In French cuisine, sauces are nothing short of an art form. To me, a good homemade sauce can transform everything. Much like seasoning, it’s about elevating a dish, giving it depth, character, and sometimes even a whole new identity. And yet, we rarely speak of it. The craft of making a sauce from scratch, using simple, honest ingredients, is, if you ask me, one of the most underrated gestures in the kitchen.
You could prepare the healthiest, most modest dishes: steamed vegetables, gently poached fish, slow-cooked white meats, soft-boiled eggs. On their own, they may seem rather plain. But with a beautiful, well-made sauce, be it a velvety béarnaise, a bright hollandaise (yes, it’s French, despite its name!), or a simple homemade mayonnaise, suddenly, everything changes. These humble ingredients become something you look forward to.
I remember realizing this for the first time when my mother would make poached white fish with her signature mayonnaise. I loved that meal, not so much for the fish, but for the pleasure of dipping warm baguette bread into the sauce… A simple trick, by the way, to help children enjoy foods they might otherwise avoid ;).
So instead of listing every French sauce ever invented (we’d be here for days), I thought I’d share something more personal: the sauces I return to again and again. My favourites. The ones that bring a dish to life. For each, you’ll find the recipe, along with the ingredients, or simple meals, they pair beautifully with. If you’ve ever wanted to know my secret sauce… this is for you ;).
1. Béchamel
This is, without a doubt, the sauce I make most often. It’s an incredibly useful one to have in your repertoire, as it pairs beautifully with so many dishes: the classic gratin dauphinois, endives au jambon, savory ham crêpes, croque-monsieur, moussaka, puff pastry tarts, coquilles Saint-Jacques… and of course, lasagna (where I often mix béchamel with tomato sauce), or any kind of vegetable gratin. I love using it to make baked vegetable dishes, it’s a delicious way to enjoy vegetables in a slightly more indulgent (and irresistible) way.
It’s also one of the easiest sauces to master:
Melt 40g (3 tablespoons) of butter in a saucepan. Add 40g (1/3 cup) of flour all at once and stir over low heat with a whisk until you have a roux blanc (a pale roux). Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in 500 ml (2 cups + 1 tablespoon) of semi-skimmed milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Season with salt and return to low heat, stirring until the sauce thickens. Finish with freshly grated nutmeg, a pinch more salt, and a twist of black pepper.
2. Mayonnaise
There’s truly nothing better than a good homemade mayonnaise. The recipe is simple, but getting the emulsion right can be tricky at first. I used to struggle, mostly because I didn’t have the proper equipment. The best way to guarantee success is to use an immersion blender, which makes the process much easier and more reliable.
Here’s how I make it:
In a small bowl, combine one egg yolk, one teaspoon of vinegar, one teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Then, very slowly, begin adding 150 ml (2/3 cup) of oil (grapeseed or sunflower work best), whisking vigorously as you go. Keep whisking until the mayonnaise thickens into a rich, creamy consistency.
3. Hollandaise Sauce
This sauce is absolutely delicious and essential for serving with fish, spooned over poached eggs (think eggs Benedict), or drizzled atop green asparagus. Despite its name, hollandaise is a truly French creation. Legend has it the sauce was developed during the reign of Louis XIV, around the time of the Franco-Dutch War (1672–1678), which is how it got its name. It’s a simple sauce to master, based on an emulsion of egg yolks, butter, and lemon juice. Add a bit of orange zest and juice, and you have sauce maltaise, a citrusy variation that’s equally divine.
Here’s how I make it:
Juice half a lemon and set aside. Cut 14 tablespoons (just under 1 cup / 200 g) of unsalted butter into small cubes. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together 3 egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Place over a gentle bain-marie and whisk until the mixture becomes pale, airy, and lightly thickened. Gradually add the butter a few cubes at a time, whisking well after each addition to emulsify. Once smooth and silky, season with salt and pepper, then stir in the lemon juice just before serving.
4. Béarnaise Sauce
I adore this sauce! It’s just as delicious with grilled meats as it is with fish or seasonal vegetables. Closely related to hollandaise, béarnaise adds a touch of aromatic complexity thanks to shallots and fresh tarragon. It’s slightly more involved but well worth the few extra steps.
Here’s how I make it:
Peel and finely dice 2 shallots. Rinse about 1/4 bunch of fresh tarragon, chop the leaves, and set aside the stems. In a small saucepan, combine the chopped shallots, tarragon stems, 2 pinches of crushed black pepper, and 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (40 ml) of white wine vinegar. Let it reduce gently until almost dry. Remove from the heat, then whisk in 2 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of cold water, and a pinch of fleur de sel. Return to low heat and whisk until the mixture forms ribbons. Off the heat, gradually incorporate 6 tablespoons (90 g) of melted butter. Finish by folding in the chopped tarragon leaves.
5. Vinaigrette
This is the dressing I make almost every time I prepare a green salad or a cold vegetable dish. It’s quick, versatile, and endlessly adaptable: lemon juice, cider vinegar, balsamic, shallots, garlic… the variations are infinite.
