This homemade white sauce recipe is super easy to make and is useful for enhancing all kinds of meals. This white sauce is easily adaptable for various recipes and we have included easy dinner recipes and tips for great ways to use the white sauce!
White sauce and white gravy are essentially the same thing, so you can use it for biscuits and gravy or as a sauce for many main dish and breakfast recipes. Read on to find some easy meal ideas you can make with it!
This is the white sauce recipe that grandma used to make when she made biscuits and sausage gravy or hamburger gravy on toast. This classic dish is easy to make and it’s actually pretty nutritious.
Easy White Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
dash salt
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
Instructions
- In a covered jar, combine the milk, flour and salt. Shake well until fully dissolved.
- Melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat
- Stir in the flour-milk mixture.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble. Continue stirring until smooth and fully thickened.
This recipe makes 1 cup (equivalent to 1 can of cream soup) and can easily be doubled or tripled as needed.
Notes
This is the same white sauce recipe that Grandma used when she made biscuits and sausage gravy or classic hamburger gravy on toast.
You can find this recipe in our Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1.
White Sauce Variations:
Chicken Sauce
- Omit the salt.
- Substitute cold chicken stock in place of the milk.
Cheese Sauce
- Add ½ cup of processed cheese cubes (Velveeta) or shredded Cheddar cheese to the white sauce.
- Heat over low heat, stirring until all the cheese is melted.
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Here are some tips to use white sauce and you’ll find easy recipes below!
How To Use White Sauce – Tips And Ideas
White sauce, also known as white gravy, is super easy to make and a great way to stretch meals, especially when you’re looking to make the most of meat. (Basically, white sauce is just an unflavored gravy.) Below are some creative ways to use homemade white sauce, turning simple ingredients into delicious meals while often utilizing leftovers at the same time!
Ideas for Using White Sauce:
Add to White Sauce:
- Hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- Canned tuna and/or frozen peas
- Ham
- Dried beef
- Fried hamburger
Serve White Sauce on Toast:
- Top with any of the above options for a hearty, flavorful meal.
Make White Gravy:
- Mix with fried sausage and serve over warm biscuits for a classic breakfast dish.
Use White Sauce as a Side with:
- Cubed, cooked potatoes with melted American cheese
- Cooked broccoli with a sprinkle of cheese
- Cooked cauliflower with cheese
- Macaroni and cheese: Mix cooked macaroni and cheese into white sauce, then bake until bubbly and golden.
Use White Sauce as a Base for:
- Chicken pot pies
- Casseroles – It’s the perfect creamy base to bind everything together.
This white sauce recipe is my preferred recipe because I can usually find regular milk on sale, and I personally prefer it over dry milk.
As a side, serve white sauce with:
Easy Recipes That Use White Sauce
This easy meatballs with mushroom gravy recipe combines savory meatballs with a rich mushroom gravy. Add a vegetable on the side, and you’ve got a quick, easy, and delicious home-cooked meal that’s perfect for busy nights!
Meatballs With Mushroom Gravy Recipe with White Sauce
- Yield: About 40 meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup bread crumbs (dry)
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Mushroom Gravy
1 cup white sauce
1 small can mushrooms, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Mix all ingredients together and form into small balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. (I form mine in a teaspoon.)
- Bake for 10 -13 minutes.
How to make the white mushroom gravy:
- Lower oven temperature to 300°.
- Whisk the white sauce and mushrooms together.
- Pour over the cooked meatballs.
- Bake for about an hour at 300°.
- Serve over mashed potatoes.
Notes
I have also made this with cheddar cheese soup. Just as good, only a different taste.
This golden morning sunshine recipe is a quick and tasty breakfast recipe! You can make it any time but since it’s also a great way to use hard boiled eggs, it’s an especially good way to use all those colored eggs from Easter and have a tasty breakfast or dinner! You can find this recipe in our Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1.
Golden Morning Sunshine Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups white sauce
4 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
Instructions
- Make the white sauce.
- Once the white sauce has thickened, add eggs.
- Serve on toast.
(You can use more or less white sauce and eggs to taste.)
This sausage stroganoff recipe makes a creamy home cooked dinner that’s hearty and delicious!
Sausage Stroganoff Recipe
This easy sausage stroganoff is a rich and creamy comfort food classic! Made with savory sausage, tender pasta, and a flavorful white sauce, it’s the perfect hearty dinner for busy nights. Ready in no time, this budget-friendly dish delivers big flavors with simple ingredients—making it a family favorite you’ll want to make again and again!
- Yield: Serves 5-6
Ingredients
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 cup onion, chopped
2 1/2 oz. jar sliced mushrooms, undrained
1 1/2 cups white sauce
1 1/2 cups potatoes, cooked, cubed
1 cup sour cream
10 oz. can buttermilk biscuits
1 cup peas, cooked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, cook the sausage and onion over medium heat until browned. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the mushrooms.
- Over low heat, slowly add the white sauce, stirring constantly.
