Great British Classic: Traditional Onion Sauce
A recipe that my nan used to make back in the 1940s. Let's find out how to make it.
No messing about, it's just an onion sauce that is delicious. 😋
Years ago (we're talking about the 1940s), when my nan made this, she didn't use all milk; she used mostly water. I know, but it was a completely different time back then.
People then made traditional dinners such as Bacon and Onion Roly-Poly Pudding - a suet pudding served with potatoes, gravy and peas. Nothing fancy, just proper good food.
This onion sauce recipe is about as easy as sauce-making gets! Just a few ingredients are needed.
No need for fancy cooking equipment. All you need is a non-stick lidded saucepan. If you don't have a lid for your saucepan, fear not; the onions will just take a little longer to cook.
A wooden spoon would be good; you can buy one at any good supermarket for around 50p.
Looking for a smoother sauce?
If you want to be all fancy and have a more modern white onion sauce, you can use a stick blender to make a smooth sauce.
Personally, I like it just how I make it and leave the sauce as it is.
Ingredients in onion sauce
- Onions
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Salt and white pepper (always use white pepper and not black for this sauce)
How to make onion sauce
Add the butter to a medium-sized saucepan and let it melt over medium heat. Once melted, add the onions and, using a wooden spoon, keep stirring the onions for about 5 minutes.
Now, put the lid on the saucepan and over low heat, leave the onions to cook for about 15 minutes - check on them every now and then and give them a stir.
Remove the lid and check - the onions should be nice and soft, but not coloured.
Once the onions are soft, add the flour and cook while stirring for a couple of minutes - you need to cook the flour or your sauce will taste like raw flour. 😨
Add the milk a little at a time, stirring all the while until you have used up all the milk.
Season with salt and pepper and have a taste - add a little more salt and pepper if needed. Continue to cook the sauce until it has thickened nicely.
Blend with a stick blender if you really must have a smooth onion sauce. Job done!
What to serve with white onion sauce
- Pork steaks or pork chops, as I did
- Gammon
- Lamb
- Beef
- Corned Beef - or, of course, whatever else you fancy.
How to cook pork in the oven
I cook pork steaks in the oven - so easy.
Okay, some may not like them as golden in colour as we do, but all you do is remove most of the fat.
Rub each side with a little vegetable oil and pop them into a non-stick roasting dish. Sprinkle a tiny bit of sea salt onto the fat.
Then into a preheated oven at 200°C / 400°F for about 30-35 minutes, turning halfway through.
Can you freeze this sauce?
Well, I have read that you can, personally, I wouldn't bother. It's so easy to make, and you could make it earlier in the day - but be sure to keep it in the fridge before very gently reheating.
It will look very thick, and you might have to add a bit more milk.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!
White Onion Sauce Recipe
Easy fuss-free old-fashioned white onion sauce recipe.
Ingredients
- 400g brown/white onions (about 3 or 4 onions) - cut into large dice
- 60g unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons plain flour (all-purpose)
- 250ml milk
- a big pinch of sea salt - to taste
- a big pinch of white pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Add the butter to a medium-sized saucepan and let it melt over medium heat. Once melted, add the onions and, using a wooden spoon, keep stirring the onions for about 5 minutes.
- Place the lid on the saucepan and let the onions cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to check on them.
- Take off the lid and check the onions - they should be soft but not browned. Once they're tender, sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously for a couple of minutes to cook it thoroughly; otherwise, your sauce will have a raw flour taste.
- Add the milk a little at a time, stirring all the while until you have used up all the milk. If it's too thick, add a little more milk.
- Season with salt and pepper, then taste; you can add a bit more if needed.
- Continue simmering the sauce until it reaches a nice, thickish consistency, then serve immediately.
Notes
400g of onions is approx. 1 large and 1 medium-sized onion.
You'll need brown or white onions for this, not red ones.
Dear Jan, I made this for my Pa's dinner last week & he absolutely LOVED IT! My parents used to buy the packet mix but for some reason where they live (St.Helens, Wigan (UK) they can't buy it so I am very thankful I came across your recipe. I won't ever buy packet mix again!
ReplyDeleteOh Katy, your comment has made my day! I'm really happy you like my recipe :)
DeleteI’m so excited I eventually found this recipe, and even more excited to finally try it. My Grandma used to make white onion sauce to go with her roast dinners, and to this day I’ve never tasted anything quite like it anywhere else. It was one of those simple, comforting flavours that somehow managed to wrap an entire childhood into a single spoonful.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t had it since those heady days of being a young boy in the late ’80s and early ’90s, when the world felt slower, safer, and wonderfully small. It’s funny how certain tastes can lie dormant for decades, only to come rushing back the moment you remember them - almost like they’ve been waiting for you.
Awakening those long-asleep taste buds can be the closest thing we’ll ever get to time travel.
I can’t wait to try this recipe soon, and if I close my eyes while I take that first bite, I’m hoping I’ll be transported back to my Grandparent’s house, to a simpler (and much tastier) time.