Easy Traditional Bread Sauce Recipe

Name: Easy Traditional Bread Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 10 fl oz. / 300m semi-skimmed milk; 5 fl oz. / 150 mL double (heavy) cream; 1 onion (peeled and studded with 6 cloves); 1 bay leaf; 1 1/4 cups / 75g fresh bread crumbs; 1 oz. / 25g butter

What is Bread Sauce?

Bread sauce is based on the idea that bread is an excellent way to thicken sauces, soups, and stews and was originally created to use up leftover bread. While recipes vary, the basic formula is to infuse milk with the delicate flavor of onion, cloves, and bay leaf and then thicken it with breadcrumbs.

What Do I Serve with Bread Sauce?

Bread sauce’s place on the Christmas table makes a lot of sense. In addition to pairing perfectly with roast turkey, this velvety sauce is no threat to tart cranberry sauce and delicious with all the components of the traditional English Christmas lunch, including crisp roast potatoes and even Brussels sprouts. Aside from the holiday feast, bread sauce can also be enjoyed year-round with roast chicken or duck. Despite its simplicity, it really works wonders as a sauce, which no doubt is why it has survived for centuries.

Can I Make Bread Sauce Ahead?

Bread sauce is quick to make, but for larger dinners, you may find it easier to make it in advance. Let the sauce cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to three days. When ready to serve, simply warm the sauce on the stovetop, adding a bit more milk to loosen it, and season as needed.

Tips for Making the Best Bread Sauce:

Take your time—While this recipe is quick, infusing the milk with the onion, cloves, and bay leaf is the most important step in building flavor, so don’t even consider skipping it.

Use the right breadcrumbs—While store-bought fresh breadcrumbs will work, the dried kind that come in canisters are too finely ground to create the proper texture for bread sauce. If you’re making your own breadcrumbs, avoid whole wheat or seeded bread and stick to white bread. It’s totally fine if the bread is a bit stale, as it will create better texture in the sauce; very fresh bread will turn to mush.

Add the breadcrumbs gradually—Slowly adding the breadcrumbs in stages allows you to achieve the desired texture and prevents the sauce from getting too thick too fast. If your sauce does get too thick, slowly add a little more milk to thin it out.

1 1/4 cups (300 ml) skim milk
10 tablespoons (150 ml) heavy cream
1 medium onion, peeled and studded with 6 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 1/4 cups (75 g) fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Gather the ingredients.
Place 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) skim milk, 10 tablespoons (150 ml) heavy cream, the clove-studded onion, and the bay leaf into a large saucepan.
Bring to a gentle boil, making sure the mixture does not boil over.
Turn off the heat and let the mixture stand for about 10 minutes to cool and allow the flavors to gently infuse.
Remove the bay leaf and discard. Remove the onion from the pan and set aside. (Read below why you'll want to keep the onion.)
Gradually add 1 1/4 cups (75 g) breadcrumbs to the pan, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and becomes more smooth. You don't want the sauce to be completely smooth; it should still have the texture of the bread.
Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the pan and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

What Can I Do with the Onion?

The clove-studded onion is far too flavorful to discard. Remove the cloves, then cut the onion into thin strips that can be added to your gravy. Alternatively, chop the onion into quarters and serve them alongside the roast.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover bread sauce can be frozen for up to a month. Once it’s cool, move it to an airtight container for freezing. Before using, thaw the sauce in the refrigerator overnight, then warm it in a saucepan, stirring in a bit more milk if it’s too thick.

Classic Recipes for a Festive Christmas Dinner Menu

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
348	Calories
21g	Fat
32g	Carbs
9g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	348
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g	27%
Saturated Fat 13g	63%
Cholesterol 59mg	20%
Sodium 436mg	19%
Total Carbohydrate 32g	12%
Dietary Fiber 2g	7%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 1mg	7%
Calcium 188mg	14%
Iron 2mg	10%
Potassium 264mg	6%
*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.