and cheese. It’s also great for thickening gravies and creamy soups or as a base for a cheese sauce.
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter (or olive oil)
• 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (also known as glutinous rice flour)
• 1 quart of milk (or coconut milk)
Instructions
- Melt the butter (or heat the oil) in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Sprinkle the sweet rice flour over the butter (or oil).
- “Cook” the mixture for a minute or so while stirring constantly (preferably with a whisk).
- Add the milk and bring to a boil (still whisking).
- Simmer for 4 or 5 minutes while whisking.
Notes
- If you swap the butter with olive oil and the milk with coconut milk, your result will be both keto and vegan.
- The sauce will come together more readily and be less likely to be lumpy if the milk is warm when you add it.
- Being a bit lazy, I didn’t bother with a whisk, pre-heating my milk, or stirring as constantly as I ought to have. To remedy the lumpy mess I had after simmering my sauce, I poured my sauce into a mixing bowl and attacked it with my hand mixer. As a result, I still have a smooth velvety sauce to work with. :)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 20 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Protein: 6 g
Keywords: Gluten Free Bechamel
Gluten Free Bechamel Recipe
- Prep Time: 2
- Cook Time: 6
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 1.25 quarts
- Cuisine: Gluten Free
Description
One of the 5 French “mother” sauces, Bechamel is often used in making lasagna, gratins, scalloped potatoes, moussaka, and mac and cheese. It’s also great for thickening gravies and creamy soups or as a base for a cheese sauce.
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter (or olive oil)
• 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (also known as glutinous rice flour)
• 1 quart of milk (or coconut milk)
Instructions
- Melt the butter (or heat the oil) in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Sprinkle the sweet rice flour over the butter (or oil).
- “Cook” the mixture for a minute or so while stirring constantly (preferably with a whisk).
- Add the milk and bring to a boil (still whisking).
- Simmer for 4 or 5 minutes while whisking.
Notes
- If you swap the butter with olive oil and the milk with coconut milk, your result will be both keto and vegan.
- The sauce will come together more readily and be less likely to be lumpy if the milk is warm when you add it.
- Being a bit lazy, I didn’t bother with a whisk, pre-heating my milk, or stirring as constantly as I ought to have. To remedy the lumpy mess I had after simmering my sauce, I poured my sauce into a mixing bowl and attacked it with my hand mixer. As a result, I still have a smooth velvety sauce to work with. :)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 20 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Protein: 6 g
Keywords: Gluten Free Bechamel
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