Espagnole Sauce Recipe
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My classic Espagnole sauce recipe is rich and velvety, forming the foundation of countless French dishes. Made with caramelized vegetables, tomato paste, stock, and a dark roux, this fantastic sauce adds a gourmet touch to everything from roast beef to braised lamb.
This espagnole sauce recipe is one of the five French mother sauces, along with béchamel, this velouté, tomato and of course a classic hollandaise. As a chef, each of these sauces holds a special place in my heart and kitchen, as they open the doors to a world of comforting and gourmet dishes.
What is Espagnole Sauce?
Espagnole sauce is a rich and intensely flavorful basic brown sauce made with mirepoix vegetables (onions, carrots, and celery), tomato paste, and high-quality stock, usually veal or beef. In French, espagnole translates to “Spanish,” but to be clear, Espagnole sauce is very much a cornerstone of classic French cooking.
Its signature rich and savory, slightly sweet flavor profile is achieved by carefully caramelizing mirepoix veggies and tomato paste for depth and a slight tang. High-quality veal or beef stock contributes to the luxurious, velvety texture, while a brown roux gives it an alluring dark color and hearty body.
I’ll admit, making espagnole is a labor of love, just like my homemade Glace de Viande, but the patience and effort you put into making it is well worth it. Ultimately, you’ll be rewarded with a savory foundation for many derivatives, including demi-glace, sauce bordelaise, sauce chasseur, and so much more.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Mirepoix – A mix of onions, celery, garlic, and carrots is caramelized in butter for a deep, rich, and slightly sweet baseline of flavor. Other vegetables you can include are leeks, parsnips, or fennel.
- Tomato paste – When tomato paste is caramelized (a process known as pince), it develops a rust-like color and rich flavor, which adds depth and umami to the sauce.
- Stock – Use high-quality store-bought or homemade veal stock or beef stock. The higher the quality, the better your espagnole sauce will taste.
- Herbs – Fresh thyme sprigs and parsley stems infuse the sauce with an earthy freshness. Fresh rosemary and a few bay leaves can also be added.
- Spices – I also used whole peppercorns to season the sauce.
- Butter – Preferably Unsalted butter. You’ll need some to sauté the mirepoix and two sticks for the roux.
- Flour – All-purpose flour or bread flour thickens the roux. A 1:1 gluten-free flour bend should also work.
How to Make Homemade Espagnole Sauce
Sauté the vegetables: I melt the butter in a large 2-gallon pot over medium heat. Then, I add the onions, celery, and carrots, and let them cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until they’re nicely caramelized.
Cook the tomato paste: Once the vegetables are caramelized, I stir in the tomato paste and keep cooking for about 8 to 10 minutes. I wait until it turns a deep, rust-like color before moving on to the next step.
Add the stock: After the tomato paste has darkened, I pour in the stock. This is where the sauce starts to come together and pick up all that rich flavor.
Add the herbs: I tie up my bouquet garni in a piece of cheesecloth and drop it right into the pot.
Simmer the sauce: I bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over low to medium heat and let it cook for 2 hours. Every 30 minutes, I come back to skim off any fat or foam that rises to the top to keep it smooth.
Make the roux: With about 30 minutes left on the sauce, I melt the butter in a large pan over low to medium heat. I whisk in the flour until it’s fully combined, then keep whisking often for the next 20 to 25 minutes.
Finish the sauce: I slowly pour the dark roux into the pot with the simmering stock and vegetables, whisking as I go to make sure it blends in smoothly. Then, I let it cook for another 20 to 25 minutes.
Strain and store: Once the sauce is done simmering, I pour it through a chinois, fine mesh strainer, or a layer of cheesecloth to remove all the solids. What’s left is a smooth, rich Espagnole sauce ready to use or store.
Chef Tip + Notes
I recommend when making the brown roux, keep a close eye on the heat and whisk it frequently to prevent burning. It takes time to achieve the desired deep golden brown color, but it’s worth it since it lends significant richness and body to the sauce.
- Take your time with the vegetables: I let the vegetables caramelize slowly. The deeper the color, the richer the base of the sauce.
