White Sauce with Ghee: A Small Roux without Lumps
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By Faimly Farm · 17 October 2026
You can make white sauce with ghee by gently cooking flour in the fat, then whisking in milk in small additions until smooth. This flour-and-fat base is called a roux. Keep it pale for a white sauce rather than browning it like a dark sauce base.
This small batch makes roughly 250 mL of sauce, depending on simmering. Allow about 15 minutes. It is a milk-and-wheat recipe, not dairy-free or gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 15 g ghee
- 15 g plain wheat flour
- 250 mL milk, plus a little extra if needed
- Salt and white or black pepper to taste
- A small pinch of nutmeg, optional
Use a small heavy saucepan and a whisk that reaches the corners. Measure the flour and milk before heating, because the first liquid additions need your attention.
Method
- Melt the ghee over low to medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir until no dry pockets remain.
- Cook gently for around 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously. Keep the mixture pale and avoid a burnt smell.
- Take the pan off the heat. Add a small splash of milk and whisk into a smooth paste. Add another splash, whisk again, then gradually work in the remaining milk.
- Return to gentle heat and stir as the sauce thickens. Bring to a gentle simmer, not a fierce boil, and cook for several minutes while stirring the base.
- Check the texture. Add a little extra milk if too thick, then heat through again. Season near the end and use promptly.
Read the sauce before making a correction
A thick smooth paste after the first splash is normal; continue adding milk gradually. Dry lumps surrounded by liquid suggest that flour was not dispersed or milk went in faster than you could whisk. Remove from the heat and whisk thoroughly before continuing. A sieve can help with persistent small lumps, but it will not remove a burnt flavour.
If the sauce thickens more as it stands, stir in a small measured amount of milk over gentle heat. If it is thin, allow it to simmer gently before deciding it needs extra thickener. Do not sprinkle raw flour straight into the finished sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Can I replace butter with ghee?
Yes for this measured formula. It does not establish a universal substitution rule for every sauce or baked dish.
Why did the base turn brown?
The heat was too high or the roux cooked too long for a pale sauce. Reduce the heat and stir continuously next time.
Can I add cheese?
That creates a different finish. Remove from strong heat and add grated cheese gradually; adjust salt afterward.
For leftovers, refrigerate within two hours and use within 48 hours or freeze. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.
Food-safety reference checked 17 October 2026: Food Standards Agency: Cooking Your Food.
Related guides
For the broader checklist, read The Complete Guide to Cooking with A2 Ghee. Continue with Ghee in Cake Batter: Planning a Small Substitution Trial and Ghee Croutons: Crisp Bread Cubes for Soup and Salad.
Current product information is available on the Faimly Farm Organica A2 Cow Ghee Bilona Churned page. Check the selected pack's information rather than relying on an old screenshot.
Prepared with AI assistance. Recipe not independently kitchen-tested by Faimly Farm; adjust to your ingredients and equipment. Featured banner: AI-generated editorial illustration, not a photograph of a tested result or an actual customer delivery.
If you want a pasta coating without a flour-and-milk sauce, try Garlic Pasta with Ghee: Use Pasta Water for a Light Coating.