Which sauce is made from milk and thickened with a white roux?

Béchamel sauce is made from milk and thickened with a white roux. This classic sauce is a fundamental element in French cuisine and serves as one of the five "mother sauces." The process involves cooking equal parts of flour and butter (the roux) until they are smooth and pale in color. Milk is then gradually whisked in, creating a creamy texture. This sauce is often seasoned with salt, white pepper, and sometimes nutmeg, making it an essential base for many other sauces and dishes, such as lasagna and macaroni and cheese.

Velouté sauce, on the other hand, is made using a light stock instead of milk and is also thickened with a roux, but it does not share the dairy component that defines Béchamel. Espagnole sauce, or brown sauce, typically incorporates brown stock and tomatoes and does not use milk, while Hollandaise sauce is an emulsion of egg yolk and clarified butter, not reliant on a roux or milk. Each of these other sauces serves distinct culinary purposes and is prepared using different foundational ingredients and techniques.