How to Make a Roux (Video + Recipe)
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.
Servings: 1 cup
Calories: 1226kcal
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.
Video
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.