A Velouté Sauce is a classic French sauce made with chicken or beef stock, thickened with a roux, and flavored with herbs and spices. It's perfect for pouring over roasted meats or vegetables or served as a dip.
This is one of those recipes that's easy to make, but you have got to pay attention. I think one of the key tips, making sure your stock is at just the right temperature before adding to the roux.
Veloute sauces can be flavored in many different ways, so feel free to get creative. Some of my favorite variations include adding tomato, cheese, mushrooms, or truffles.
Experiment and see what you like best!
⬇️ Table of Contents
🥘 Ingredients
This classic French sauce only takes a few ingredients.
- 🧈 Butter
- All-Purpose Flour
- 🐔 Chicken Stock - Additional 1 cup in case you need more to thin out the sauce.
- 🧅 Shallot
- 🧄 Garlic
- 🧂 Sea Salt
Amounts listed on the recipe card.
🫙 About Velouté Sauce
Veloute sauces are some of the most classic French sauces. They are made with a roux, a mixture of fat and flour, and a flavorful liquid.
The history of Veloute sauce is a little unclear, but it is thought to have originated in the 1600s. It was likely created as a way to use up leftover meat juices and vegetables. Veloute sauce has come a long way since then, and there are now many variations of the recipe.
Veloute sauce is an excellent option for anyone looking for a classic French sauce that is easy to make. The roux can be made ahead of time, and the sauce can be quickly finished when needed. Adding the herbs at the end will preserve the flavor of the herbs.
Let's talk about what makes Veloute sauces so great!!!...
This classic sauce has great depth in the way of creativity. A Veloute sauce is also the base of a great soup. The process is exactly the same, the only difference is the amount of stock or liquid you add.
Here's a great example of a soup using the Veloute technique: Cream of Mushroom Soup / Le Coron Bleu Recipe.
💭 Tips To Veloute Sauce
If there is one main tip, that would be to use high-quality butter. A lot of butter found at the grocery store is made up of water. Look to top-shelf brands.
- Begin the cooking process, creating a Roux. Equal parts flour and butter.
- Cook the Roux over medium heat. This is very important so the flour and butter do not burn. Do not brown the butter for a classic version.
- Measure out all the ingredients before beginning is key to the timing while cooking.
- To create a smoother sauce, cut the shallot and garlic super small. Mince.
- All-purpose flour is suggested, yet you can use: bread flour, cake flour, pastry flour.
- Flours not to use: does not mean you cannot use them, suggested not to, almond flour, coconut flour, pistachio flour.
- Have extra stock/liquid standing by when adding. All flours absorb liquid amounts differently. Plus, the consistency you enjoy will depend on how much you add. The recipe calls for 1 ½ cups; you may need 2 ¼ cups. Just be ready with it on hand, ready to go before starting.
A good tip when it comes to making sauces, focus on controlling the heat.
Making The Sauce
Instructions for making Classic French Sauce Veloute:
- Measure out 2 tbps of butter and 2 tbps all-purpose flour. Creating a roux. The Roux is the base of the sauce and will be the thickening agent. Roux is usually equal parts fat to flour.
- Melt the butter in a saucepot, then add the flour, stir, and incorporate both ingredients.
- Make sure to keep stirring as not to burn the roux. The process is cooking out the raw flour, which is important to the finished sauce texture. The flour could leave a gritty mouthfeel if not cooked.
- Not traditional in making a classic Veloute white sauce. While the roux is cooking, this opens the door for adding more flavor and complexity. Often ingredients like garlic and onion are added to carry a depth of flavor through the sauce.
Incorporating the stock: Have one and a half cups of stock ready to pour in slowly once the roux is ready.
If you feel like the roux is about to start burning, 1) the heat is too high 2) adding the stock will slow the cooking process for a few moments, lowering the roux temperature.
Start by adding in 1 cup of stock and keeping the other1 cup waiting on the side. The sauce will start to thicken after the first cup is added. The heat on the stove will cause the roux to activate and thicken. This process happens quickly. Use the stock to attain the desired consistency.
Watch How to Make
🥗 What To Eat With Veloute Sauce
It's typically served over vegetables or pasta but can also be used as a dip or spread. Veloute sauce is very versatile and can be paired with a variety of different flavors. Here are a few ideas for what to eat with Veloute sauce:
- Vegetables: Veloute sauce pairs well with all types of vegetables, especially steamed or boiled broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower.
- Pasta: Veloute sauce is the perfect topping for any type of pasta, from simple spaghetti to decadent lobster macaroni and cheese.
- Seafood: Veloute sauce is a great way to add flavor to seafood dishes like shrimp scampi or fish and chips.
- Poultry: Veloute sauce is a delicious way to spice up chicken or turkey dishes. Try it with roasted chicken or pan-fried turkey cutlets.
- Sandwiches: Veloute sauce can be used as a spread on sandwiches for a creamy and flavorful addition. Try it on a grilled cheese sandwich, BLT, or veggie wrap.
French Mother Sauces
The French mother sauces are a collection of five: Velouté, Espagnole, Bechamel, Hollandaise, and Tomate.
- Veloute is a light sauce made with a roux and stock.
- Bechamel is a white sauce made with milk and butter.
- Hollandaise is a buttery egg sauce.
- Tomate is a simple tomato sauce. These sauces can be used as the foundation for many other sauces. They can be simmered on the stove or cooked in the oven.
- Espagnole is a thick brown sauce made with beef or veal stock, tomato paste, and herbs.
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📖 Recipe Card
Velouté Sauce
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Shallot Cook with the roux
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Minced / Cook with the roux
- 1 ½ cups Chicken Stock Have extra on stand by if the sauce needs to be thinned out by adding more.
- ⅓ teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- The roux: Melt the butter in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Using medium heat is very important. Too high of heat and the sauce will tighten/thicken up too quickly.Cook the roux for a minute to two. Make sure to cook out the raw flour in the hot butter. Once the stock is added, graininess from the flour is hard to avoid. You do not want to brown the roux if making a white sauce.
- Add in the stock: Add one cup of stock, slowly, stirring using a whisk the entire time. Keep stirring and the sauce will start to thicken. This happens quickly. As the sauce begins to thicken add the other ½ cup of stock. Be ready and have additional stock ready just encase the sauce needs to be thinned out from thickening too quickly.You can always thicken the sauce on the stovetop over medium heat. The heat will continue to thicken the sauce.
Sauce Flavors
- Veloute sauce works well with many flavor profiles. The king of sauce-making technique is safe to stay. The combination of fat, stock, and starch. TomatoMushroomTarragonThymeTruffleSpicy peppers purred.
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