Ready to take your cooking to the next level with a classic roux recipe?
This simple technique is a real game-changer, adding a rich, creamy base to everything from sauces to soups and gravies.
Check out our cooking & baking tips for more easy ways to boost your kitchen skills!
Whether you’re making comfort food favorites or trying new recipes, mastering a roux opens up endless possibilities in the kitchen.
Just whisk together equal parts flour and fat, and you’ll be creating velvety, flavorful dishes that everyone will love.
What is a Roux?
A homemade roux is a mixture of equal parts of fat (usually butter, bacon grease or chicken stock) and all purpose flour that is cooked together to create a thickening agent for sauces, soup recipes, and gravies. It’s a common technique used in many classic recipes. The longer the roux cooks, the more flavor it develops, making it a versatile ingredient in a wide range of dishes.
What’s the difference between Roux vs. Gravy?
Roux is a thickening agent made from equal parts flour and fat (like butter or oil) that is cooked together to achieve varying colors and flavors, serving as a base for thickening sauces, soups, and stews.
In contrast, gravy is a sauce typically made from meat drippings, often combined with a thickening agent like roux, cornstarch, or flour. Gravy is commonly used as a topping for meats, mashed potatoes, or biscuits and can vary in flavor based on the ingredients used, such as broth or drippings from roasted meat.
In essence, while roux is a foundational component, gravy is the finished sauce that may incorporate roux as one of its elements.
How to Make a Roux
To make a roux, melt unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then gradually whisk in flour until smooth.
Stir continuously, cooking for different times based on the desired roux:
- For a white roux (used in white sauces like béchamel), cook for just a minute until it forms a paste and loses its raw flour taste.
- For a blonde roux (used in gravies or soups), cook a little longer about 4-5 minutes until it turns a light golden color.
- For a dark roux (common in Cajun or Creole dishes), cook until it becomes a rich, deep brown color, 8-10 minutes, but be careful not to burn it.
You can use the roux right away in your recipe by slowly adding liquid (like broth or milk) while whisking to prevent lumps. If not using immediately, let it cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Can You Freeze Roux?
Yes, freezing is a great way to preserve your roux for future use. Here’s how to do it:
- Allow your roux to cool completely at room temperature.
- If you’ve made a large batch, consider dividing the roux into smaller portions. This makes it easier to thaw only what you need for your recipes later on.
- Transfer the cooled roux into airtight containers or resealable freezer bags.
- Label and date
- Freeze for up to three months.
When you’re ready to use the frozen roux, simply transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. You can also thaw it quickly in the microwave or by placing the container in warm water. Once thawed, you can reheat it gently in a saucepan, adding liquid as needed for your recipes.
How do you use a Roux?
Here are some delicious recipes that use roux:
- Chicken pot pie is made by thickening a creamy filling of chicken and vegetables with a blonde roux before baking it in a pie crust for a hearty meal.
- Mac and cheese is made by creating a white roux, whisking in milk, and melting cheese to form a creamy sauce that coats cooked pasta.
- The dark roux in gumbo gives it the signature rich flavor.
- Béchamel Sauce is a foundation for dishes like lasagna or a creamy gratin.
- Stir broccoli, broth, cream and cheddar into a roux to make Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
- Make a Cheese Sauce for nachos by melting cheddar or pepper jack cheese into your roux.
- Use a roux to make a thick and creamy clam chowder.
- Save sausage drippings to create a roux, then add milk and simmer until thick, creating the perfect sausage gravy to serve over biscuits for a savory breakfast recipe.
- For chicken and dumplings, start by making a roux with butter and flour, then whisk in chicken broth. This forms the base of the thick and creamy soup before adding dumplings.
Roux Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup flour
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt the butter on low heat.
- Whisk in the flour until smooth.
- Bring to a bubble for about 1-2 minutes of cooking, while continuously mixing, until the roux has thickened.
- The next step is to slowly whisk your homemade roux into liquids (like cream, milk or broth) before adding other ingredients like vegetables or proteins if necessary.