Soubise Recipe: A French White Onion Sauce

French soubise (onion sauce) with skirt steak and crushed potatoes.

Soubise Recipe: A French White Onion Sauce

I think that French soubise is a sauce that is very much neglected, it is basically a white onion sauce that combines a creamy bechamel with gently cooked onion, it's creamy but bold flavours makes it an ideal condiment to serve with steak, lamb or even venison!

Course Condiment

Cuisine Anglo French

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword french onion sauce, onion bechamel sauce, soubise, soubise sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 50

Total Time 55

Servings Servings

Calories 277kcal

Author Brian Jones

Ingredients

For the Onions:

1 Medium-Large Onion 175g
20 g Butter 1 tablespoon + 1 Tsp

For the Bechamel Sauce:

20 g Butter 1 tablespoon + 1 Tsp
20 g Flour 2 Tbsp
175 ml Full Fat Milk ¾ Cup
¼ teaspoon Salt
2 Pinches White Pepper
2 Pinches Nutmeg

Instructions

Bring a 17cm or 7" saucepan of water to a boil.
Cut the onions in half, peel them and then slice them into half-moon shapes, as finely as you can.
Add the onions to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes, then drain and allow to steam dry for 2-3 minutes.
Heat a 25cm or 10" frying pan over a low heat and add the butter for the onions. When the butter has melted, add the onions, partially cover with a lid and cook them for 30-35 minutes.
You do not want to caramelise the onions; they should be cooked with no colour at all, so keep that temperature low and stir regularly.
5-10 minutes before the onions are ready, make your bechamel sauce.
Melt the butter in a 15cm or 6" saucepan over medium heat, and when it has melted, add the flour, cooking for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
If the roux begins to colour, reduce the heat.
Add the milk gradually to the pan until you have formed a smooth and uniform sauce.
Remove the pan from the heat, and add the salt, white pepper and nutmeg to taste.

If you are using a gas or induction hob, you can just turn the heat off.

Combine the onions and bechamel sauce, and transfer to a blender, and blitz until smooth. Adding milk until you have a texture that you desire.
I like to pass the sauce through a fine mesh sieve before serving.

Video

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