- Make the bouquet garni: I place the herbs, garlic, and peppercorns in the center of cheesecloth, fold it up, and tie it with twine to keep everything together.
- Skip the cheesecloth: If I’m straining the sauce through a chinois or cheesecloth later, I don’t bother wrapping the herbs.
- Stir often at the end: I make sure to stir during the last 20 to 25 minutes so the sauce doesn’t burn at the bottom.
- Skim the top: Every 30 minutes, I skim off the fat and foam. It helps the sauce stay smooth and velvety.
- Adjust thickness: If the sauce gets too thick, I stir in a splash of stock or water. If it’s too thin, I just simmer it longer until it thickens.
Serving Suggestions
I love using traditional espagnole sauce as a base for a hearty beef stew or as the braising liquid for dishes like osso buco, this delicious braised lamb shanks, or my classic braised beef short ribs. It adds that slow-cooked flavor that makes everything taste like you’ve been cooking all day, even if you haven’t.
It’s also a great finishing sauce when you want to dress things up a bit. I like drizzling it over beef tenderloin, my amazing beef Wellington, or even pork tenderloin.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: Making this sauce 1 or 2 days before serving will give the flavors more time to meld and intensify. If you need to keep it warm before serving, pour the sauce into a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s time to eat.
How to Store: Once the leftover espagnole has cooled completely, transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, leave a little room at the top of the container for expansion.
How to Reheat: Reheat the sauce in a saucepan over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of water or stock to loosen the consistency.
More Sauce Recipes
- Beef Au Jus Recipe
- Mornay Sauce Recipe
- Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe
- Balsamic Vinaigrette Reduction
- Homemade Cocktail Sauce Recipe
Espagnole Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 roughly chopped yellow onions, weighing a total of 8 ounces
- 2 roughly chopped ribs of celery, weighing a total of 4 ounces
- 2 peeled or unpeeled roughly chopped carrots, weight a total of 4 ounces
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 6 quarts veal stock or beef stock
- 4 to 6 sprigs of thyme
- 4 to 6 parsley stems
- 15 to 18 peppercorns
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, or 8 ounces
- 8 ounces all-purpose or bread flour, or 1 ½ cups
Instructions
- Add the butter to a large 2-gallon pot over medium heat. Once it’s melted add in the onions, celery, and carrots, and sauté for 25 to 30 minutes while frequently stirring with a spoon or until well caramelized.
- Next, stir in the tomato paste and cook for 8 to 10 minutes to deepen the flavor and becomes a rust-like color. This is process is known as pince.
- Pour in the veal stock.
- On a 1 x 1 square foot piece of cheesecloth, place to the center the thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and garlic. Fold up the corners and securely tie a double knot around it using butcher’s twine to ensure nothing is coming out. As a note, if you plan on using a chinois to drain everything, you can just place everything in the cheesecloth into the pot.
- Simmer over low to medium heat for 2 hours and be sure to come back every 30 minutes to skim and discard any impurities or fat that collects at the top.
- With about 30 minutes left in the simmering process melt the 2 sticks of butter in a large sauté pan over low to medium heat.
- Once melted whisk in the flour until combined. Whisk frequently for the next 20 to 25 minutes to create a dark roux.
- At this time slowly pour the roux in the stock pot of stock and veggies while continually whisking until it is incorporated. The stock will immediately thicken.
- Cook for a further 20 to 25 minutes.
- Strain the stock completely through a chinois, fine mesh strainer, or cheesecloth. Use, or store in the fridge or freezer.
I haven’t made this yet so my 5 stars are a bit premature but take them for the beefs stock I did make. I do have a question: If making Demi-glace why not add all the beef stock at once after caramelizing vegetables and making the roux and then reduce the sauce instead of making the Espagnole Sauce (with beef stock) and then add more beef stock to make the demi glace? What am I missing please? Thank you!
Because you’re reducing the first one to concentrate it more. That’s just how it’s done.
Sounds delicious! Will definitely try my hand at this sauce! Thank you
Merry Christmas to you and yours 🎄