Mornay Sauce
Creamy Mornay Sauce, derived from one of the five French mother sauces: béchamel. Perfect sauce for lasagna, casseroles and oven vegetables, like cauliflower.
🇫🇮 Tervehdys! Suomenkielinen resepti on vielä työn alla, mutta eiköhän se sieltä pian valmistu…
Mornay sauce has to be one of the most ultimate sauces. It’s creamy, cheesy dream that elevates everything from pasta to veg. It’s surprisingly easy to make, and the result is a seriously good sauce.
I first heard about this sauce from my roommate. I mean, I’ve never heard the name “Mornay Sauce” before. It’s a cheese sauce — something I’ve used in lasagnas all the time.
It derives from one of the five French mother sauces: béchamel. Mornay just adds some cheese to the mix. You can use this sauce with all kinds of things, including your tasty, tasty lasagna. And I’ve also made a delicious Lasagna Soup, which uses this sauce to finish it off.
Ingredients
🧈 Butter: The foundation for a gorgeously rich flavour – it’s what gives Mornay its lovely, decadent start.
🥛 Milk: Creates that beautifully smooth, creamy texture we all crave in a classic Mornay.
🧀 Gruyère or Emmental: Melts into a dreamy, nutty sweetness – the backbone of the cheesy goodness!
🧂 Salt: Really brings out all those lovely flavours and balances the richness.
🌶️ Nutmeg: Adds a subtle warmth and gentle spice, a nice counterpoint to the cheese.
Please see the full list of ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
Making the Mornay Sauce
Making this creamy sauce is incredibly easy to make. If you've ever made béchamel before, you'd already be over halfway there.
First, you want to get your saucepan on over a medium heat. Melt your 30 grams of butter and add in your 20 grams of plain flour. This is what makes the roux, the base of many delicious sauces and what ends up thickening it. Cook this for about a minute, just until it smells a little nutty. But let's not brown it, this is a white sauce after all.
Now we get to the whisking part of the recipe. Gradually pour in 500ml of milk, just a tiny bit at a time. Keep whisking to avoid lumps. It's utmost important to do it slowly: a little bit of milk, whiskey business, a little bit more milk, and even more whisking until everything is smooooooooth.
Once the milk has been fully incorporated, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble away for about two or three minutes, stirring often until it starts to thicken up. Add in your pinch of salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Take the mixture off the heat.
Add in your cheeses and keep stirring until the cheese has melted and sauce becomes smooth again. If it seems too thick to your liking, add a splash of milk.
And that's it! Serve it straight away, or use in your cooking.
Storing the Mornay Sauce
Once your lovely sauce is ready, preserving it properly will ensure you can enjoy it later too.
Pour the cooled down sauce into an airtight container, a glass or plastic container either work well. Make sure the surface of the sauce is covered with cling film to stop a skin from forming. This will keep it fresh and prevent it drying out. Since it has milk and cheese, it'll keep safely in the fridge for up to 2 days.
The Mornay sauce is not really suitable for freezing. The texture of the cheese will change, and will become grainy. But don't worry - after testing and tasting this recipe I can assure you there wouldn't be much leftovers to store later.
When you're ready to use your stored sauce, reheat it gently in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir frequently to prevent sticking; it's milk and cheese after all. If it's a bit thick after storing, you can whisk in a splash of milk to loosen it up. Don't boil the sauce, just heat it to a gentle simmer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this Mornay sauce ahead of time?
Yes! It’s also lovely made a bit in advance. Make sure to cover the surface with cling film directly on top to stop a skin forming. Gently reheat over a low heat when you’re ready to use it.
What if I don’t have Gruyère or Emmental?
Ah, no worries, mate. A good quality (white) cheddar will do nicely in a pinch. Just a slight change in flavour, but I bet your table of taste testers won’t even notice the difference.
Is white pepper essential?
Nope! Black pepper works just fine if that’s what you have on hand. The white pepper just blends in a bit more nicely.
I’ve never used nutmeg before – is it a must?
Nah. It adds a lovely warmth but not a mandatory ingredient. If you’re unsure, leave it out for the first time and see what you think.
My sauce is too thick – what should I do?
Not a bother! Just wish in a little splash of milk to loosen it up. A tablespoon or so should do the trick. Add a bit at a time until the sauce is the consistency you want.
This sauce is the perfect companion, no matter if you’re making my Lasagna Soup, a traditional lasagna, or even cauliflower in the oven.
I’d love to know what you think about this recipe. Go ahead and post your rendition on Instagram and tag me. Or send me a message.
I hope you enjoy!
Mornay Sauce
A creamy French cheese sauce made with Gruyère and Parmesan — perfect for lasagna, gratins, or drizzling over vegetables and fish.
Ingredients
- 30.0 gbutter
- 20.0 gplain flour
- 500.0 mlmilk
- 0.5 tspsalt
- pinchwhite pepper
- pinchnutmeg
- 60.0 gGruyère or Emmental cheese, grated
- 20.0 gParmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
You can complete a step by clicking on it.
- 1Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- 2Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute until it smells slightly nutty.
- 3Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until smooth.
- 4Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.
- 5Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg if using.
- 6Remove from the heat and stir in both cheeses until melted and smooth.
- 7If the sauce is too thick, whisk in a small splash of milk.
- 8Use immediately or cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming.
Nutritional Information (per serving)
Calories
160 kcal
Fat
12 g
Saturated Fat
7.8 g
Carbohydrates
5.5 g
Sugar
4 g
Protein
7 g
Fiber
0 g
Salt
0.3 g
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