This low carb white sauce is super easy to make and is the perfect accompaniment to many meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. A keto, gluten free, and LCHF recipe with video tutorial.
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White sauce, or Bechamel as it is also known, is a classic recipe made from butter, milk and flour. This low carb version is not authentic in the slightest – but it is a great substitute! It has a great mouthfeel and only includes “real” ingredients! No thickeners or anything artificial.
I’ve made a video tutorial to show you just how simple it is to make – so watch this or scroll down for the full instructions and printable recipe card.
Add cream cheese, heavy cream and water to a saucepan. You can use reduced fat or full fat cream cheese – the reduced fat version will result in a slightly carbier sauce. See the recipe notes below for data and read more about the effect that reduced fat versions have on carb count here. Heat over a low heat until the cream cheese has melted.
Place an egg yolk into a small bowl and temper it by adding a small spoonful of the cream mixture into the bowl and mixing well.
Then add the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan. Keep cooking for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste (not shown in the video!!).
This sauce is one of the key elements of my Low Carb Lasagna!
It could also be used in place of the sauce for my Low Carb Moussaka, or simply poured over meat, fish or vegetables. I particular love it with leeks as a special treat – as part of the onion family, leeks aren’t super low in carbs, but aren’t high for a vegetable either. This sauce complements them perfectly!
Just *don’t* be tempted to eat this low carb white sauce by the spoonful – otherwise you might find you have to make another batch – it’s that good! 🙂
This amazing #lowcarb White Sauce takes just minutes to make and uses only three ingredients! #lchf #glutenfree #keto Click To Tweet
Low Carb White Sauce
This low carb white sauce is super easy to make and is the perfect accompaniment to many meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. A keto, gluten free, and LCHF recipe with video tutorial.
Ingredients
- ½ cup cream cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup water
- 1 egg yolk
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the cream cheese, cream and water to a saucepan and cook over a low heat until the cream cheese has melted.
- Temper the egg yolk by adding a little of the cream sauce to it, mixing well, then adding the yolk back into the cream mixture.
- Stir constantly over a low heat for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes
Full fat cream cheese: 2.2g net carbs per serving (as shown in data panel)
Reduced fat cream cheese: 3.1g net carbs per serving
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Lyn Mac says
June 6, 2016 at 2:28 amThis low carb béchamel is fabulous! I made it for the first time yesterday for a lasagne & was so impressed I made it again tonight to serve over asparagus. Tonight I replaced the water element with white wine & added some Swiss cheese. It’s so rich, creamy & versatile!
Georgina says
June 6, 2016 at 12:15 pmI’m so pleased! Thanks for letting me know.
Patricia says
January 10, 2018 at 12:58 pmCan I just say DELICIOUS,, I added some minced garlic, shredded mozzarella and shredded Parmesan cheeses, made zucchini boats with chicken meatballs drizzled sauce over and baked… yum yum yum!! Thank you for sharing this recipe
Georgina says
January 10, 2018 at 1:13 pmThat sounds awesome!!!
Ellie says
July 8, 2016 at 1:47 amMy daughter is allergic to yeast and yeast extract, and unfortunately, all commercial sauces, gravy, soups etc have yeast extract. In fact it’s almost impossible to get anything without it, so I thought I’d try this sauce over salmon with rice and cauliflower and she loved it.
Thank you so much………Ellie
Georgina says
July 8, 2016 at 9:26 amAwesome – I’m so pleased she liked it!
Katie says
August 17, 2016 at 12:06 pmJust made this to go with a salmon & veg dinner. Beautifully creamy and DELICIOUS, thank you!
Georgina says
August 17, 2016 at 1:01 pmI’m so pleased – thanks for letting me know!
Rachel Thomas says
January 20, 2017 at 1:56 amThis looks good – does it freeze?
Georgina says
January 20, 2017 at 9:07 amI’ve never tried it but I’m not sure that it would. But if you try it, please let me know!
Liz Walker says
March 26, 2017 at 10:23 pmThank you. Using this for my LCHF moussaka.
Georgina says
March 27, 2017 at 10:08 amI bet that will be amazing!!
David says
April 26, 2017 at 1:24 pmGreat with tuna steaks. Thanks
Georgina says
April 27, 2017 at 12:56 pmSo glad you liked it!
Bel says
July 3, 2017 at 3:15 amThis was so good! Added chicken, mushrooms, baby spinach, zucchini noodles. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Georgina says
July 3, 2017 at 9:05 amI’m so glad you enjoyed it, Bel!
