Parsley sauce, a traditional British accompaniment for fish, is similar to a bechamel; it begins with a roux, it's silky smooth and delicious!
You can turn this recipe all the way up to 11 by using the milk to steep smoked fish, then go on to use it to make your white sauce.
Classic White Sauce for Fish.
Fish in parsley sauce was considered all sorts of lahdedah when I was growing up in the late 70s and early 80s in the UK.
It kinda fell out of fashion, probably thanks to the arrival of the frankly awful frozen ready meals. They largely featured some tasteless white fish in a white gloop reminiscent of wallpaper paste.
But a classic roux-based white sauce with parsley is the base of every great fish pie and, of course, at the heart of cod mornay, smoked haddock pasta and my smoked haddock gratin.
But it is so much more than that; it is great as a stand-alone sauce, and it is far easier than many would believe.
A lump-free, tasty, silky white sauce is so simple to make at home, and I think that it is a great addition to a cook's armoury.
My version comes together in just 25 minutes, and 10 minutes of that is letting the milk cool a little. That little break is the perfect time to cook yourself some fish!
Frequently Asked Questions.
Is flavouring the milk essential?
No, it is not essential, but it does add depth and dimension to what is essentially flour, butter and milk with some herbs.
Can I flavour the milk with anything else?
Yes, smoked fish is one of the best, and it makes for a jaw-dropping sauce.
You can keep the classic flavours and then pour over something like smoked haddock and allow it to cool. Or you can omit the onion and garlic and just flavour with the smoked fish.
Can I make white sauce in advance?
Yes and no! If you make it in advance, you can cover it with cling film, but push the cling film into the pan or bowl and make sure there is no air between the sauce and the film.
Any air and the sauce will form a "skin" which can be difficult to combine with the sauce. If your sauce does form a skin, it is best to skim it off.
The sauce will also continue to thicken. As a result, you will probably need to add more milk to thin it down when reheating.
But for the very best results, serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions.
Parsley sauce is a classic accompaniment to fish. It is wonderful with something like pan fried salmon or this herb crusted roast cod.
But I think that it works wonderfully with fishcakes!
If you have floated around here much, you will know that I am rather fond of fish cakes!
I serve this wonderful sauce here with my smoked haddock fishcakes. But it would work equally well with my tinned mackerel fishcakes and my sardine and salmon fishcakes.
But don't get hung up on fish, it is just as good with some simply cooked pork loin steaks, roast ham hock or pork chops.
Don't forget the good old chicken either, it is fab with roasted or poached chicken breast.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop
- 2 x 15cm or 6" saucepans.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
- Whisk or silicon spoon.
Parsley Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 30 g Butter 2 tablespoon
- 30 g Flour ¼ Cup
- 300 g Full Fat Milk 1¼ Cup
- 10 g Fresh Parsley ⅔ Cup
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon White Pepper
For flavouring the milk (Optional):
- 1 Small Onion 100g
- 4 Cloves
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 1 Bay Leaf
Instructions
- Peel and the onion, and then push the pointed end of the cloves into the onion before placing it in a small (15cm or 6") milk pan.
- Bash the garlic with the flat side of a knife, and add it to the pan and add the bay leaf.
- Pour over the milk and bring to a boil, then turn off and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Chop the parsley as finely as you can.
- In a second 15cm or 6" saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat without colouring.
- Add the flour to the melted butter and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes. If the flour begins to go beyond light blond colour, reduce the heat a little. Do not rush this step; you need to "cook out" the flour so that your sauce does not taste like raw flour.
- Remove the flavourings from the milk, then add the salt and white pepper and stir to combine.
- Add the milk little by little to the roux base, starting with around 3 tablespoons. Stir constantly as you add the milk, and only add more once the previous addition is completely combined.Initially, the mix will look like it has split, but it will come together and form a paste. As you add more milk to the paste, it will thin to a beautiful white sauce.Be careful not to boil the sauce; if it is coming to a boil, reduce the temperature a little.This recipe makes a thick sauce. If you want to thin it out a little, add more milk.
- Stir through the chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Victoria
Thursday 13th of March 2025
How long can I keep this sauce for, does it freeze well?
Brian Jones
Sunday 16th of March 2025
Hi Victoria
Bechamel freezes quite well, but you do need to defrost it before reheating and it needs reheating slowly... which takes away a significant part of the time saving. I would not add the parsley before freezing the sauce, and chop a load whilst it is reheating and toss it in at the end.
Hope that helps.
Brian