Classic Espagnole Sauce for Everything from Roast Beef to Sautéed Mushrooms! (2025)

Despite its name, espagnole sauce is most definitely a French sauce and considered to be one of the five classic French “mother” sauces (Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Hollandaise, and Sauce Tomat).

It is a meaty, rich brown sauce made with beef or veal stock, a brown roux, and enriched with tomato puree and mirepoix (finely diced carrots, celery, and onions).The origins of the sauce have been disputed with various colorful stories tying it to Spain, but once chef Auguste Escoffier embraced it, it was accepted unequivocally as French.

To make the espagnole sauce, soften the mirepoix in butter, whisk some flour into the pan and cook until golden brown to form a roux. Gradually whisk in stock, tomato puree, and aromatics and simmer until the sauce is reduced by about a third. Once strained, the sauce is ready to use.

Serve it with braised beef, lamb, or pork, or spooned over steak and sautéed mushrooms.

Classic Espagnole Sauce for Everything from Roast Beef to Sautéed Mushrooms! (1)

What is the Best Stock for Making Espagnole Sauce?

Espagnole sauce will only be as good as the stock you make it with, so if you are able, use homemade stock. That’s a big ask. Making a brown stock first before even starting the sauce is a project in itself, but if you do make your own beef stock, you can make enough to freeze for other uses.

Unfortunately, most beef stocks that you buy in a can or a box do not have much flavor. To add more flavor to store-bought stock simmer a quart of stock for 20 to 30 minutes with about 2 tablespoons of mirepoix (finely chopped onions, carrots, and celery), a pinch of dried thyme, a bay leaf, 1/2 cup red or white wine, and a teaspoon of tomato paste.

Strain and taste, but don’t add any more salt until you add it to the espagnole sauce, and it has reduced.

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Ways To Troubleshoot Espagnole Sauce

Espagnole is fairly straightforward sauce. Here are a few things you should keep an eye out for while making this recipe.

  • Be careful when making the brown roux. A brown roux is simply a roux that is allowed enough time to cook until the butter and flour turn a deep golden brown. In a typical white roux, the butter and flour remain pale and light golden. If the roux is browning too quickly, slide the pan off the burner and let it cool a little to prevent it from burning, then return it to the heat.
  • Stir the sauce often as it reduces to keep the bottom of the pot from scorching. It’s the kind of sauce that you could make while puttering around the kitchen.

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What Else Can You Make with Espagnole Sauce?

This mother sauce has many “daughters” or derivate sauces and can be transformed to suit your fancy.

  • Demi-Glace is the most common derivative of espagnole sauce. To make it, simmer equal parts espagnole sauce and brown beef stock until it is reduced by half. It becomes a glaze to drizzle over steak or other meat. Although technically not a mother sauce, demi-glace has spawned many of its own derivative sauces.
  • Africaine sauce combines espagnole sauce with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and creole seasonings to make a piquant sauce for spooning over chops, steak, and chicken.
  • For chicken or meat, chasseur (hunter’s) sauce made with mushrooms, shallots, white wine, and tomatoes is a sure-fire winner for a fall supper.
  • For sauce Robert, add mustard.
  • For sauce piquante, add pickles and capers.

These are just a few possibilities, and you can’t go wrong trying any of these sauces.

How To Store and Freeze Espagnole Sauce

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat over low heat, whisking constantly, on the stovetop.

You can freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheat over low heat from the frozen state, whisking constantly.

Classic Espagnole Sauce for Everything from Roast Beef to Sautéed Mushrooms! (4)

More Mother Sauce Recipes for You!

  • Classic Sauce Tomat Sauce
  • Classic Demi-Glace Sauce
  • Classic Velouté Sauce
  • Classic Beurre Blanc Sauce

Classic Espagnole Sauce

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time60 mins

Total Time70 mins

Servings6to 8 servings

Yield2 cups

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1/2 medium onion, finely diced

  • 1 stalk celery, finely diced

  • 1 carrot, finely diced

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 4 cups unsalted or low-salt brown beef stock, preferably homemade

  • 1/4 cup canned tomatopuree

  • Pinch salt

  • 8 whole peppercorns

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 4 parsley stems, optional

Special Equipment

  • Cheesecloth

Method

  1. Cook the vegetables:

    In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the diced onions, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 6 minutes.

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  2. Make the brown roux:

    Add the flour to the pan with the vegetables and whisk to incorporate fully. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking often, until the flour turns deep golden brown, 6 to 10 minutes.

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  3. Add the beef stock, tomato puree, and herbs:

    Gradually pour in the stock and whisk simultaneously until there are no lumps in the sauce. Stir in the tomato puree, salt, peppercorns, bay leaf, and parsley stems.

    Classic Espagnole Sauce for Everything from Roast Beef to Sautéed Mushrooms! (7)

    Classic Espagnole Sauce for Everything from Roast Beef to Sautéed Mushrooms! (8)

  4. Reduce the sauce:

    Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer (small bubbles occasionally rise to the surface of the sauce). Cook for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the bottom of the pot from scorching, until the volume reduces by about 1/3. When ready the sauce should be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. It is not a thick sauce, but approximately the consistency of heavy cream or thin gravy.

