Go Back
–+ servings
a ladle of espagnole over a gravy boat
Print

Espagnole Sauce Recipe

My recipe for Espagnole Sauce cooks low-and-slow for a flavor you'll want to come back to again and again!
Course Sauce
Cuisine French
Keyword espagnole, espagnole sauce, espagnole sauce recipe, espagnole sauce recipes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 147kcal
Author Isabel Laessig

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
  • 2 Tablespoons Flour
  • ¼ Onion finely chopped
  • ½ Carrot finely chopped
  • 1 stalk Celery finely chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 cups Beef stock
  • 1 cup Red wine
  • 2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 3 sprigs Fresh thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Chop onion, carrot, celery, and garlic finely. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the chopped vegetables. Saute in butter until soft and lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes.
    carrots, celery, and onions sauteed in a pan
  • Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir well until it forms a roux (thick paste-like consistency). Continue cooking the roux until it turns a golden-brown color - don't let it get too dark!
    flour added to carrots, celery, and onions in pan
  • Slowly pour in red wine while stirring continuously. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of your pan with a wooden spoon, and let the wine simmer for a few minutes.
    liquid added to espagnole sauce base in pan
  • Add beef stock, tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme, and stir to combine.
    seasonings added to espagnole sauce in pan
  • Bring to a simmer, then reduce to low. Let it simmer gently for about 1 hour, stirring now and then.
    espagnole sauce thickening in pan
  • After cooking, remove the bay leaves and thyme, then pour the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer over a mixing bowl. Press down on the vegetables to extract as much of the liquid as possible.
    straining vegetables out of espagnole sauce
  • Rinse the saucepan, then return the espagnole sauce to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer an additional 5 minutes before serving! Enjoy!
    espagnole sauce in a pan

Notes

  • Make sure not to overcook the roux. It should be a light golden brown color, not too browned. It should also not be too pale.
  • Beef stock and veal stock both work as brown stock for this recipe. Broth may work for flavor, but it won't create as rich or thick of a sauce, so I recommend using stock.
  • You can swap out the celery for fennel stocks and even add a bit of rosemary if you like - other vegetables work as a base for brown sauce, too.
  • Let the sauce simmer for the full hour. I know it seems like a long time for a sauce - but you won't believe the flavor you get out of it! It creates a silky smooth, incredibly rich espagnole.
  • Keep stirring when you add the red wine to avoid lumps.
  • Make sure not to bring the sauce to a boil. You want it to gently simmer, not boil.
  • You can use a cheesecloth instead of a fine mesh strainer, if it's what you have to work with.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 318mg | Potassium: 456mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1656IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg