Bread Sauce
Milk steeped with a clove-studded onion and bay, thickened with fresh breadcrumbs and finished with butter, nutmeg and cream; the classic sauce for roast chicken or turkey. Serves 6.
TOTAL TIME
50 min
ACTIVE TIME
9 min 15s
QUANTITY
~780 ml
DIFFICULTY
Medium
CUISINE
—
Who’s eating
A
Cooking for A typical adult.
This should leave everyone comfortably full.
Ingredients0/10
Tools0/9
Ingredients0/10 gathered · 6 servings
1piece
6piece
500ml
1piece
day-old, crusts removed; weigh after trimming100g
25g
1pinch
0.5tsp
1pinch
2tbsp| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 2 | | 6piece | — | — | |
| 3 | | 500ml | — | — | |
| 4 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 5 | | 100g | day-old, crusts removed; weigh after trimming | — | |
| 6 | | 25g | — | — | |
| 7 | | 1pinch | — | — | |
| 8 | | 0.5tsp | — | — | |
| 9 | | 1pinch | — | — | |
| 10 | | 2tbsp | — | — |
Tools9 items
Serveware1 item
Procedure19 steps
1 of 19
Lay the onion on the chopping board.
White onion · 1 piece
⏱ 5s
ResultWhite onion2 of 19
Cut it in half through the root and peel off the skin.
⏱ 30s
ResultHalved white onion3 of 19
Put the onion halves in the small saucepan, cut side down.
⏱ 5s
ResultHalved white onion4 of 19
Push 3 cloves into the rounded side of each half.
Cloves · 6 piece⏱ 20s
ResultClove-studded onion5 of 19
Pour in the milk.
Whole milk · 500 ml⏱ 10s
ResultOnion in milk6 of 19
Add the bay leaf.
Bay leaf · 1 piece⏱ 5s
ResultMilk with onion and bay7 of 19
Heat over a medium-low heat until steaming and just about to bubble, then take it off the heat.
⏱ 5 min
ResultSteaming spiced milk9 of 19
Meanwhile, tear the bread into pieces into the food processor.
White bread · 100 g
⏱ 20s
ResultWhite bread11 of 19
Strain the milk through the sieve into the heatproof jug, throwing away the onion and bay leaf.
⏱ 30s
ResultStrained spiced milk12 of 19
Pour the milk back into the pan.
⏱ 10s
ResultSpiced milk for the sauce14 of 19
Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy.
⏱ 5 min
ResultThickened bread sauce15 of 19
Stir in the butter until it melts.
Unsalted butter · 25 g⏱ 20s
ResultButtered bread sauce16 of 19
Add a pinch of nutmeg.
Ground nutmeg · 1 pinch⏱ 5s
ResultBread sauce with nutmeg17 of 19
Add the salt.
Salt · 0.5 tsp⏱ 5s
ResultSalted bread sauce18 of 19
Add a pinch of pepper.
Ground black pepper · 1 pinch⏱ 5s
ResultSeasoned bread sauce19 of 19
Stir in the cream.
Double cream · 2 tbsp⏱ 15s
ResultCreamy bread sauceTotal Time50 min
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 piece | | Lay the onion on the chopping board.⏱ 5sResultWhite onion |
| 2 | White onionstep 1 | | Cut it in half through the root and peel off the skin.⏱ 30sResultHalved white onion |
| 3 | Halved white onionstep 2 | | Put the onion halves in the small saucepan, cut side down.⏱ 5sResultHalved white onion |
| 4 | 6 piece | | Push 3 cloves into the rounded side of each half.⏱ 20sResultClove-studded onion |
| 5 | 500 ml | | Pour in the milk.⏱ 10sResultOnion in milk |
| 6 | 1 piece | | Add the bay leaf.⏱ 5sResultMilk with onion and bay |
| 7 | — | | Heat over a medium-low heat until steaming and just about to bubble, then take it off the heat.⏱ 5 minResultSteaming spiced milk |
| 8 | — | | Leave to steep for 30 minutes.⏱ 30 minResultSpiced milkused in step 11 |
| 9 | 100 g | | Meanwhile, tear the bread into pieces into the food processor.⏱ 20sResultWhite bread |
| 10 | — | | Pulse to fine crumbs.⏱ 30sResultFresh breadcrumbsused in step 13 |
| 11 | Spiced milkstep 8 | | Strain the milk through the sieve into the heatproof jug, throwing away the onion and bay leaf.⏱ 30sResultStrained spiced milk |
| 12 | Strained spiced milkstep 11 | | Pour the milk back into the pan.⏱ 10sResultSpiced milk for the sauce |
| 13 | Fresh breadcrumbsstep 10 | | Stir in the breadcrumbs.⏱ 20sResultMilk and breadcrumbs |
| 14 | — | | Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy.⏱ 5 minResultThickened bread sauce |
| 15 | 25 g | | Stir in the butter until it melts.⏱ 20sResultButtered bread sauce |
| 16 | 1 pinch | | Add a pinch of nutmeg.⏱ 5sResultBread sauce with nutmeg |
| 17 | 0.5 tsp | | Add the salt.⏱ 5sResultSalted bread sauce |
| 18 | 1 pinch | | Add a pinch of pepper.⏱ 5sResultSeasoned bread sauce |
| 19 | 2 tbsp | | Stir in the cream.⏱ 15sResultCreamy bread sauce |
| Total Time | 50 min | ||
Serving
- Spoon into a warm serving bowl and serve straight away with roast chicken or turkey.
