This recipe for healthy white sauce with cornflour is invaluable. Gluten-free cornflour white sauce is quick and easy to make (no roux and no lumps!), and it's much lower in fat than most alternatives.
What's different about healthy cornflour white sauce?
One of the most common types of white sauce is a béchamel. However, this contains a lot of butter, wheat flour and a fiddly two step process which can easily end up with a lumpy sauce. This easy white sauce is made with cornflour rather than wheat flour.
- It's very quick and easy to make a silky smooth sauce in just 5 minutes. It's made using a one-step process, and there's no roux required
- Cornstarch is naturally gluten free
- Low fat. Healthy cornflour white sauce is made without butter, and you can control the level of fat in the sauce by the type of milk that you use
You can use this healthy white sauce as an alternative to a regular white sauce in any recipe. There's scarcely a week that goes by that I don't make either this or cornflour cheese sauce. I use them both regularly to incorporate into easy, healthy family meals!
Ingredients
It's a very simple list, with just 3 ingredients. You'll need:
Cornflour, or cornstarch as it is also known, is made from the kernel of corn. It's milled into a flavourless white powder, and it is quick and easy to use for thickening sauces and gravies.
(See here about a fuller explanation about cornflour if you want to double check you've got the right ingredient!)
Provided that you always mix cornflour into a cold liquid first, you'll find it easy to avoid lumps. Unlike wheat flour, cornflour does not need fat to disperse evenly.
Cornflour is a naturally gluten-free sauce thickener.
Milk You can use any kind of milk to make this healthy white sauce, either dairy or vegan.
If you want a very low fat white sauce, use skimmed milk. Even this virtually fatless white sauce will end up creamy and silky.
Alternatively, if you want something richer, use milk with a higher fat content, or add a splash of olive oil or cream
Seasoning is key with a low-fat white sauce recipe, as you want to end up with a good flavour.
As well as salt and pepper, you might want to include some other flavours such as nutmeg, or mustard
How to make healthy white sauce with cornflour
Making a healthy gluten-free white sauce with cornflour is very easy.
Simply add the cold milk, cornflour and seasoning to a cold pan, and stir together.
Turn on the heat and slowly bring to up the boil stirring all the time.
The sauce will thicken as it comes to the boil.
Simmer for a minute or two to make sure that the cornflour is cooked, and voila.
If you want your cornflour white sauce to be slightly thinner, just add a little more milk.
Variations
It's easy to adapt this healthy white sauce with cornflour:
- A large handful of chopped parsley will transform it into a quick, healthy parsley sauce for fish or gammon. (See here for the full recipe for parsley sauce.)
- Chopped spinach, either fresh or frozen, will create a vibrant low-fat green pasta sauce
- A splash of white wine plus some cooked mushrooms and onions will make a lovely gluten-free white sauce for chicken. Replace half of the milk with chicken stock if you prefer
- If you want an easy cheese sauce, add some grated cheese. Using a strong flavoured cheese such as mature cheddar or parmesan will mean that you need to use less to get a good flavour. I'd suggest 40-50 gr of cheese to 400ml of milk, and a pinch of dried mustard and maybe some Worcestershire sauce. See here for the the full recipe for cheese sauce with cornflour
How to serve white sauce
This easy béchamel alternative is ideal for many popular family meals. It's a perfect healthy white sauce for lasagne, with either beef, turkey or sweet potato and kale.
Healthy low-fat cornflour white sauce is also ideal for a gluten-free fish pie.
You could also serve this easy white sauce with vegetables or pasta, maybe with a topping of grilled cheese.
Freezing and storage tips
White sauce with cornflour will keep in the fridge for a few days if you want to make it ahead of time. When you are ready to use it, warm it through in a pan on the hob, and whisk until it returns to a smooth sauce.
You can also freeze this healthy white sauce - it may look a little split as it defrosts, but a quick whisk as it heats up will solve the problem.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, cornflour (cornstarch) can be used to thicken a sauce in place of flour. However, you'll need to adjust the recipe slightly. Mix the cornflour into cold liquid before adding it to the sauce, and use half the quantity of cornflour.
Yes, you can make a healthy white sauce without butter. This low-fat cornflour white sauce recipe is made without a roux, simply using milk and cornflour to create a smooth, silky sauce.
This quick and easy one-step white sauce recipe makes lump-free white sauce a cinch! Add the cornflour to cold milk, stir the mixture as it comes to the boil, and your sauce will be smooth and lump-free.
Other healthy sauces
There are lots more healthy sauce recipes on Cinnamon and Kale, which are all low-fat, low-sugar and gluten-free.
If you loved this easy, healthy recipe please leave a rating and comment at the bottom of the page. Your email will not be published.
Your feedback and questions are much appreciated.
You can also follow me on Pinterest and Facebook.
Why not subscribe to the newsletter to receive free delicious healthy recipes straight to your inbox?
Recipe
Healthy White Sauce with Cornflour (gluten free)
Equipment
- saucepan
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- 400 ml cold milk see notes above
- salt and pepper to taste
- grating of nutmeg
Instructions
- Add the cold milk to a cold saucepan and whisk in the remaining ingredients until well mixed.2 tablespoon cornflour, 400 ml cold milk , salt and pepper to taste, grating of nutmeg
- Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- If you want your white sauce a little thinner, add more milk to achieve the desired consistency.
Notes
- Nutritional information is for a healthy white sauce made with skimmed milk. But you can use full-fat milk if you prefer. You could also use a plant-based option if you want a vegan white sauce.
- Cornflour is also known as cornstarch, and is naturally gluten-free.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
karen pitteway says
Amazing! Exactly what I needed at the appropriate time. Thank you!
Angela says
Just perfect. Knew what to do. Just needed weight of ingredients for 1 person. Made the sauce. Fried onion and carrots for about 5 minutes. Added the veg also leftover chicken from roast chicken yesterday. Put in pie dish. Topped with mashed potatoes. A few knobs of butter on the potatoes. Cooked in oven for about 10 mins then under grill for about 6 mins. Served with cabbage.
Wendy Faulkner says
Thank you. I'm so glad the white sauce worked well in your delicious-sounding chicken and veg pie:) There's also a turkey cobbler on cinnamonandkale which sounds quite similar, only a different topping of course.
Christine Cranson says
Used it as a base for cheese sauce for pasta dish.
Wendy Faulkner says
Thank you, good idea!
Chris says
I used to really struggle with white sauce, but this is so easy. Thank you.
Wendy says
My pleasure. Thank you for your comment.