Velouté is one of the five classic French mother sauces: a velvety, pale sauce made from a roux and light stock.

Origin

The name means "velvety" (French velours = velvet) and describes the texture you are after.

Good to know

Velouté is the base for many derived sauces, such as suprême (with cream), allemande (with egg yolk) or vin blanc (with white wine and fish stock). Unlike béchamel, it is made with stock instead of milk.

Alternative

For a vegetarian version, use a strong vegetable stock.

Tip

Add the stock to the roux gradually while stirring and let the sauce simmer gently for at least 20 minutes so the floury taste cooks out.

Related terms

Béchamel, Fond (Stock), Hollandaise