How to Make a Roux

A whisk in a cast iron skillet of finished roux.

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Basic roux recipe with easy how-to step-by-step instructions, as well as tips on how to make a white, blonde, and dark roux.

Prep Time0

Cook Time5

Total Time5

Servings: cups

Calories: 1041kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

large skillet

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter or oil
1/2 cup flour

Instructions

Heat the butter or oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot or pan over medium heat. Do not exceed medium heat or you’ll risk burning the roux. Stir in the raw flour.
Stir constantly! I like to use a whisk but you can use a wooden spoon if you’d like, just about anything will get the job done. The oil and flour will combine to form a liquid slurry. If you don’t keep stirring, it will start to burn.
Watch out for what you’re looking for:
Light (White) Roux: Ready in about 2-3 minutes. Slightly puffed, barely golden, and smells buttery. It's great for simple sausage gravies or cheese roux sauce for mac and cheese.
Blonde Roux: Cooks 3-4 minutes. Looks like coffee ice cream and has a bubbly texture. Perfect for light sauces like bechamel or creamy soups.
Caramel Roux: After 5-6 minutes it turns peanut butter brown. This one's made for gravies and deeper-flavored sauces.
Dark Roux: Deep brown, almost like chocolate. Takes 7-8 minutes and is the go-to for étouffée and other Cajun dishes. It is also the best roux for gumbo!
Varying recipes will require different stages. Determine what color you’re looking for and keep a close eye. Once done, you can begin to add in your liquid slowly. Whisk while you do so!

Notes

Use a heavy-bottomed pan. Thin pans heat unevenly and will burn your roux before it even gets going.
Stick to medium heat. High heat will toast the flour too fast and throw off the flavor.
Stir nonstop. Seriously, boos! A good roux needs constant movement to keep it from burning or clumping.
Watch the color. For a basic roux recipe, decide which stage you're going for and stop cooking once you hit the right shade. Here's a quick timing guide: light (2-3 min), blonde (3-4 min), caramel (5-6 min), dark (7-8 min).

How to Store Your Roux

You can store roux, but I think it’s best fresh. It only takes a few minutes to make, y’all! But if you made it ahead, let it cool completely and keep it in an airtight glass jar at room temp for a few days. Some people stash it in the fridge or freeze it in ice cube trays, but again, fresh is always best.

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