Here’s my favorite version:
Pour 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar into a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and stir gently to dissolve. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Then, slowly add 6 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil (organic and cold-pressed, ideally), whisking until the vinaigrette emulsifies. Finish with a small garlic clove, very finely chopped (or a small pinch, if using pre-minced).
6. Sauce Marchand de Vin (Red Wine Shallot Sauce)
This shallot and red wine reduction is one of my favorite sauces for red meats, deeply flavorful, aromatic, and remarkably simple to make.
Here’s how I make it:
Peel and finely chop 3 shallots. Rinse, dry, and chop 1/4 bunch of flat-leaf parsley. In a saucepan, melt 2 teaspoons (10 g) of unsalted butter and sweat the shallots gently. Deglaze with 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (100 ml) of red wine and reduce by about a quarter. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 g) of softened butter. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, then add the juice of half a lemon. Finish with the chopped parsley. Stir to combine and set aside until ready to serve.
7. Beurre Blanc
This sauce always feels super elegant to me :). It’s a specialty from the Loire region (Nantes to be precise) and pairs beautifully with delicate white fish, scallops, or even simply steamed vegetables. Made from a reduction of white wine and vinegar infused with shallots, then emulsified with butter, it’s both tangy and velvety.
Here’s how I make it:
Peel and finely mince 3 shallots. Pour 2 tablespoons of white vinegar into a small saucepan, add the shallots, and bring to a gentle boil. Let the mixture reduce until nearly dry. Deglaze with 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (about 1/2 cup or 100 ml) of dry white wine and reduce slightly again. Cut 14 tablespoons (200 g) of unsalted butter into cubes (room temperature works best). Begin whisking in half the butter, a few pieces at a time, until the sauce begins to emulsify. Then add the remaining butter, continuing to whisk until smooth and creamy. Season with a pinch of salt and serve warm.
8. Tartare Sauce
Bright, bold, and herbaceous, this sauce brings a burst of freshness to cold fish, seafood platters, steamed vegetables, or even a simple plate of boiled eggs. This version is more refined than the heavy mayonnaise-based ones often found abroad: it’s delicate, full of texture, and deeply rooted in French culinary tradition. I love how the blend of fresh herbs, capers, and pickles creates something that feels both rustic and precise.
Here’s how I make it:
Rinse and pat dry a small handful (about 1/4 bunch) each of flat-leaf parsley, chervil, and chives, plus 5 fresh tarragon leaves. Remove the stems from the parsley and chervil, then finely chop all the herbs. Rinse 2 teaspoons of salt-packed capers and gently crush half of them. Finely dice 2 cornichons and 2 spring onions (white and green parts). In a mortar, combine 1 hard-boiled egg yolk, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and a pinch of fine sea salt. Add the whole capers and crush with a pestle until you form a thick paste. Begin adding 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) of olive oil in a thin stream, whisking continuously in one direction with the pestle to create an emulsion, much like a mayonnaise. Once the sauce has thickened, gently fold in the chopped cornichons, crushed capers, spring onions, and fresh herbs.
9. Classic French Tomato Sauce
We French have never been ones to do things quite like everyone else :). It’s just in our nature, we love to do things our own way, to reinvent even the most classic recipes. So here is my French take on tomato sauce, one that’s deeply inspired by Provençal cooking. Think slow-cooked aromatics, delicate herbs, and a rounder, softer finish. You can use this sauce to coat a simple bowl of pasta, pour it gently beneath a poached egg, spoon it into the hollow of a roasted courgette, or even layer it into a lasagna (mixed, of course, with my béchamel).
Here’s how I make it:
Finely chop 1 yellow onion and 1 garlic clove, then gently sauté them in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat until soft and translucent. Add 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) of crushed tomatoes, along with a bay leaf, a small sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon of herbes de Provence and a bit of sea salt. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig. You can leave the texture slightly rustic, or blend it for a smoother finish.
10. Forestière Sauce
You may not find this sauce in the grand French culinary tomes, nor on the menus of fine dining establishments, but more likely, you’ll spot it chalked on the boards of a small Parisian bistro :). Often served with a chicken or turkey escalope, a steak, steamed potatoes, green beans, or even pasta, it’s the kind of sauce I find myself turning to most often in the colder months. Rich, savory, and deeply comforting, it’s one I wholeheartedly recommend.
Here’s how I make it:
Finely chop 1 shallot and slice 150 g (about 1¾ to 2 cups sliced) of mushrooms, button mushrooms (champignons de Paris) or chanterelles (girolles) work beautifully. In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter, then sauté the shallot and mushrooms together until they’re golden and tender. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, pour in 1/3 cup (80 ml) of hot water and dissolve 1 chicken bouillon cube in it. Let it reduce slightly. Then add 1 cup (240 ml) of heavy cream and stir in 2 teaspoons of poultry or veal stock concentrate, diluted in a splash of warm water. Return the mushrooms to the pan and simmer gently, stirring often, until the sauce thickens to your liking. Finish with a twist of freshly ground black pepper and serve warm. Bon appétit!
