The five French mother sauces refer to a collection of traditional base sauce recipes used in French cuisine. Everything from mac and cheese to Thanksgiving gravy to spaghetti sauce requires one of these mother sauces.
In this guide, we’ll go over the five French sauces, the ingredients needed for each, preparation, and most importantly, how to use them! Basically, we’re going to turn you into a rockstar chef.
Be sure to check out more of our easy sauce recipes, like our Lemon Beurre Blanc or Classic Aioli!
What Are the Five French Mother Sauces?
- Béchamel
- Velouté
- Espagnole
- Tomato
- Hollandaise
Each has specific ingredients and preparation. Understanding how to make these sauces will give you the key to unlocking countless other sauce recipes. The best part is they’re all really easy and simple to make!
The ingredients for most of these sauces are simple: flour, butter, and liquid. Beyond that, a little patience is all you’ll need to be able to make a slew of delicious sauces.
Each of these sauces is made using either a roux, emulsion, or reduction. Here are a few quick definitions that’ll help you in the kitchen.
Roux vs Emulsion vs Reduction
Roux: A mixture of equal parts fat (butter or oil) and flour. This is used as a thickening agent in gravies and is the main component of the béchamel, velouté, and espagnole mother sauces. Depending on how long it’s cooked down, you can make either a white roux or a brown roux.
Emulsion: A mixture of two or more non-compatible substances, such as oil and vinegar. Emulsions can be either temporary (salad dressings) or permanent (mayonnaise). Hollandaise is a stable emulsion.
Reduction: A sauce that is cooked on low heat for an extended amount of time until the sauce thickens considerably. Tomato sauce can be made either with a roux or reduced.
Béchamel
Béchamel is a thickened and creamy white sauce that serves as the base for a host of other sauces. It’s made with a roux of butter and flour that is cooked to a paste, then combined with milk, salt, and nutmeg.
The resulting sauce is delightfully smooth and flavorful. It’s typically used in popular dishes like macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and potatoes au gratin. We use a béchamel in our Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups and Cauliflower Gratin.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the types of sauces you can make once you have a basic béchamel:
- Mornay sauce = béchamel + grated cheese
- Soubise sauce = béchamel + sautéed onions
- Cheddar sauce = béchamel + shredded cheddar cheese + whole milk
Best recipes for using béchamel sauce: Lasagna, mac and cheese, soups or chowders, gratins, crêpes, fish dishes, vegetable dishes, or soufflés.
Velouté
Velouté is a creamy and aromatic sauce that is traditionally used as the base for a variety of gravies. It’s made by combining a cooked white roux with light-colored stock such as chicken or fish stock.
The resulting sauce is thick, smooth, subtle in flavor, and incredibly versatile. It’s often used as the starting point for chicken pot pie, brown gravy and served alongside chicken and seafood dishes. You’ll love the thick, creamy sauce in our Fish Pie!
Here’s a quick breakdown of the types of sauces you can make once you have a basic velouté:
- Allemande sauce = velouté + cream + egg yolks
- Normande sauce = velouté + cream + white wine + sautéed mushrooms
- Suprême sauce = velouté + cream + chicken stock
Best recipes for using velouté sauce: Use with dishes that have a delicate flavor, particularly seafood or poultry (think chicken velouté). It can also be added to soups to thicken and make creamier, such as in Crab Bisque.
Espagnole
Espagnole, also known as brown sauce, is a more hearty and flavorful sauce. It’s composed of a mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions) that are cooked until tender, along with beef stock (or veal stock) and beef or veal bones. Tomato paste and or dried herbs may also be added.
This rich and complex sauce is usually served with beef or pork roasts, stews, and casseroles or used as the base for other brown sauces. In our Short Rib Ragu, it’s the star of the luscious sauce that the beef short ribs cook in. Seriously divine!
Here’s a quick breakdown of the types of sauces you can make once you have a basic espagnole:
- Demi-glace = espagnole + beef stock reduced for an extended period of time
- Bordelaise sauce = espagnole + red wine + bone marrow
Best recipes for using espagnole sauce: Boeuf bourguignon, beef stroganoff, stews made with game meats (such as lamb, venison, or rabbit), and braised meat dishes or stews, that benefit from a rich and savory flavor.
Tomato
Tomato sauce is probably the well-known French mother sauce for most, though you may be surprised to learn its French origins.
Called sauce tomate, this French sauce is traditionally made by sautéing onions and garlic, then reducing fresh or canned tomatoes along with spices and typically a dash of sugar. Once reduced into a thickened and aromatic sauce, it’s strained and added to everything from pizza to pasta, meatballs, and chili.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the types of sauces you can make once you have a basic tomato sauce:
- Marinara sauce = tomato sauce cooked until thickened
- Pizza sauce = tomato sauce + Italian herbs and spices + tomato paste
Best recipes for using tomato sauce: pasta, pizza, soups, chili, meatballs, and braised meats. It can also be used to make dips for vegetables, potatoes, or can be used as a sandwich spread.
Hollandaise
Hollandaise is a creamy, smooth, and slightly tangy sauce made by whisking egg yolks with lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt over a pot of boiling water. This act of double-boiling helps to create a stable emulsion as it cooks until thickened, then clarified butter is slowly added.
The resulting sauce is a pale yellow color with a subtle tang, buttery texture, and a delicate flavor. It’s most commonly used atop poached eggs benedict, roasted asparagus, or on crab cakes. Which is why we insist you try our homemade Crab Cake Benedict today with its silky smooth Hollandaise Sauce!
When you combine hollandaise with unsweetened whipped cream, you get a mousseline sauce that’s usually served over seafood or cooked veggies.
Best recipes for using hollandaise sauce: Eggs benedict, steamed vegetables (spooned over asparagus), and seafood or poultry. Really it can be used with any dish that benefits from a rich, creamy texture.
Now that you’ve got a basic understanding of the Five French Mother Sauces, we hope this will inspire you to give them a try on your own. Our recommendation? Start with our easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce (full recipe below) which comes together in minutes and will make you look like a total boss.
5-Minute Blender Hollandaise Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter use 10 Tbsp for a thinner sauce
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
- pinch of Cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter. Begin by melting 8 Tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan. over medium heat. For a thinner sauce, use 10 Tbsp unsalted butter. Try not to let the butter boil, as this allows some of the moisture to escape and evaporate.
- Mix the egg yolks and lemon juice. Combine 3 large egg yolks, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp Kosher salt, ¼ tsp Dijon mustard, and a pinch of Cayenne pepper in a blender, then blend until mixed well, about 30 seconds.
- Stream in the melted butter. Remove the rubber plug from the top of the blender, and with the speed on low, slowly stream in the hot melted butter. Blend until the hollandaise is smooth, creamy, and fully emulsified. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Hollandaise sauce is best within 30 minutes of making, however, you can store the leftovers in a fridge and reheat. Wrap tightly or store in an airtight container in a fridge for 1 or 2 days.
- Make-ahead: If making shortly before serving, keep warm in a double boiler for up to 1 hour. Be sure to stir well before serving.
- Reheat gently using a bain marie (double boiler method) on a stovetop or in a microwave in short bursts, stirring in between.
- Substitutions:
- Lemon juice: You can substitute with white wine vinegar, but the hollandaise will have a slightly different tang.
- Dijon mustard: Grainy mustard or even a pinch of dry mustard will work in a pinch.
- Don’t want any spice? Simply omit the Cayenne pepper.
Let us know your thoughts!