Recipes Made Better By Béchamel Sauce (PHOTOS)

We're setting the spotlight on this French classic.

When it comes to the classics, it doesn't get much better than béchamel sauce. A white sauce made with a butter, flour and milk base, it's a creamy key to holding together some of our favorite dishes -- especially lasagna, gratins, scalloped potatoes and mac and cheese.

From traditional French cuisine, béchamel sauce is a staple both on its own and as a base for other, more complex sauces. It starts off with a roux of butter and flour, which is cooked and then added into warmed milk. The finished product is a thick and creamy white sauce -- and once you start using it, you'll never look back.

We've put together our 13 favorite recipes made with béchamel, and we promise you won't believe how such an easy sauce can truly transform your meals.

1
Lasagna Bolognese
Simply Recipes
Get the Lasagna Bolognese Recipe by Simply Recipes
2
Scalloped Potatoes
Bell'alimento
Get the Scalloped Potatoes Recipe by Bell'alimento
3
Oxtail Macaroni and Cheese
Mimi Thorisson/Manger
4
Chile con Queso
Brown Eyed Baker
Get the Chile con Queso Recipe by Brown Eyed Baker
5
Spinach Gratin with Hard Boiled Eggs
Simply Recipes
6
Oven-Fried Spanish Croquettes
Gimme Some Oven
Get the Oven-Fried Spanish Croquettes Recipe by Gimme Some Oven
7
Gratin of Asparagus with Cheese Béchamel
Mimi Thorisson/Manger
8
Butternut Squash Lasagna
Foodie Crush
Get the Butternut Squash Lasagna Recipe by Foodie Crush
9
Baked Ziti
Buns In My Oven
Get the Baked Ziti Recipe by Buns In My Oven
10
Fried Mozzarella Sandwiches
Bell'alimento
Get the Fried Mozzarella Sandwiches Recipe by Bell'alimento
11
Chicken & Ham Pie
Mimi Thorisson/Manger
Get the Chicken & Ham Pie Recipe by Manger
12
Moussaka
Brown Eyed Baker
Get the Moussaka Recipe by Brown Eyed Baker
13
Bouchée à la Reine
Mimi Thorisson/Manger
Get the Bouchée à la Reine Recipe by Manger

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