If you’ve ever wanted silkier sauces, glossy gravies, or deeply flavored mac & cheese, learning how to make a roux is the key. This simple roux recipe mixes fat and flour – a classic French technique with culinary superpowers.
Making roux feels a bit like kitchen alchemy. Depending on what fat you use or how much you cook it, it becomes so different – such versatility from such a simple mixture! I’ll show you what I mean in this article of How to Make a Roux.
What is Roux?
Roux (pronounced “roo”) is a cooked mixture of fat and flour. It thickens liquids like stock or milk and adds a level of umami, or flavor. The longer you cook it, the darker it becomes and the less thickening power it has, but the more toasty, nutty depth you gain.
Best Fats to Use
Now, depending on the fat you use, the end product will turn out different too.
- Butter (unsalted): It’s a classic – great for white/blond
- Oil (neutral or peanut): These have higher smoke points and are ideal for brown/dark
- Bacon grease/duck fat: Adds savory depth for gravies, gumbos, and étouffées
- Beef Tallow: Perfect for making richer, beefy-depth foods, like gravies, onion or mushroom sauces
Key Elements Of This Recipe
- Unsalted Butter: One of the key ingredients for roux is fat – in this recipe, we use unsalted butter to add the nutty umami flavor in our roux.
- All-Purpose Flour: The second ingredient in roux-making is all-purpose flour – it helps thicken the mixture.
The Ingredients for this Simple Roux Recipe
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (or 2 Tbsp oil)
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
The Equipment Needed
How to Make a Roux
You’ll be blown away by how simple it is to make this recipe.
First, melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium or medium-low heat. We want to avoid any burning.
Sprinkle in flour while whisking; cook, stirring constantly until the desired color is reached.
Pro Tip: For white, stop at 2-3 minutes; for blond, 4-6 minutes; brown, 12-20; dark, 25-45.
White Roux
Cook for 2-3 minutes. It’s pale in color and has a chalky aroma. It has maximum thickening power. It’s best used for béchamel sauce, cream sauces, like Alfredo sauce, or mac & cheese.
Blond Roux
Cook for 4-6 minutes. It’s light tan in color and is toasty. It has good thickening power and flavor. It’s great for velouté, chicken gravy, pan sauces or even our Lobster Pot Pie!
Brown Roux
Cook for 12-20 minutes. It’s about a peanut-butter brown and has a nutty aroma. It has less thickening power, but great flavor. It’s great for brown or beef gravy and stews.
Dark Roux
Cook for 25-45 minutes. The color is milk-chocolate to mahogany brown and very toasty. It has the least thickening power but maximum flavor. It’s an essential part of gumbo or other Cajun-Creole dishes.
How Will You Roux?
Now that you know how to make a roux, how will you make yours? Try incorporating your new culinary super power, this roux recipe into your next dish!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted butter, (or other oil/fat)
- 3 Tbsp All-purpose flour
Instructions
- First, melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium or medium-low heat. We want to avoid any burning.
- Sprinkle in flour while whisking; cook, stirring constantly until the desired color is reached.
- Pro Tip: For white roux, stop at 2-3 minutes; for blond, 4-6 minutes; brown, 12-20; dark, 25-45.
Notes
- White roux: 2-3 minutes
- Blond roux: 4-6 minutes
- Brown roux: 12-20 minutes
- Dark roux: 25-45 minutes
FAQ
What is a roux?
Roux (pronounced “roo”) is a cooked mixture of fat and flour. It thickens liquids like stock or milk and adds a level of umami, or flavor. It’s commonly used in sauces, gravy, stew, and so much more!
How do you make a roux?
First, melt butter or another type of fat in a medium sauce pan over medium or medium-low heat. Then, sprinkle in flour while whisking; cook, stirring constantly until the desired color is reached. That’s it!
How do you make a roux for gravy?
Start with a fat, such as butter or oil, letting it melt over medium to medium-low heat and mix in flour. From there, you add liquid like cream or stock depending on what gravy you’re making.
