A fried flavor roux base is provided by cooking a starch such as grain flour and the like with fats and oils under controlled conditions for producing roux having definitive fried taste as can be correlated by the color of the roux. The fried flavor roux base can consist of a dry mix which can be directly added to hot water or other hot fluids to form a gravy or sauce substantially free of lumps or can be applied to other food products in the form of breadings, stuffings and the like. The roux base can effectively be produced having fried flavor wherein the flavor intensity can be adjusted through the process steps of heating, timing and quenching.