Beurre blanc sounds fancy- like something you’d order while pretending you totally know French. But it’s really just a silky white wine butter sauce you can master in about 15 minutes. The secret isn’t a rare ingredient… it’s temperature control (and yes, your butter needs to stay cold).
Why This Recipe Works (And is Foolproof!)
Reduced wine + acid creates the base flavor (and structure).
Cold butter + low heat = stable emulsion. Step-by-step instructions to prevent it from separating.
Optional cream = stabilizer which is helpful for beginners and holding longer. It is isn’t cheating- it’s giving you a leg up!
What is Beurre Blanc Sauce?
Other than a fancy word that instantly makes any dish sound like the most elegant thing ever served, it is also one of the French “mother sauces”. It is the base for many other sauces and customizations.
It is a hot butter sauce mixture made of white wine, vinegar or lemon juice, shallots, and butter that is slowly melted, allowing the flavors to marry.
What You’ll Need
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this beurre blanc sauce. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Dry White Wine– I like a pino grigio or sauvignon blanc, chardonnay seems to be woody too often.
- Unsalted butter- Cold and cubed is best. Cold ensures it won’t impact the temperature of the sauce too much. As you will learn below, the trick to a silky sauce is all about managing the temperature. Aim for the best butter you can get too- since it is the largest ingredient, the quality makes a difference.
- Lemon juice
- Shallot
- Sea salt
- Ground white pepper
- Heavy cream
How to Make Beurre Blanc Sauce (Step-by-Step)
Making this homemade sauce is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
- Simmer wine, lemon juice and shallot. In a medium saucepan, bring the white wine, lemon juice and shallot to a low simmer.
- Add salt, pepper and heavy cream. Whisk in the fine sea salt, ground white pepper and heavy cream.
- Slowly whisk in butter. Reduce the heat to low, when is stop bubbling, slowly whisk in a few cubes of the unsalted butter at a time until all are added and fully melted. The sauce will thicken. If you don’t keep the temperature low and whisk continuously, the sauce will separate.
- Strain and serve. Pour the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove large pieces of seasoning or shallot. Serve immediately.
Troubleshooting + Temperature Control (How to Keep Beurre Blanc From Breaking)
Beurre blanc is basically a butter emulsion with a short temper- treat it gently and it rewards you with silky, glossy sauce. The #1 reason it breaks (turns oily or separates) is too much heat, followed closely by adding butter too fast. Use the steps below to make it foolproof.
- Reduce first, then lower the heat. Simmer the wine, lemon juice, and shallot until it smells fragrant and reduces slightly. Before adding butter, turn the heat to low so the mixture is just barely steaming (no bubbles).
- Cold butter only. Keep butter cold and cubed. Cold butter controls the temperature and helps the sauce emulsify. Warm butter melts too fast and can push the sauce past its breaking point.
- Whisk in butter slowly (1–2 cubes at a time). Add a couple cubes, whisk until mostly melted, then add the next. You’re building an emulsion- think “steady drizzle”- don’t rush this process.
- Watch for the warning signs. If the sauce starts looking thin, oily around the edges, or grainy, it’s getting too hot. Immediately pull the pan off the heat and whisk like you mean it.
- How to fix a broken beurre blanc (save it!). Off heat, whisk in 1–2 tablespoons of cold water (or a tiny splash of cold cream) to cool it down and help it come back together. Then resume adding butter slowly over low heat. If it’s really separated, start fresh in a clean pan with a tablespoon of warm reduction and whisk the broken sauce into it a little at a time- like reintroducing two friends who had a dramatic falling out.
- Don’t boil or reheat aggressively. Once finished, keep beurre blanc warm over very low heat or set the pan over warm water (not simmering). Boiling, microwaving, or high heat will break it.
Perfect Pairings
Of the French classic sauces, beurre blanc is by far my favorite. Versatile and perfect for chicken, seafood (especially white fish), beef, pasta, and vegetables, there really isn’t anything this butter sauce doesn’t taste good on with its delicate profile.
One of my favorite recipes to serve beurre blanc on is Crab Imperial Filet Mignon, Baked Cod, Grilled Lobster and Seared Scallops but drizzle it on anything for a delicious and decadent meal! Steak Frites with beurre blanc is also a favorite!
Commonly Asked Questions
White wine, acid (lemon/vinegar), shallot, and cold butter emulsified into a silky sauce.
No- beurre blanc is butter emulsified into a wine reduction; hollandaise uses egg yolks and clarified butter (different method + stability). Here is a recipe for hollandaise sauce.
Heat was too high or butter went in too fast- pull off heat and whisk to recover. See my chef’s tips above for how to recover it.
You can make the reduction ahead, but finish with butter right before serving for the best texture. And if you do make the whole sauce, reheat gently over low heat on hte stovetop. The same rules for it being too hot, too fast still apply.
More Easy Sauce Recipes
Sauces are a fantastic way to elevate any meal. A simple drizzle, dipping cup or try serving your sauce on the bottom, like a pool, makes for a more sophisticated plate.
Beurre Blanc Sauce Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 medium shallot , minced
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups unsalted butter , cold and cut into cubes
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring the 1/2 cup dry white wine, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 medium shallot to a low simmer.
- Whisk in the 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper and 1/3 cup heavy cream.
- Reduce the heat to low, when it stops bubbling, slowly whisk in a few cubes of the 2 cups unsalted butter at a time until all are added and fully melted. The sauce will thicken. If you don't keep the temperature low and whisk continuously, the sauce will separate.
- Pour the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove large pieces of seasoning or shallot. Serve immediately.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Nutrition
I have made this a number of times and enjoyed it each time. Thank you for sharing.
It is easy and delicious.
When do you add the cream? I didn’t see it in the directions?
Step #2- it is the last ingredient listed.
I made this recipe for lobster ravioli!! Outstanding!! Thank you!! Loved it!!
I hosted a dinner party and served homemade lobster ravioli with your barre blanc sauce, and it was a major success. My guests still rave about it. Thank you so much for this beautiful simple sauce recipe. I will make it again and again. It pairs well with many dishes, fish, seafood, vegetables, chicken… Bellissimo!
Yay! We love to hear that! And thanks for taking the time to come back and let us know.
Delish!!! Easy to make and froze beautifully! First time ever making the sauce and I was nervous so thank you so much for giving us such a great recipe!
Glad you loved it!
This was absolutely fabulous! A perfect addition to our pan~seared sea bass. Thanks for a great recipe!
Yay! Thank you, Melissa 🙂
This recipe is perfect! I was at a restaurant and there was beurre blanc on my crepe lunch, and I loved it so much I wanted to make it at home. This recipe worked perfectly.
Can’t wait to try this recipe, I know my family will love it!
E la prima volta che lo fatta ed il risultato e molto soddisfacente (translation:
And the first time it’s done and the result is very satisfying).