Easy bread sauce recipe, made without cream. This velvety sauce is a classic Great British side dish often served with Christmas dinner or roast chicken.
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*Post updated November 2025
What is bread sauce made from?
The basic recipe consists of slightly stale bread, milk and breadcrumbs.
A whole onion is studded with cloves, bay leaf and a few whole black peppercorns, but they're only used to infuse flavour into the milk and are discarded before finishing the sauce.
Butter is added as a thickener. The sauce is seasoned with nutmeg, black pepper and salt.
Bread sauce
Traditional bread sauce is just one of many Great British sauces.
Bread sauce is the simplest thing to make, and I've no idea why so many people buy it ready-made. Or, worse of all, make it from a packet mix. 😐
Top tips
- Whilst this recipe is quick, infusing the milk with the onion, cloves, and bay leaf is the most important step in building flavour, so don’t skip this step; take your time.
- Don't use store-bought fresh breadcrumbs, you know, the dried kind, because they are too finely ground and won't create the proper texture for bread sauce.
- If you’re making your own breadcrumbs, only use 2-day-old white bread. Using slightly stale bread creates a better texture in the sauce, while using very fresh bread tends to turn it into mush.😨
- Whole milk (full-fat) is best for a richer, velvety sauce.
Can you freeze bread sauce?
You can freeze bread sauce, although I’ve never tried it myself. It keeps really well in the freezer for up to two months.
So next time you have some extra white bread, whizz it into crumbs and whip up a batch for your Christmas bread sauce.
Prepare the bread sauce following the recipe, then let it cool completely. Place it in a freezer-safe container with a lid, cover, label, and freeze.
Let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm it up in a non-stick saucepan with a splash of extra milk over low heat until heated through.
Alternatively, pop it in the microwave on HIGH until hot, stirring every so often.
I think it's better to prepare it up to four days in advance and keep it in the fridge. 😉
Ingredients
- whole onion
- whole cloves
- bay leaf
- black peppercorns
- whole milk (full-fat)
- white breadcrumbs made from 2-day-old bread (crust removed)
- unsalted butter
- nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Make ahead
You can make this a day or two ahead, so there really is no excuse for buying ready-made!
All you need to do is make the sauce a little looser than normal, as it will thicken further when reheated.
Reheat in a saucepan over the hob or a bowl in the microwave.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!
How to Make Bread Sauce
Easy bread sauce recipe. Traditionally served as a side dish with Christmas or New Year's Day dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 large brown onion - peeled and left whole
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 black peppercorns
- 570ml/1 pint full-fat milk (whole milk)
- 110g/4oz white breadcrumbs (made from 2-day-old bread crust removed)
- 40g/1½oz unsalted butter
- a pinch of nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Stud the onion all over with cloves, then place it in a saucepan with the bay leaf, peppercorns, and milk.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat and let the milk infuse for at least an hour, or longer, until you’re ready to finish the sauce. This step is essential for the best flavour!
- Remove the clove-studded onion, bay leaf and peppercorns and discard them.
- Stir in the breadcrumbs a little at a time.
- Return the pan to the heat and cook very gently for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the breadcrumbs have absorbed all the liquid and the sauce is the desired consistency.
- Stir in the butter and nutmeg, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash more milk.
Notes
If you're making this a day or two before you want to eat it, make the sauce a little looser than normal as it will thicken further when reheated. Reheat in a saucepan over the hob or a bowl in the microwave.
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