Beurre Blanc
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Put on your chef's hat—this easy beurre blanc sauce takes just 10 minutes to make and will elevate your meal to restaurant-quality!
French beurre blanc, or white wine butter sauce, might sound fancy, but it’s actually foolproof and easy to whip up in just 10 minutes. It’s made with a quick reduction of white wine and shallots, into which cold butter is whisked to add richness and prevent separation. Finished with fresh lemon juice, chives, and tarragon, beurre blanc takes fish and other dishes to a whole new level, making them taste like something you’d pay beaucoup bucks for at a high-end restaurant. It’s incredibly versatile, too—try it with grilled or pan-seared salmon, poached chicken, steamed vegetables, or drizzled over roasted potatoes.
What You’ll Need To Make Beurre Blanc
- Dry White Wine: Provides a tangy base and depth of flavor. You don’t need anything fancy; something inexpensive but good enough to drink is fine.
- Shallot: Adds a subtle sweetness and aromatic complexity.
- Heavy Cream: Contributes richness and helps to stabilize the sauce.
- Butter: Creates a smooth, velvety texture when emulsified.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens the sauce with acidity and fresh flavor.
- Fresh Chives: Adds a mild onion flavor and vibrant color.
- Fresh Tarragon: An essential herb in French cooking; introduces a hint of anise and herbal notes. Many supermarkets carry tarragon, but if you can’t find it, fresh thyme is a good alternative.
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Enhances all the flavors with a touch of seasoning and depth.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a 2 to 3-quart (2 to 3L) saucepan, combine the wine and shallot.
Boil over high heat until the wine is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the cream.
Boil for 1 minute.
Reduce the heat to low, and then gradually add the butter, one piece at a time.
Whisk the sauce constantly, until all the butter is melted.
When all the butter is incorporated, stir in the lemon juice, chives, tarragon, salt, and pepper.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Keep in mind the sauce will have a creamy consistency but it will not be thick.
Cover to keep warm and set aside for up to 30 minutes. Serve with fish, chicken, or vegetables.
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Beurre Blanc
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ⅓ cup minced shallot, from 1 large shallot
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a 2 to 3-quart (2 to 3L) saucepan, combine the wine and shallot. Boil over high heat until the wine is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the cream and boil for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, and then gradually add the butter, one piece at a time, whisking constantly, until melted (wait until each piece is melted before adding the next).
- When all the butter is incorporated, stir in the lemon juice, chives, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. (Keep in mind the sauce will have a creamy consistency but it will not be thick.) Cover to keep warm and set aside for up to 30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I served this with chilean sea bass & it was absolutely fantastic! Thank you for another great recipe, Jenn.
Simple and delicious on our grilled salmon.Had extra to use on our swordfish the next night.Pro tip- Instead of reheating with the risk of sauce breaking,bring it to room temperature and spoon on like a compound butter.Fantastic!
Amazing ! My lemon was a tad strong so I added a splash more cream. Super good sauce and great with the salmon and grilled asparagus. Thanks Jen!!!
Hi Jenn! Would it be possible to replace the wine with something nonalcoholic? Our whole family loves Once Upon A Chef! Thank you for sharing your fabulous recipes!
Hi Kat, So glad you like the recipes! Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s a great substitute for the wine in this – sorry!
I served this with your restaurant-style salmon. It was to die for. My husband wanted to eat the sauce like soup! 😂
The sauce was perfection – light, delicate, and just the right touch of creaminess. Tarragon is an absolute must!
I wanted to love this recipe but my beurre blanc was so thin. Creamy but more soupy than saucey. I think I went wrong by straining the shallots. This gave me 2 tablespoons of liquid. I need a do over.. I did make the salmon and that came out perfectly.
Would this be good with breaded chicken cutlets? Or what other fish besides salmon would u recommend to pair it with?
Sure! And the sauce would also be lovely on cod or halibut.