Roux Recipe

Our guide on How to Make a Roux will teach you how to make the perfect starter for all of your favorite gravy recipes, cheese sauces, and more. If you need the perfect roux recipe, you found it!

A roux (pronounced “roo”) is a mixture of flour and fat, such as butter or meat drippings, used to create a base for thick sauces, gravies, and even gumbo recipes.

A roux is a perfect thickening agent for Instant Pot Recipes. It is especially delicious when used with sausage. Our Instant Pot Biscuits and gravy recipe are just amazing!

There are four types of roux you can make: white roux, blond roux, brown roux, and dry roux.

The only difference between them is how long each one is allowed to cook, with the exception of a dry roux. Here’s how to make a roux four ways:

All you need to make a perfect roux for gravy, mac and cheese, gumbo, and more, is butter and flour.

If you happen to have bacon fat or meat drippings on hand (like from making roast beef or steak), those will work, too!

The ratio of flour to butter in a roux is 1:1. For example, if you use 4 tablespoons of butter, you would use 4 tablespoons (or ¼ cup) of flour.

You can make a wide variety of dishes once you know how to make a roux, depending on what type you’re making (white, blond, or brown roux).

In particular, in French cooking, a roux serves as the base for three of what are known as the “mother sauces”:

Almost all macaroni and cheese recipes start with a roux! Try some of our favorite homemade mac and cheese recipes:

What are your favorite dishes to make using this roux recipe? We would love to hear from you! Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know what you think!

How To Make a Roux

A simple step-by-step recipe for making a roux.

Total: 720sec

Serving Size: Serves 4

Nutrition Facts: Saturated Fat 7.3 g, unSaturated Fat 0.0 g, Carbohydrate 11.9 g, Sugar 0.1 g, servingSize Serves 4, Protein 1.7 g, Fat 11.7 g, calories 158 cal, Sodium 1.9 mg, Fiber 0.4 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Instruction:

1. Melt the butter. Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large regular or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Add the flour. As soon as the butter is melted, add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and immediately stir with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight motion until the flour has completely absorbed all of the butter, 30 seconds to 1 minute. There should be no dry pockets of flour left in the mixture.
3. Cook the flour. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth, slightly thickened, and small bubbles begin forming, 30 seconds to 1 minute. The roux should smell nutty and there should be no unincorporated flour left. If any lumps of flour remain, break them up with the spoon.
4. Cook to the desired color. At this point, you have a white roux that is perfect for using in light sauces such as béchamel. For a blonde roux (which can be used interchangeably with a white roux but has a slightly nutty flavor), continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the roux is a pale golden color, 3 to 4 minutes. For a brown roux (most commonly used to thicken gumbo), cook until the roux is dark brown and very fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes.

How to Make a Roux (Easy Roux Recipe)

With this easy roux recipe, learn how to make a roux from a light blonde roux to a rich, dark chocolate brown roux for soups, gumbos, sauces and more.

Prep: 5min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 296 kcal, Carbohydrate 12 g, Protein 2 g, Fat 27 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Sodium 1 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• ½ cup peanut oil or vegetable oil
• ½ cup flour

Instruction:

1. Add ½ cup peanut oil to a large pot and heat to medium heat. Add flour and stir.
2. Cook for 10 minutes, constantly stirring, until the roux lightly browns to a blonde roux, or continue stirring and cooking for up to 30 minutes for a roux the color of chocolate. The roux will darken as you stir, from very light brown to copper or peanut butter brown, then then to light chocolate, then dark chocolate, then very, very dark brown.

Roux

A simple roux for everything from sauces, gravy and macaroni and cheese to gumbo and cajun dishes.

Prep: 1min

Total: 31min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 304 kcal, Carbohydrate 12 g, Protein 2 g, Fat 28 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Sodium 1 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fat: oil, butter, lard, meat drippings, ghee
• 1/2 cup flour

Instruction:

1. White roux: In a small heavy saucepan melt fat over medium heat. Add flour, whisking to incorporate fully, and stir for 2-5 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and foamy.
2. For Blonde Roux: Continue cooking and stirring for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture turns a light caramel or peanut butter color.
3. For Brown Roux: In order to avoid burning your roux, turn down the heat to medium-low and keep stirring. You’ll need to keep cooking for an additional 5-15 minutes. For a total of (15-25 minutes). The roux will take on a nutty aroma when it’s done and turn a milk chocolate brown.
4. For Dark Roux: Continue cooking and stirring for an additional 20+ minutes, or until the roux is a dark chocolate color. Be careful not to burn it! If it smells burned at all, you need to start over.

How to Make a Roux

Learn How to Make a Roux to use in recipes like beef gravy, cheese sauce, béchamel sauce, and more! This easy roux recipe works every time.

Total: 5min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 521 kcal, Carbohydrate 24 g, Protein 4 g, Fat 46 g, Saturated Fat 29 g, Trans Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 122 mg, Sodium 7 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup butter (or fat drippings)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Instruction:

1. In a pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour.
2. Cook until combined and the mixture starts to thicken and bubble, about 3-5 minutes. If making a blond roux, cook for about 10 minutes and stir as necessary to keep from burning.If making a brown roux, cook for up to 30 minutes and stir frequently to keep the roux from burning.

How to Make a Roux Like a Pro | Food Network

FAQ

What is the ratio for a roux?

What are the 3 ingredients in a roux?

What is the basic formula for roux?

What is the secret to making a good roux?

1. Use a Heavy Bottomed Pot. Using a heavy bottomed pot will help prevent your roux from burning. …
2. Cook over Low or Medium heat. Never high. …
3. Whisk and Watch Constantly. I usually whisk my roux at the beginning and then change to a wooden spoon with a flat edge. …
4. Be patient. …
5. Make it Ahead of Time.