- Add the potatoes and heat until the mixture is bubbling.
- Stir in the sour cream.
- Arrange the 10 biscuits around the outer edge of the skillet, then spoon the peas into the center.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.
This crockpot salisbury steak recipe is an easy comfort food recipe your family is sure to love! Why pay so much for it at a restaurant when you can make it at home fast and save. It’s quick to put together and then you can let it cook in the crockpot until you’re ready to serve!
For this recipe, you can start with white sauce and adapt to make the brown gravy.
Crockpot Salisbury Steak Recipe with White Sauce
Ingredients
2 lbs. ground beef
1 pkg. onion mushroom soup mix (If you can’t find it, then onion soup mix will work too.)
1/2 cup saltine crackers, crushed
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups white sauce
1 pkg. brown gravy mix, prepared according to package directions.**
Instructions
- Mix the first 5 ingredients and shape into 8 patties.
- Pour vegetable oil into the frying pan
- Dredge the patties on both sides with the flour*.
- Brown in the hot oil on both sides.
- Place the patties in a crockpot. They can overlap.
- Combine the white sauce and mixed gravy. Pour over the patties.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours, until the patties are cooked through.
Notes
*I just pour the flour onto a plate, lay the patty in it and dredge on each side.
**You could replace the gravy mix with about 1 cup leftover roast gravy.
This easy ham and noodles recipe is a quick and easy recipe that kids and families love! It’s a great way to use leftover ham! Keep some ham in the freezer just to use for easy recipes like this and it’ll be even quicker!
Easy Ham And Noodles Recipe (White Sauce Version)
This easy ham and noodle casserole is a quick, family-friendly dinner that kids love! With just 5 minutes of prep, you can have a warm, comforting meal on the table without the hassle. Perfect for busy nights, this creamy, cheesy dish is a delicious way to use up leftover ham!
Ingredients
1 (8 oz.) pkg. egg noodles or pasta, cooked
1/2 lb. ham, chopped
1 1/2 cups white sauce
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon powder
1 Tbsp. onion flakes or 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Mix white sauce, bouillon powder, and, onion flakes.
- Place cooked past and ham into a casserole dish and pour the white sauce mixture on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until warmed.
- Top with cheese.
- Bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
This easy crockpot meatball soup recipe makes a hearty meal great for busy days! Your family will love this comfort food recipe and you won’t have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen! Win-Win!
Easy Crockpot Meatball Soup Recipe
This easy crockpot meatball soup is a hearty, comforting meal that’s perfect for busy days! It’s a family favorite that requires minimal effort. Just toss everything in the slow cooker, let it simmer, and enjoy a warm, satisfying dinner without spending hours in the kitchen. A true set-it-and-forget-it recipe for busy nights!
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 (16 oz.) pkg. fresh baby carrots, quartered
1 large onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, sliced
1 (12 oz.) pkg. frozen cooked meatballs
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can tomato soup, undiluted
1 cup water
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can beef gravy or 1 cup white sauce with 1 packet gravy mix
1 envelope onion soup mix
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
Instructions
- Layer the potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, and meatballs in a 5-quart slow cooker.
- In a bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together.
- Pour over the meatballs and vegetables.
- Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or until the vegetables are tender.
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the vegetables based on what you have on hand—add an extra potato, reduce the carrots, or swap in other favorites like green beans or bell peppers.
- Save leftover gravy! Gravy freezes well, so next time you have an extra cup or two, freeze it for a quick and easy addition to this recipe.
This creamy chicken recipe is an easy dinner recipe that you can make in the oven or the crockpot. Serve over rice, potatoes or your choice of vegetables. It takes just a few minutes to make and everyone will love it!
Easy Creamy Chicken Recipe
This creamy chicken recipe is a simple, delicious dinner you can make in the oven or crockpot with minimal effort! Tender boneless chicken breasts are smothered in a rich, velvety white sauce with optional mushrooms for extra flavor. Serve it over rice, potatoes, or your favorite vegetables for a comforting meal the whole family will love. Ready in minutes, this easy recipe is perfect for busy nights!
Ingredients
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup white sauce
1 can small chopped mushrooms (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°.
- Pour white sauce over chicken breasts.
- Bake, covered with foil, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve over rice and or cooked vegetables.
Crockpot Directions:
You can also make this easy dinner recipe in the crockpot: Just dump everything in and cook for 4-6 hours on low.
This chicken fried steak recipe is quick and easy and so delicious that your family is sure to love it! Save on your food bill with this inexpensive recipe, which costs dramatically less than the restaurant version!
Easy Chicken Fried Steak Recipe
This easy chicken fried steak recipe makes crispy, tender, chicken fried steak that is packed with flavor—just like your favorite restaurant version! Quick and easy to make, it’s the ultimate comfort food your family will love. Serve it with creamy gravy for a hearty, satisfying meal that’s perfect for any night of the week!
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef (You can use pre-made patties.)
