This delicious Hello Fresh cream sauce base is the perfect copycat recipe to recreate some of your favorite meal kits in your home kitchen! This easy-to-follow recipe will ensure you make the perfect cream sauce every time. You can make this sauce in ten minutes with just a few simple ingredients. So, grab your ingredients, and get let's get cooking!
Our family loves to save time making meals with our Hello Fresh meal kit subscription. Once we find a recipe we love, I like to recreate it again... and again! So if you've got a favorite Hello Fresh recipe that calls for a "cream sauce base," you can use this recipe to help you out! I use it when making our favorite Pork Sausage & Roasted Bell Pepper Pasta Meal all the time.
If you're in the mood for another amazing Hello Fresh recipe, try our Tex Mex Paste, which is delicious with chicken, shrimp, and beef!
What is Hello Fresh cream sauce base?
Hello Fresh cream sauce base is similar to typical white sauce or bechamel but richer in taste. Bechamel sauce is a classic creamy white sauce made from equal parts flour and fat (usually butter) and whisked with milk. It is used as a base in many dishes, including lasagna and macaroni and cheese, and is considered one of the five French "mother sauces."
The Hello Fresh version of this classic sauce takes the basic recipe and then adds some special spices—I see you, turmeric, and onion powder—to take things up a notch.
According to several Reddit threads, you can actually call Hello Fresh customer service and ask them for the ingredients in their recipe. Our family has enjoyed this recipe so many times I can guarantee you'll be satisfied without the hassle of calling customer service!
Key ingredients and why we use them
At its most basic, this recipe requires only flour, butter, and milk. There are a few optional add-ins to boost the flavor profile.
Butter: Making a roux requires flour and fat. This recipe uses butter, as do most classic recipes. However, you can substitute olive oil, vegetable oil, or even ghee in this recipe. If you use unsalted butter, we've also got you covered for how much salt to add to the recipe.
Flour: All-purpose flour works best in this recipe. Do not use whole wheat flour or flour substitutes when making this sauce.
Milk: You must use high-fat milk in this recipe. I recommend using full-fat whole milk. There are several substitutions that can be used for whole milk. I've found that half-and-half is the best stand-in when I don't have whole milk.
Salt and Pepper: Use these ingredients to taste when you season your sauce at the end once it has thickened. Do not add them initially, as their taste may concentrate while cooking.
Optional ingredients
While the basic recipe is straightforward, you can add flavor with the optional ingredients below.
Tumeric and Onion Powder: These two optional ingredients make their appearance on the ingredient list of the Hello Fresh packet. They are optional but will boost the flavor profile.
Fresh Herbs: Add fresh herbs (like thyme, bay leaf, or peppercorns) to the sauce for flavor.
Chopped Onion & Garlic: These two ingredients can be finely chopped and added at the end of the cooking time for the sauce.
Parmesan Cheese: You don't want to go crazy with adding cheese, but a little sprinkle can add a nice cheesy flavor to your sauce.
How to make Hello Fresh cream sauce base
You can make this sauce recipe in about ten minutes with the simple ingredients listed above!
Step 1) Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat until bubbling.
Step 2) Add flour and whisk until golden-colored paste forms.
Step 3) Slowly pour the milk a little at a time, and bring it to a boil.
Step 4) Whisk continuously and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
Meal ideas
This cream sauce perfectly pairs with salmon, chicken, and shrimp dishes. It's delicious with pasta dishes and is a base for Alfredo sauce. I also like to serve this sauce over fresh vegetables as a side dish.
I'd also recommend adding some of my Tuscan Heat Spice Blend for more flavor and an Italian twist to this recipe.
Hello Fresh uses this sauce in its Chicken Penne in a Parmesan Cream Sauce, Gnocchi with Chicken Sausage & Spinach, and Lone Star Poblano Mac and Cheese. Pairing tomato sauce with a cream sauce base makes a delicious creamy tomato duo.
Storage
Your sauce will be best right after making it. However, you can store it in a tightly sealed container for up to three days in the refrigerator. You can also portion the sauce into freezer-safe bags and keep it for up to four months. Make sure the sauce is cooled before freezing.
