White sauce, also called béchamel, is made by whisking milk into a butter-and-flour roux until it thickens into a smooth, pale, creamy base. It should not be confused with velouté, a similarly pale roux-based sauce made with stock instead of milk, or with cheese-forward sauces like Alfredo. First recorded in France in 1651, béchamel is one of the five French mother sauces and underlies dishes such as lasagna, gratins, croque-monsieur, and soufflés, as well as its own variants: Mornay (with cheese) and soubise (with onion). It is typically seasoned with nutmeg, bay leaf, or a touch of garlic, and pairs well with pasta, vegetables, and mild proteins like chicken and fish.