How to Make a Roux

Making a brown roux in a stainless-steel pan and stirring with a wooden spoon.

5 from 1 vote

Roux is the backbone of the mother sauces, proper gravies, and a real gumbo. Two ingredients, equal parts by weight, cooked to one of four stages. This step-by-step guide gives you the technique, the visual cues, and the chef tips to nail it every time.

Prep Time2

Course: sauces, Soups

Cuisine: French

Servings: cup

Calories: 1226kcal

Author: Mike Cleavenger

Ingredients

4 ounces unsalted butter (114g)
4 ounces all-purpose flour (114g)

Instructions

Melt the butter. In a heavy bottom pan (to prevent scorching) heat the butter or fat over a medium heat.
Add the flour. Add all the flour and stir to form a paste. Cook the paste over medium-low heat until the desired color is achieved.
White Roux: Cook for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat until it develops a frothy, bubbly appearance.
Blonde Roux: Cook for 5-7 minutes over medium-low heat until it develops a peanut color and smells slightly nutty.
Brown Roux: Cook for 10-15 minutes over medium-low heat until it reaches a milk chocolate brown and smell rich and nutty.
Dark Roux: Cook for 30-35 minutes over medium-low heat until it reaches a dark chocolate color and smoky and nutty aroma.

Notes

Always measure by weight, not volume — 1 oz butter to 1 oz flour.
Cook out the raw flour — white roux needs a minimum of 2–3 minutes. If it still smells like raw dough, it's not done. This is the #1 reason béchamel tastes floury.
Darker roux = more flavor, less thickening power — the extended cooking time builds flavor while reducing the thickening power.
Add warm liquid to hot roux — cold liquid hitting a hot roux causes lumps. Ladle it in gradually and whisk as you go.
Switch your fat as you go darker — whole butter burns before you reach brown or dark. Use clarified butter or a neutral oil for anything past blonde.

Nutrition