Lisa says
August 6, 2017 at 4:03 pmI grew up with Creamed Eggs on Toast as a comfort food. Having gone Keto to get control of my glucose numbers, I thought that comfort food was out of reach. Then I found your White Sauce recipe and BAM! I had it for lunch. For the toast I used riced cauliflower mixed with the deviled ham. I then made your sauce, added 4 minced hard boiled eggs. Altogether it made 2 servings that my husband and I enjoyed so much. Thank you for this delicious contribution to our Keto recipes!!
Georgina says
August 6, 2017 at 4:29 pmThanks, Lisa, I’m so glad you both enjoyed it. It’s one of my favorites!
RandyH says
August 6, 2017 at 5:10 pmLisa, can you elaborate on toast made with riced cauliflower and deviled ham? Do you actually mean something like a baked bread, or more like a hash?
Rob Wilkerson says
October 28, 2017 at 11:01 pmWhat is the serving size? 2.2 net carbs per serving. Am I supposed to make it and divide it in 4 containers, then measure (weigh) it?
Georgina says
October 30, 2017 at 10:44 amThe serving size is a quarter of the whole recipe. Just over a quarter cup per person.
Rebecca Siharath says
October 29, 2017 at 5:02 pmWhat is a serving size?
Georgina says
October 30, 2017 at 10:44 amThe serving size is a quarter of the whole recipe. Just over a quarter cup per person.
Alexia says
November 17, 2017 at 8:57 pmThis recipe is bomb! In fact, I think it’s better than traditional bechamel.
Georgina says
November 18, 2017 at 8:14 amThanks Alexia! Just the kind of comment I like to receive!!
Sue says
November 29, 2017 at 2:07 amI find most low carb substitutes to be rather appalling in either taste or texture, or both. And nothing like the original. This sauce however, ticks all the boxes. I’ve shared it with more people than I can count and is definitely a regular in my house. I use a lot of your recipes and thought I would take this opportunity to say thanks for all your hard work.
Georgina says
November 29, 2017 at 10:56 amThank you so much, Sue!!
Jamie says
January 1, 2018 at 9:15 pmIt worked out very well- simple, fast & yummy. We added Parmesan cheese & red peppers which gave it a little thickness & kick.
Georgina says
January 2, 2018 at 8:31 amGreat! Sounds good!
Laurissa Brown says
January 27, 2018 at 5:28 pmCan this go on pizza as “white sauce”?
Georgina says
January 28, 2018 at 4:37 pmThat’s an interesting idea! It might be too thick? But try it – please let me know how it goes!
Terry says
March 23, 2018 at 10:05 pmThis sauce is beyond wonderful! So, so good. Thank you! If your other recipes are as good as this sauce, I’m sold. Thanks.
Georgina says
March 24, 2018 at 11:47 amThank you so much!
Olivia says
March 25, 2018 at 8:51 pmThis is so good but what is the serving size
Georgina says
March 27, 2018 at 3:17 pmIt’s a quarter of the whole recipe. Very approximately a little over a quarter cup per person.
Carol says
May 4, 2018 at 11:20 amHi I’m just wondering if you could microwave it?
Georgina says
May 4, 2018 at 2:45 pmI’ve actually never tried cooking it this way, sorry! If you try it, let me know!
Vicki Terry says
June 26, 2018 at 5:42 pmThis sauce is so amazing! I use a different seasoning than salt and pepper (it’s still keto friendly 🙂 ). I made shrimp the other day and I added a couple of table spoons to the sauce and it was delicious!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Georgina says
June 26, 2018 at 7:29 pmThank YOU so much for letting me know!
Petra says
September 2, 2018 at 4:38 amCan this be made substituting the cream cheese for cheddar?
Georgina says
September 2, 2018 at 1:40 pmNo, I’m afraid I don’t think that would work. Sorry!
Beth says
September 3, 2018 at 1:38 amWant to try. The nutritional info is missing serving size.
Georgina says
September 3, 2018 at 3:26 pmIt’s a quarter of the whole recipe as it serves 4. I don’t have a volume measurement noted down but I’ll get one next time I make the sauce!
Michelle says
January 5, 2019 at 6:55 pmOh my goodness this was amazing!! So quick and easy! So many things you can do with this delicious sauce!! Thank you!!
Georgina says
January 6, 2019 at 10:54 amI’m so glad you liked it!
Talya says
April 20, 2019 at 8:28 amThanks for the recipe! I have just made to use on my low carb lasagna tonight – can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Georgina says
April 20, 2019 at 9:20 amYum – sounds good!
Alex says
April 26, 2019 at 12:26 pmI made a lasagne layered with mushrooms rather than pasta along with this sauce and a side of salad. Very tasty!
Georgina says
April 26, 2019 at 3:06 pmWow that sounds amazing! I love the idea of using mushrooms – I’ll have to try that out!