Mornay sauce is a cheesy twist on béchamel, the classic French white “mother sauce.” A friend compares it to Southern white gravy, and it’s not too far off—though Mornay uses butter instead of bacon or sausage grease and, of course, includes cheese. Just thinking about it is mouthwatering!
For different dishes, I switch up the cheeses in the sauce. A hot brown calls for parmesan, a Tim brown uses parmigiano-reggiano, and my ultimate croque monsieur demands comté.
Let’s Make Make Mornay Sauce
Begin by making a blond roux with unsalted butter and flour. Use a heavy bottom pot that controls heat best and melt the butter until it bubbles over medium-low heat.
Add 3/4 cup flour and whisk until it is combined and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent coloring or burning the roux.
When the roux is cooked, drizzle in the milk first, then the cream while whisking constantly until you have a smooth mixture.
Continue whisking while seasoning with mustard, pepper, nutmeg and salt.
Stir in the grated cheese until it is melted, then remove it from the heat, taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Thin with milk if necessary, but it should be the consistency of a thick gravy.
It should be thick, but still sheet off the spatula for croque monsieur, thinner for pouring and spreading over hot browns. Keep it warm until ready to use. This may be made a day in advance, cooled, covered tightly with plastic wrap on the surface and refrigerated. Return to the heavy bottom pot with a splash of milk to warm over low heat while stirring. Print
Mornay Sauce
A cheesy bechamel sauce with your choice of parmesan, paregianno-reggiano, comte or gruyere
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup flour + 2 tablespoons
- 1–1/2 cups whole milk
- 1–1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup coarsely grated cheese of your choice – parmesan, parmagianno-reggiano, comte or gruyere
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp sea salt – to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Make a blond roux: melt the butter in a heavy bottom pot over low medium heat until it bubbles
- Add 3/4 cup flour while whisking until fully incorporated. Add the remaining flour if it remains too “wet”. Cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring to prevent coloring or burning the roux
- Drizzle in the milk, then the cream while constantly whisking to a smooth testure
- Add the cayenne, mustard, nutmeg and salt – stir it in
- Add the grated cheese and stir until it is melted, then taste and adjust the salt
- You should have a thick gravy-like sauce, but you can thin it with milk if necessary
- Keep warm until ready to use or make a day in advance. Cool, cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed on the surface (prevents a skin forming on top) and refrigerate. Warm over lowest heat with a drizzle of milk and stir until it warms and returns to a creamy texture