Nutritionper serving
Estimated · pre-cooking · 100% ingredients covered
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 157kcal | |
| 5g | |
| 9g | |
| 5g | |
| 14g | |
| 6g | |
| 0.8g | |
| 329mg |
Ingredients0/10
Tools0/9
Recipe
Bread Sauce
Milk steeped with a clove-studded onion and bay, thickened with fresh breadcrumbs and finished with butter, nutmeg and cream; the classic sauce for roast chicken or turkey. Serves 6.
What you’ll doYou will steep milk with a clove-studded onion and a bay leaf for 30 minutes, strain it, then cook it with fresh breadcrumbs until thick and finish it with butter, nutmeg, seasoning and a little cream.
Serves6
Total50 min
LevelMedium
Ingredients
- White onion1 piece
- Cloves6 piece
- Whole milk500 ml
- Bay leaf1 piece
- White bread, day-old, crusts removed; weigh after trimming100 g
- Unsalted butter25 g
- Ground nutmeg1 pinch
- Salt0.5 tsp
- Ground black pepper1 pinch
- Double cream2 tbsp
Tools
SpoonSieveHeatproof jugSmall saucepanChef's knifeWooden spoonFood processorServing bowlChopping board
Method
1
Lay the onion on the chopping board.
5sChopping boardWhite onion · 1 piece
2
Cut it in half through the root and peel off the skin.
30sChopping board, Chefs knifeWhite onion · step 1
3
Put the onion halves in the small saucepan, cut side down.
5sSmall saucepanHalved white onion · step 2
4
Push 3 cloves into the rounded side of each half.
20sSmall saucepanCloves · 6 piece
5
Pour in the milk.
10sSmall saucepanWhole milk · 500 ml
6
Add the bay leaf.
5sSmall saucepanBay leaf · 1 piece
7
Heat over a medium-low heat until steaming and just about to bubble, then take it off the heat.
5 minSmall saucepan
8
Leave to steep for 30 minutes.
Result · Spiced milk · used in step 11
30 minSmall saucepan
9
Meanwhile, tear the bread into pieces into the food processor.
20sFood processorWhite bread · 100 g
10
Pulse to fine crumbs.
Result · Fresh breadcrumbs · used in step 13
30sFood processor
11
Strain the milk through the sieve into the heatproof jug, throwing away the onion and bay leaf.
30sHeatproof jug, SieveSpiced milk · step 8
12
Pour the milk back into the pan.
10sSmall saucepanStrained spiced milk · step 11
13
Stir in the breadcrumbs.
20sSmall saucepan, Wooden spoonFresh breadcrumbs · step 10
14
Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy.
5 minSmall saucepan, Wooden spoon
15
Stir in the butter until it melts.
20sSmall saucepan, Wooden spoonUnsalted butter · 25 g
16
Add a pinch of nutmeg.
5sSmall saucepanGround nutmeg · 1 pinch
17
Add the salt.
5sSmall saucepanSalt · 0.5 tsp
18
Add a pinch of pepper.
5sSmall saucepanGround black pepper · 1 pinch
19
Stir in the cream.
15sSmall saucepan, Wooden spoonDouble cream · 2 tbsp
20
Spoon into a warm serving bowl and serve straight away with roast chicken or turkey.
Result · Bread Sauce
20sServing bowl, SpoonCreamy bread sauce · step 19
Printed 17 October 2026