Soubise Sauce is an onion-based sauce thicker and part of the bechamel sauce family. It is a part of French cuisine, and people generally serve this with meats, game, poultry, and vegetables.


The sauce got its name from  Charles de Rohan, Prince de Soubise. It was documented in the recipe book of Auguste Escoffier in which he had added a thickened béchamel to butter-stewed onions. There is a variance in this sauce that uses cooked rice and bacon fat. But even Escoffier prefers bechamel over that version.

Variations of Soubise Sauce

This sauce is fundamental and experimental. Even if it is a variation of the bechamel sauce, you can still derive more variation from it.

Green Garlic Soubise Sauce

The variation includes chopped green garlic/garlic cloves, boiled rice, and heavy cream. This sauce goes well with braised meat, especially a significant cut, but you can also use herbs like parsley or thyme.

Soubise Sauce With Cheese

It is similar to the previous version with the elimination of garlic. However, if you like, you can still experiment with a bit of garlic. Starchy rice is cooked and pureed with the cooked onions and when combined with the cream and cheese. Gruyere or Emmenthal cheese is preferred for this.

Three Ingredient Soubise Sauce

It is the easiest and also slightly tricky version. It requires only three ingredients- salt & pepper, onions, and cream. The amount of onion will increase tremendously. The trick here will be to cook/caramelize the onion without burning or changing its colour to brown. You may add a little bit of water to prevent that.

TR’s Extra Shots

  • Replacements – Replace it with heavy cream if you do not have premade bechamel sauce or cannot make it.
  • Pre-Preparation – You can make the onion and herb mixture in green garlic soubise beforehand and store it in an airtight container.
  • Flavours – This sauce is versatile. You can add more complementary ingredients to enhance its flavours. Curry powder, paprika, or other similar spice powder is okay to use.
  • Freshness – It is preferable to make this sauce when eating and avoid using the stored one. It tastes different after thawed and also tends to get more liquid afterwards.
  • Storing – If you still need to store the sauce, you can put it in the refrigerator. It will be good enough for 4-5 days. After making it, let it cool down completely before putting it in the fridge and wrapping plastic over it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the word soubise mean?

Soubise means to garnish. It is a garnishing sauce that consists of onion base or onion purée.

What is Soubise Sauce used for?

Soubise sauce is one of the French cuisine’s classic sauces from five mother sauces. This sauce is made by sautéeing onions into a basic béchamel sauce. It makes for an excellent accompaniment for vegetables, eggs, fish, and meats or as a base for casseroles.

Can I make soubise sauce pasta vegan?

Yes, we can make soubise sauce pasta vegan. You have to replace all the dairy products here with the non-dairy version of the ingredients.

We can use almond milk, soy milk, or even coconut milk instead of regular milk. One can even add a cashew paste and oat milk for butter use non-dairy butter.

How long can I store soubise sauce?

We will not recommend storing this dish. The pasta will be soggy if you keep it after adding the sauce. However, you can refrigerate the pre-made sauce and add it to the boiled pasta when you want to eat it. But it will be better to eat this fresh as the sauce doesn’t taste that well once thawed.

How can I experiment with soubise sauce?

There can be a few things you can do differently. For example, we can alter some ingredients.

You can use sun-dried tomato paste and smoked gouda in the sauce. You will get a nice sauce mix from both French and Italian cuisines, then it already is. Try this version with macaroni pasta.

Besides, you can change the spices in this sauce somewhat. Also, you can try it with different kinds of pasta.

Also Read:
Soubise Sauce Pasta is a fusion recipe with French sauce and Italian pasta. This dish is extremely delicious, easy to make, & a filling one. Watch the recipe video for exclusive details. Click now.