Beurre Blanc
A French butter sauce of wine, vinegar, and shallots reduced and whisked with cold butter. It is a sauce rather than a spread, but butter is its substance.
| Category | Butter & Spreads |
|---|---|
| Maker / Origin | France |
| Storage | Serve at once, or hold in a warm (not hot) spot or a thermos. Heat breaks the emulsion. |
| Shelf life | It does not keep as a sauce; hold it warm for up to about 1 hour. Leftover sauce can be chilled and rewarmed gently once. |
| Best uses | Sauce for fish, shellfish, chicken, and vegetables. |
| Substitutes | Lemon butter melted gently, or hollandaise for a richer sauce. |
| Pairings | Poached fish, salmon, scallops, and asparagus. |
| Last checked | October 18, 2026 |
About it
Beurre blanc was created near Nantes in the early 1900s, by most accounts when a chef's béarnaise broke and she served the butter and shallot reduction anyway. The Muscadet wine of the region is traditional in the reduction.
Storing it
If it breaks, whisk in a spoonful of cream or cold water off the heat. Never boil it; the butter will separate into oil.
Using it
Reduce wine, vinegar, and shallot, then whisk in cold butter a few cubes at a time off the boil until glossy. Serve immediately over fish.
Swaps & pairings
Hollandaise is the richer cousin, built on yolks. Melted lemon butter gives the same flavors without the emulsion work.
More from this maker: France