1/4 cup milk, place in shallow bowl
1/4 -1/2 cup all-purpose flour, place on plate
1 egg, whipped with a fork and placed in a shallow bowl
1/2 -3/4 of a tube of crackers, crushed, place on plate
2 cups white sauce
Instructions
- Form ground beef into 5-6 patties.
- Heat a frying pan with a little oil.
- Dip each patty into milk, then flour, then egg and last of all crackers.
- Place in the hot frying pan.
- Season with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder.
- Turn down the heat and fry on one side. Then flip to other side.
The ground beef is done when the juices run clear.
Top with White Sauce. Add extra pepper if desired.
This chicken supreme recipe makes a hearty casserole that is a great way to use leftover chicken or hard boiled eggs. It’s a nice variation that will please your family or guests!
Easy Chicken Supreme Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups chicken, cooked and diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup rice, cooked
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms
1 cup celery, diced
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. onion, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup white sauce
1 cup Ritz crackers or corn flakes, crumbled
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Mix everything but the cracker crumbs and butter.
- Pour into a 2 quart greased baking dish.
- Mix cracker crumbs and butter and sprinkle on top of casserole.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until heated through and bubbly.
This easy ham and potatoes recipe makes a tasty one dish meal that’s quick and easy to make. This is a hearty classic favorite comfort food that’s sure to please!
Easy Ham and Potatoes Recipe
This easy ham and potatoes recipe is perfect for busy days! Layers of tender potatoes, savory ham, melted cheddar cheese, and onions are smothered in a creamy white sauce for a comforting, no-fuss dinner. Just set it and forget it—let your slow cooker do the work while you enjoy a delicious, home-cooked meal with minimal effort. Add mushrooms for extra flavor, and serve it up warm for a satisfying dish the whole family will love!
Ingredients
6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 -1 lb. ham, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup white sauce (or 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup)
1 small can mushrooms, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a crockpot, layer the potatoes first, followed by some cheese, diced ham, and chopped onions.
- Repeat the layers until the ingredients reach about 3 inches from the top.
- Pour the white sauce and mushrooms evenly over the top.
- Cover and cook on low for several hours, or until the potatoes are tender and the flavors are blended.
This chicken pot pie recipe is a delicious one dish meal that’s quick and easy to make. This is a great way to use chicken leftovers or use turkey instead of chicken and save even more money on this classic favorite!
Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
- Yield: Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 2/3 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 1/2 cups chicken or turkey, cooked and cubed
1 cup white sauce
1/4 tsp. thyme, dried
1 cup biscuit mix*
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- In a large bowl, mix the vegetables, chicken, soup, and thyme until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into an ungreased 9-inch pie pan.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the biscuit mix, milk, and egg until smooth.
- Pour the batter evenly over the chicken mixture.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
*Shortcut Tip: For an even quicker and easier version, skip the biscuit mix and top the chicken mixture with canned biscuits or crescent rolls before baking!
This Mexican cheese casserole recipe is a quick and easy meal your family is sure to love! It only takes a few minutes to toss together and you can easily adapt this to your own family’s preferences.
Mexican Cheese Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 to 1 lb. hamburger
1 cup white sauce
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 small can of green chilies, chopped
8 to 16 oz. of cheese, grated*
12 corn tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°.
- In a skillet, cook the ground beef until browned, then drain the excess grease.
- Stir in the white sauce, tomato sauce, and chilies, mixing well.
- In a casserole dish or baking pan, layer the tortillas, meat mixture, and cheese.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes.
Notes
This recipe is very flexible! Adjust the amount of beef and cheese based on what you have on hand. Cheddar works great, but you can also use Monterey Jack, a Mexican cheese blend, or any combination you like.
This easy scalloped potatoes recipe makes a super yummy potato side dish to serve alongside your favorite ham or chicken dinner! It’s super cheesy and delicious!
Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
This easy scalloped potatoes recipe is the ultimate creamy, cheesy comfort food! Made with tender, thinly sliced potatoes layered in a rich, velvety sauce, it’s the perfect side dish to complement ham, chicken, or any family dinner. With its golden, bubbly top and irresistible cheesy flavor, this dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any meal or holiday gathering!
Ingredients
Potatoes
4 cups white sauce
Salt and pepper – (You can salt and pepper to taste. I start with 1 tsp., taste and then add another tsp. if needed. The potatoes will take a lot.)
Several slices of American cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Peel and thinly slice enough potatoes to fill the dish about an inch from the top.
- Layer slices of American cheese on top of the potatoes.
- Pour half of the white sauce evenly over the layers.
- Add salt and and another layer of American cheese.
- Pour the remaining white sauce over the top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Remove the foil and bake uncovered for a few more minutes until the top is lightly golden.
Notes
You can use grated cheddar cheese if you prefer, but American cheese melts more smoothly and creates a creamier texture for these delicious scalloped potatoes!
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Easy St. Patrick’s Day Recipes And Themed Food!
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