3 Minute Microwave White Gravy {Béchamel Sauce}

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This Microwave White Gravy is a very versatile recipe that can be turned into so many meals. It’s often called béchamel sauce, which is a white roux made with butter, flour and then milk.

updated 12/18/2023

3 Minute Microwave White Gravy {Béchamel Sauce} | Just Microwave It (1)

You can use it for so many things and add additional ingredients to flavor it. Best of all it takes about 3 minutes in the microwave from start to finish.

Table of Contents

Ingredients to make Cream Gravy in the Microwave

1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup of milk (OR Half and Half OR 1/2 cup milk & 1/2 cup cream)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste

I make this recipe every time I make cornflake chicken for my family. I really like how it comes out when I use cream. If you substitute 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup of milk instead of all milk.

What can you do with white gravy / bechamel sauce?

Use it as a gravy for chicken strips, chicken fried steak, or mashed potatoes.
Extra pepper and crumbled sausage can turn this into the perfect gravy for biscuits and gravy.
With roasted garlic and parmesan and use it as an alfredo pasta sauce.
Add shredded cheddar or colby cheese to make a cheese sauce for macaroni and cheese or as a sauce over veggies like broccoli.
Add a dash of jalapeno juice to the cheese version of this sauce and turn it into queso cheese sauce for nachos, enchiladas, and more.

3 Minute Microwave White Gravy {Béchamel Sauce} | Just Microwave It (2)

How do you make Microwave White Gravy?

This recipe will take less than 5 minutes. I make this in my 1000-watt microwave all the time for a quick dipping sauce for cornflake chicken nights.

Start with 1 tablespoon of butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt it for 15-30 seconds in the microwave on HIGH.

Once the butter is melted, whisk it with 1 tablespoon of flour. Then, microwave the flour mixture for an additional 15-20 seconds on HIGH.

Next, add the cup of milk and whisk until there are no lumps. I prefer to use whole milk when making gravy or even half and half. I think it makes a richer, thicker gravy.

Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds to 1 minute increments. After some trial and error, I found 1-minute increments worked best for my 1000-watt microwave. You need the mixture to start to bubble in order to thicken and turn into the gravy.

I found when only doing 30-second increments my mixture was not thickening. But, when using the 1- minute increments, the gravy thickened right at the 3- minute time.

When you are satisfied with the thickness, add the pepper and salt to taste. Gravy sucks up salt, so you might need to add more than you think. I tend to add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, but my husband frequently adds more when he dishes the gravy up for himself.

Is the gravy still runny and not thickening?

If this is the case, you can try a few things.

Try microwaving it for 1 minute 15 seconds or 1 minutes 30 seconds at a time and checking. You should see some evidence of thickening with this method.
If it’s still not thickening, whisk in 1 teaspoon more of flour until the mixture is smooth and then try microwaving in increments again. This should work to thicken it.
Also as it cools the gravy will thicken a bit more and form a skin, so if it’s starting to thicken in the microwave and it’s just not quite “there,” try letting it cool to thicken more.

Recipes for your Microwave White Gravy

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How to make Microwave Mac and Cheese

Yield: 1 cup of sauce

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 4 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter for 15-30 seconds.
Whisk in the flour and microwave for 15-20 more seconds.
Whisk in the milk until there are no lumps.
Microwave in 45 second to 1 minute increments, stirring after each time.
It should thicken after 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the pepper and add the salt to taste.

Notes

This recipe is based on a 1000-watt microwave. You may need to microwave additional time or less time depending on your wattage.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

2 tablespoons
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 32Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 100mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g

Any nutritional information on justmicrowaveit.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate.

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3 Minute Microwave White Gravy {Béchamel Sauce} | Just Microwave It (2024)