Soubise Sauce

By
Danilo Alfaro
Danlio Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/24/24
Soubise sauce

The Spruce Eats

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 1 quart

The soubise sauce is a classic cream sauce made by sautéeing onions and adding them to a basic béchamel sauce. The result is rich and velvety, making the sauce an excellent accompaniment for vegetables, eggs, fish, and meats, or as a base for casseroles. Traditionally the onions are puréed before adding them to the sauce, but this isn't essential; if you don't purée them, however, you'll want to chop them pretty small.

One of the most simple variations on the classic soubise sauce is to add some tomato purée just before serving. This ingredient is optional but does add a nice flavor and color to the sauce.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1 pound onions, chopped

  • 1 quart Béchamel sauce

  • 2 cups tomato puree, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for soubise sauce

    The Spruce Eats

  2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent. Make sure not to let them turn brown.

    Melt the butter

    The Spruce Eats

  3. Transfer the cooked onions to a food processor. Purée briefly and then return them to the pot.

    Blend

    The Spruce Eats

  4. Whisk the béchamel into the puréed onions and bring the sauce to a simmer.

    Whisk the bechamel

    The Spruce Eats

  5. Add the tomato purée, if using, and gently mix over the heat until combined.

    Add tomato puree

    The Spruce Eats

  6. Serve right away with roasted meats or vegetables.

Ways to Serve Soubise Sauce

Because this sauce has such a basic flavor, it goes well with a variety of dishes.

Recipe Variations

  • Some recipes call for caramelizing the onions, which requires a longer cooking time over low heat. The onions acquire a rich, sweet taste, adding another layer of flavor to the sauce.
  • There is a version of soubise that is made of slow-cooked rice and onions, along with cream and Gruyere or Emmenthal cheese. A starchy rice is cooked and pureed along with the cooked onions, and then combined with the cream and cheese.
  • If you don't have time to make the bechamel, you can substitute it with heavy cream.

How to Store

You can keep any unused soubise in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Make sure it is fully cooled and then place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the top to prevent a film from developing.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
185 Calories
13g Fat
14g Carbs
4g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 185
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 35mg 12%
Sodium 127mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 6mg 32%
Calcium 99mg 8%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 347mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: