Are you asking yourself what a Mornay sauce is? It’s a fancy French béchamel cream sauce that’s made with Gruyère cheese. The French are famous for their cream sauces and this one is absolutely delectable! Don’t let the thought of making a béchamel sauce scare you away from trying this delicious dish. It’s actually quite easy to make this sauce and you’ll be licking your plate to get every last drop of it. Keep reading to learn the easy to do steps for making this Mornay sauce. You can use any type of pasta you have on hand. I’m a Gnocchi loving fool so that’s what I used. I adore those soft, pillowy bites of dough cloaked in this rich creamy sauce. Linguine or fettuccini would also be delicious if that’s what you have on hand, and shells would also work beautifully. Shells would hold little pools of the delectable sauce…oh my, that sounds lovely doesn’t it? Scooping up little pools of creamy cheese sauce with every bite? Get in my mouth NOW!
Gruyère cheese is known for its rich, creamy, salty, and nutty flavor, with a pronounced creaminess and nuttiness. Older aged Gruyère has an earthiness that is a bit more complex.
Grate Gruyère cheese. Set aside.
Cook pasta of choice according to package directions. Drain.
While the pasta cooks, melt butter over medium heat, in a large skillet.
Sprinkle flour into the pan and whisk together with the butter.
Cook, whisking constantly for about 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste and make a roux. Do not allow flour to brown.
Slowly pour milk into the skillet, whisking it into the roux.
Continue to whisk until all the lumps are gone and you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
Bring the sauce to a low simmer whisking frequently.
Continue to simmer until sauce thickens slightly, and your’e tempted to slurp it up. But wait! There’s more…
Turn off the heat and add the grated Gruyère cheese.
Whisk the cheese into the cream sauce stirring until cheese has completely melted into the sauce. The residual heat of the cream sauce will melt the cheese.
Season the sauce with salt and coarsely ground, black pepper.
For the best flavor, add freshly grated nutmeg. There are so few ingredients in this easy to make sauce so you want to use the best quality ingredients you can get your hands on.
Stir to combine everything together.
Toss together the cooked, drained pasta of choice with the sauce.
Serve immediately garnished with freshly ground black pepper if desired.
Round out the meal and serve with a tart, crisp green salad and Freshly baked French bread.
This dish is rich, decadent, and creamy, made with real butter, whole milk, and real cheese. There’s nothing low fat about this. It is definitely not diet food! But that’s why it tastes so freaking good! I recommend pairing it with a light, crisp green salad like this one. This Rockin’ Good Rocket Salad is one of our favorites, with its acidic, citrus dressing it’s the perfect bright, tangy contrast to this rich, creamy pasta dish.
If you’re feeling especially ambitious, try your hand at baking this easy to make Rosemary, Garlic Artisanal Boule. It’s a yeast dough that comes together quickly, perfect if you’re just starting out on your bread baking journey. The fresh rosemary and garlic compliments the creamy Mornay pasta sauce beautifully, and serves as the perfect edible utensil for mopping up every last drop of the delectable sauce on your plate.
If you’ve ever made a roux to make Mac & Cheese you have the skill set needed to easily make this delectable French version. This is my personal favorite American version; my Tante Elizabeth’s Classic, Oven Baked, Macaroni & Cheese. Same principle, making a roux with butter and flour, then adding milk and sharp cheddar cheese to the sauce instead of Gruyère cheese. Stir the sauce together with cooked pasta and finish it by baking it in the oven for one of the best Mac & Cheese casseroles you will ever eat! Yes it’s that good! GUARANTEED!
OMG! This meal was so freaking good! It took about 20 minutes to get dinner on the table and everyone literally licked their plates clean. This sauce is absolutely AMAZING! The French really know what they’re doing when it comes to sauces!!! Don’t let the thought of making a fancy French sauce intimidate you and stop you from making this delectably, creamy and delightful sauce. It calls for just 6 ingredients and comes together in just a few short minutes. If you follow the steps above you won’t mess it up…I promise!
You are going to be pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy it is to serve up a fancy French meal. Whether you serve this sauce with your favorite pasta, spooned over roasted veggies like asparagus, or with tender, flakey, grilled white fish or grilled chicken, I guarantee, you won’t get any complaints. Maybe a few grumbles as they unbutton the top button of their pants but that’s their problem not yours…right?
I have to say, this post pretty much includes all my very favorite recipes; this Gnocchi in a Mornay Sauce, Rockin’ Good Rocket Salad, Rosemary Garlic Bread and My Tante Elizabeth’s Mac & Cheese. I’m gonna be busy in the kitchen for the next few days, and it looks like I’m going to need more stretchy pants…LOL!
Classic French Mornay Sauce
Equipment
- whisk
- cheese grater
Ingredients
- (2) 16 oz packages Gnocchi, cooked according to package directions
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 5 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
Instructions
- Cook pasta of choice according to package directions. Drain.
- Grate Gruyère cheese. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
- Sprinkle flour into the pan and whisk with the butter.
- Cook, whisking constantly for about 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste and make a roux. Do not allow flour to brown.
- Slowly pour milk into the skillet, whisking it into the roux.
- Continue to whisk until all the lumps are gone and you have a smooth sauce.
- Bring sauce to a low simmer. Continue to simmer until sauce thickens slightly, whisking frequently as it simmers.
- Turn off that and add grated Gruyère cheese. Whisk the cheese into the cream sauce stirring until cheese has completely melted into the sauce.
- Season with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Stir to combine.
- Toss together cooked pasta and the sauce.
- Serve immediately garnished with freshly ground black pepper if desired.
- Round out the meal and serve with a tart, crisp green salad and Freshly baked French bread.
Did You Make This?
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Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
John 6:35
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