Creamy Mornay Sauce (Cheesy, Delicious), Creamy Sauce

Mornay sauce is a traditional creamy sauce with lots of cheese!

This version on bechamel, one of the culinary mother sauces, is delicious as a base for au gratin dishes or mac and cheese, and having it in your arsenal will instantly improve your cooking game.

Even better, it’s quite simple to prepare, and have I said how rich and delectable it is?

Why Is This Recipe So Delicious?

• Did I mention it’s ridiculously easy? The actual making of the mornay sauce takes a little more effort than some of my other dishes, but I swear it’s worth it. You’ll be whisking for the majority of the time, but things move swiftly.
• It’s extremely adaptable! Use it to make potatoes au gratin, to cover broccoli, green beans, or asparagus, to include in your favorite mac & cheese recipe, to fill crepes, to pour over eggs… With a mornay, you can’t go wrong!
• The leftovers are just as delicious as the new breakfast! Any leftover mornay sauce can be kept in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. If necessary, thin it out with a little extra whole milk.

Important Ingredients

Whole Milk – Mornay sauce is traditionally made with whole milk, as is bechamel. Whole milk gives the sauce a rich, creamy texture. We haven’t tried it with lighter milk or a non-dairy milk replacement, so if you do, please let me know how it comes out in the comments!

If you’ve ever tried gumbo, you know that wonderful thing begins with roux. It’s just melted fat (in this example, butter) and flour mixed together to make a paste that thickens sauces and soups. This step is crucial to making a mornay sauce, so don’t skip it!

Cheese — Regardless of which cheese or combination you use, I strongly advise you to get a wedge or block of fresh cheese and grate it yourself.

Fillers and anti-clumping agents in prepackaged, pre-grated cheeses can prevent the cheese from melting properly and make the sauce gritty.

Chef’s Advice

• Add a sprinkle of cayenne to the mixture when adding the nutmeg for an added rush of flavor and heat.
• Mornay sauce should be quite thick, but if it’s too thick for your tastes, thin it up with little amounts of whole milk until it’s the right consistency. If the sauce becomes too thin, thicken it by adding more cheese or making a new roux (in a separate skillet) and mixing it into the sauce.
• Before you add the shredded cheese, turn off the heat in the saucepan! The cheese will clump and seize if the mixture is too heated. Remove the skillet from the heat and slowly stir in the cheese in increments, making sure it’s completely melted before adding more.
• When you add the roux and the milk, they should both be heated. They will not integrate as well if they are too cool. You’ll want to make the roux quickly so the milk doesn’t cool too much when it comes off the heat.

Creamy Mornay Sauce

Mornay sauce is a traditional creamy sauce with lots of cheese!

This version on bechamel, one of the culinary mother sauces, is delicious as a base for au gratin dishes or mac and cheese, and having it in your arsenal will instantly improve your cooking game.

Even better, it’s quite simple to prepare, and have I said how rich and delectable it is?

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour use gluten-free if needed
• pepper to taste
• ½ cup grated cheese Gruyere, Swiss, Parmesan, or a combination of the 3; at room temperature; see Notes
• 1 pinch of nutmeg is optional but recommended
• 2 tablespoons butter cut into 4-8 pieces

Equipment

• Small saucepan
• Whisk
• Heavy-bottomed saucepan

Instructions For Creamy Mornay Sauce

1. 2 cups milk, and 14 teaspoon salt, in a small saucepan Stir together and heat until almost boiling, continually stirring. Remove the pot from the heat when the mixture begins to boil and set it aside.
2. 2 tablespoons butter, melted in a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat Once the butter has melted, add the flour and stir constantly over low heat until the mixture creates a white roux, without browning.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. When the roux has stopped bubbling, pour in the entire cup of hot milk and whisk vigorously. Ensure that all roux is removed from the sides, bottom, and edges of the saucepan.
4. Return the pot to the fire and bring the heat up to medium. Stir constantly until the sauce begins to boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in the grated cheese until it is completely melted and incorporated into the sauce.
6. If needed, season with nutmeg and more salt and pepper. 2 tablespoons butter, melted Serve the sauce hot.

Notes

• Whichever cheese or combination you use, I recommend buying a wedge or block of fresh cheese and grating it yourself. Fillers and anti-clumping agents in prepackaged, pre-grated cheeses can prevent the cheese from melting properly and make the sauce gritty.
• Remove the pot from the heat and slowly stir in the room-temperature cheese in small increments, making sure it’s completely melted before adding more.
• When you add the roux and the milk, they should both be heated. If one is too cool, it will be difficult to absorb and may result in clumping. You’ll want to make the roux quickly so the milk doesn’t cool too much when it comes off the heat.
• For a gluten-free roux, use gluten-free flour.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 265kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 353mg, Potassium: 188mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 706IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 311mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 10g