Once you master a basic white sauce, you can add different spices or herbs, chopped vegetables, and also different types of cheese, to create different dishes. This lightened up sauce is the base of a cheese sauce that can be used for a basic macaroni and cheese dish, or it makes a nice sauce over baked chicken or fish, by adding a little chicken broth or white whine. Instead of using canned cream soup, this sauce can be the healthier (and way tastier!) substitute for any recipe that calls for canned cream soup.
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 5 minutesminutes
Servings 4servings
Author Rosanne Rust MS RDN, www.rustnutrition.com
Equipment
Wire or silicone whisk
Small sauce pan
Baking pan with silicone mat
Pasta pot or medium pot
Ingredients
1TBButter
1TBflour
1cup1% milk
2TBlight cream cheese
1/8 tspsalt
1/8tspground pepper
Instructions
Melt butter in a non stick saucepan over low-medium heat.
Add flour to butter, and stir quickly using a wire whisk. Cook for 1-2 minutes before too brown. This is called a roux.
Gradually, pour the milk into the roux, stirring constantly as you add it.
Stir sauce continuously for 1-2 minutes, then add the cream cheese. Continue stirring until cream cheese has melted and sauce is slightly thickened.
Notes
If you need a thicker sauce, you can use 2 TB butter with 2 TB flour.You can also add another 1-2 TB of light cream cheese to thicken.If sauce is too thick, gradually add a little bit of milk.