Mexican white sauce is easy to make with sour cream, mayonnaise, and spices. It is rarely found commercially and should not be confused with cheese sauce. The sauce is typically spiced with jalapenos, oregano, and cumin and can be adjusted to personal taste. It is best served chilled and can accompany Mexican main entrees.
It’s very easy to prepare a Mexican white sauce, sometimes called “white sauce” in homage to the most famous condiment in Mexican cuisine. The ingredients and spices are usually readily available at any local market in the world. It requires very little cooking skills, but some experimental blending may be needed to achieve a good balance of flavors. This salsa is rarely found commercially in markets or restaurants, so homemade Mexican white salsa is usually the best alternative.
Especially compared to salsa and other chile sauces, Mexican white sauce is rare and hard to find outside the country of Mexico. This is also true in Mexican restaurants in large US cities near the southern neighbor’s border. It should not be confused with a chile con queso or a chili in cheese sauce. While it contains a generous amount of dairy products, bechamel usually doesn’t contain any cheese at all. Some Mexican restaurants may offer a bowl of it as a dip for crispy fried corn chips or other appetizers.
The base of the sauce is white in color with two ingredients: sour cream and mayonnaise. An ideal mayonnaise would be homemade aioli with raw eggs and lemon juice whipped and thickened with a slow drizzle of oil. Store-bought mayonnaise is best if it’s a thick spread, with some acidity from the lemon juice or vinegar, and not too sweet.
The initial ratio of sour cream to mayonnaise is one to one, with adjustments made for personal taste. Its texture can also be adjusted with the careful addition of milk. Other dairy products can be added, such as a dash of creamy salad dressing for instant flavoring. If you prefer cheese, it’s best to use one that crumbles, such as bleu or gorgonzola.
Mexican béchamel is spicy and requires a chili pepper of some kind. The most common ingredient is very finely diced jalapenos. Freshly roasted and peeled peppers are usually best, but canned peppers preserved in vinegar are also used. Other less commonly used chilies in salsa are dried red chili flakes and cayenne or paprika powder. All chili products should be handled safely and cooked in moderation.
In general, red-colored spices are avoided because they can give unwanted discoloration to the béchamel sauce. There are, however, two spices that are always included in a traditional Mexican white sauce: oregano and cumin, in generous amounts. You can use fresh herbs, but dried oregano and ground cumin are generally considered the best choices. Other commonly added spices include garlic and onion powder, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
The most important tip for making Mexican béchamel is to cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least two hours before serving. This allows all the flavors to blend into one. The shelf life in the refrigerator is usually between three and five days. As a dip to accompany a Mexican main entree, it can serve as a complement to fish tacos and tortilla-wrapped seafood enchiladas.
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