To reheat your cream sauce, let the frozen bags defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then, transfer it to the stove to reheat and whisk to emulsify everything again.
Frequently asked questions
You can make your sauce thicker by creating a slurry of cornstarch and water (1 tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water). Add this to your sauce and mix continuously for 2 minutes.
Hello Fresh uses a cream sauce base as a basic white sauce in some of their subscription recipes to create a rich and creamy sauce. This sauce comes in a small packet.
No, you cannot purchase the official Hello Fresh cream sauce base without ordering a meal subscription service.
Yes, the Home Chef cream sauce base can be made with the same recipe. It's a basic bechamel sauce with a few spice additions for flavor.
Substitutions for Hello Fresh cream sauce base
So you don't have the ingredients above on hand or the time to whip up this recipe? Try out these substitutes if you are in a pinch.
- Plain Alfredo Sauce: You can purchase Alfredo sauce in a jar from the grocery store and use this in your recipe. It will have a cheesy flavor, but that won't be a problem in most recipes.
- Cream Cheese: You can microwave cream cheese 10 seconds at a time to achieve a creamy consistency that will pair well with most recipes and give you a similar creamy texture.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: As a last resort, plain heavy whipping cream can be added instead of cream sauce. Remember that this will be thinner, so you may want to reduce the amount used.
Although these substitutions will work, I highly recommend the copycat recipe shared below for the best results!
Hello Fresh also has several sauce recipes that can be substituted in any dish. For example, their sweet soy glaze and roasted red-pepper cashew pesto could also be interchanged in this recipe.
Recipe
Hello Fresh Cream Sauce Base
Equipment
- whisk
- medium-sized pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter cubed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon tumeric optional
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once bubbling, stir in the flour and whisk until a golden-colored paste forms, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the milk a little at a time. Whisking constantly over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. The sauce will begin to thicken at this point.
- Turn the heat down to low, and whisk continuously as the sauce simmers on low for about five minutes.
- Season with spices to taste and add herbs if desired.
Notes and Tips
- Prevent Scorching: Once you add the milk, stir continuously so that lumps don't form and the pot doesn't scorch on the bottom. The bottom edges of the pan often scorch more easily, so be sure to get your whisk in there!
- Making a Roux: Don't let your butter + flour brown too much. You want the mixture to be a golden color before you add the milk. This will create a light, creamy sauce.
- Adjusting the Consistency: If the sauce is too thick, add a little milk to thin out the sauce.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?! First, let me say THANK YOU for giving it a try!
Please leave us a rating and feedback in the comments section at the bottom of this post. I always love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what went well — and didn't — with a recipe!
Happy Baking!
Heather
Britni
Hi! Thank you so much for this!! How much does this make? I'm copying a thanksgiving recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Gratin and need 12 oz. Will this make enough or should I double it?
Heather
Hi! This recipe makes approximately one cup (8 ounces). You'd probably be close to 12 ounces, but I'd recommend doubling and then having some leftover.
Day
How many oz of cream sauce base does this make? I want to use this for a modified HelloFresh Mac and cheese recipe, and I need to know how many ounces so I can figure out if I need to change the amounts of other things.
Thanks!
Heather
Hi! This make about one cup of sauce. If you need more, you can definitely scale the recipe up and keep the proportions the same.
Stacey
This sauce is perfect! I've used it in a few recipes (including the Sausage and Roasted Bell Pepper meal mentioned above) and it always turns out great. Thank you so much for posting it!
Heather
I'm so glad this recipe was a success for you, Stacey! Thank you so much for giving it a try, and happy cooking!
Dave
Found this recipe on a Reddit thread. It's simple and worked in our Pork Sausage & Roasted Bell Pepper Pasta Meal. Used some milk to think out slightly as indicated in the notes.
Heather
Great, I'm glad this worked out for you, Dave! The Pork Sausage & Roasted Bell Pepper Pasta Meal is a favorite for our family as well!