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  5. Strain the sauce:

    Line a large strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Strain the sauce into the bowl and discard the solids.

    Classic Espagnole Sauce for Everything from Roast Beef to Sautéed Mushrooms! (10)

  6. Store sauce:

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat over low heat, whisking constantly, on the stovetop.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
87Calories
6g Fat
7g Carbs
2g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6to 8
Amount per serving
Calories87
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g8%
Saturated Fat 4g18%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 284mg12%
Total Carbohydrate 7g2%
Dietary Fiber 1g5%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 2mg9%
Calcium 27mg2%
Iron 1mg3%
Potassium 127mg3%
*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. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Classic Espagnole Sauce for Everything from Roast Beef to Sautéed Mushrooms! (2025)

FAQs

What is espagnole sauce made of? ›

It is a meaty, rich brown sauce made with beef or veal stock, a brown roux, and enriched with tomato puree and mirepoix (finely diced carrots, celery, and onions).

What are the 2 derivative sauces of espagnole? ›

Some of the Espagnole sauce derivatives are:
  • Demi-glace – A reduction of equal parts Espagnole and brown beef stock.
  • Bordelaise – Demi-glace, red wine, shallots, and fresh thyme.
  • Madeira – Demi-glace, red wine, and cold butter.
  • Robert – Demi-glace, onion, white wine, and Dijon mustard.

What does espagnole sauce pair well with? ›

5 Dishes to Serve With a Sauce Espagnole
  • Beef tenderloin with sautéed mushrooms.
  • Braised beef short ribs and mashed potatoes.
  • Braised lamb shanks and creamy polenta.
  • Braised pork shoulder and parsnip purée.
  • Steak and a side of crispy french fries.
Mar 20, 2024

What are some hints for making espagnole? ›

Espagnole Sauce

Sauté vegetables in butter until tender. Add flour and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then whisk in stock, bay leaves and tomato paste. Simmer slowly, scraping down the sides regularly until reduced to 3 cups of liquid.

What is another name for espagnole? ›

This is not a reference to the nation of Spain but to the dark and rich color that this beef based sauce derives its name from. Espagnole sauce, also referred to as brown sauce is the base for many other sauces, such as demi-glace, bordelaise, and marchand de vin.

What is the second name for Espagnole sauce? ›

The Espagnole sauce, also sometimes called Brown Sauce, is a slightly more complex mother sauce. Espagnole is made by thickening brown stock with a roux. So in that sense, it's similar to a velouté. The difference is that Espagnole is made with tomato purée and mirepoix for deeper color and flavor.

What are the 5 mother sauces espagnole? ›

The five French mother sauces are: Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Hollandaise, and Tomato.

What is also known as espagnole? ›

Espagnole (pronounced like the word for Spanish: español) is a basic brown sauce that is one of the five mother sauces of classical cuisine. It's also the starting point for a rich and deeply flavorful sauce called demi-glace, which is traditionally served with red meats.

What is a common secondary sauce for espagnole? ›

Examples of Secondary Sauces
  1. Demi-glace = 50% espagnole + 50% brown stock and reduced by half.
  2. Bordelaise = demi-glace + red wine + bone marrow + Herbes de Provence.
  3. Chasseur = espagnole + shallots + mushrooms + tomato + white wine.
  4. Robert = demi-glace + mustard + onion + white wine + sugar.
Jul 5, 2019

What is the taste of espagnole? ›

Knowing how to make the Sauce Espagnole is a must when you are learning French cooking. The sauce is sometimes called brown sauce and has strong beef and tomato flavours with a hint of bacon in the background..

What is the daughter sauce of espagnole? ›

Daughter Sauces
  • Demi-glace: This sauce uses a 1:1 ratio of Espagnole and veal stock that is then reduced in half. ...
  • Sauce Bigarade: This sauce is often used on duck in French cuisine. ...
  • Sauce Champignons: Also known as mushroom sauce.
Aug 7, 2014

What does espagnole mean in food? ›

Espagnole is a classic brown sauce, typically made from brown stock, mirepoix, and tomatoes, and thickened with roux.

Why is it called espagnole sauce? ›

In the case of Spanish sauce, it is thought that the name was given due to its red color, which is associated with Spain.

What mother sauce is gravy? ›

You may know béchamel sauce as the white sauce that is used in many dishes, such as chicken pot pie, macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, lasagne, and gravy.

How much roux to thicken 1 litre? ›

Depends on how thick the soup is to start with, how thick you want it to be, and how exactly your roux was made. The rule of thumb for sauce veloute or sauce bechamel I've been taught is to use about 100g of roux per litre of liquid.

What's the difference between espagnole and demi-glace? ›

The big differences between the two sauces are the color variation and taste: The Espagnole sauce has more of a vegetable-forward flavor, whereas Demi Glace has a beefier flavor.

What are the four mother sauces? ›

The five mother sauces are hollandaise, tomato (sauce tomat), bechamel, Espagnole, and veloute. French chef Auguste Escoffier identified the five mother sauces, forever associating them with French cuisine. However, mother sauces are relevant in all modern cooking practices.

What is the liquid and thickener in espagnole? ›

Espagnole is a classic brown sauce, typically made from brown stock, mirepoix, and tomatoes, and thickened with roux.

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