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How to Make a Perfect Meuniere Sauce

By Victoria · On: Mar 20, 23 · Last Modified: May 15, 23

6 shares

Find how to make a perfect homemade Meuniere sauce from minimum ingredients. You will get a flavorful buttery sauce that you can use near a piece of fish or to pair with some steamed vegetables. It is easier to make than it may look at first glance.

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Close look of meuniere sauce on a marble table.

Meuniere Sauce is a classic French sauce and also a method of preparation that is traditionally served with fish fillets.

Cook something “a la meuniere” means to book it by first dredging it in flour (white flour or corn flour) and then to cook in a hot skillet with a sauce of clarified butter, lemon, and parsley.

The ingredients from the Meuniere sauce creates together a rich, tangy, and savory flavor that perfectly complements the delicate taste of fish or a few steamed vegetables.

This recipe is easy to follow and will help you make a delicious Meuniere Sauce that you can serve with any type of fish fillet, whether it’s pan-fried or grilled.

To make the Meuniere Sauce, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients that you may already have in your pantry. You’ll need fresh lemon juice, all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, and fresh parsley.

The sauce comes together quickly and easily, making it a great option for a weeknight dinner.

And the best part is that you can easily adjust the recipe to suit your preferences.

If you prefer a tangier sauce, you can add more lemon juice. Or, if you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add more flour. This recipe is versatile and can be adjusted to your taste.

In This Post: show
1 🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?
2 🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes
3 👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions
4 🍽️ Serving Suggestions
5 🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?
6 🤔 Answering Your Questions:
7 📋 Recipe Card:

🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?

  • The Meuniere Sauce has a rich and tangy flavor that perfectly complements the delicate taste of fish fillets. The combination of lemon juice, butter, and parsley creates a mouthwatering sauce that is sure to please your taste buds.
  • This sauce can be paired with various fish fillets, making it a versatile recipe that you can use repeatedly. It’s also easy to adjust the recipe to suit your taste preferences.
  • Meuniere Sauce is a classic French sauce that is sure to impress your guests or family. Serving a dish with a French sauce shows that you put effort into your meal, and your guests will appreciate the extra touch.

🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes

Top view of ingredients for a homemade meuniere sauce.
  • Fish Fillets. Use any type of white fish you prefer.
  • Salt.
  • Pepper.
  • All-purpose Flour. If you don’t have the all-purpose flour underhand, you can substitute the flour with starch.
  • Butter.
  • Lemon Juice. The classic recipe for this sauce calls for the use of lemon, but don’t hesitate to experiment with another acidic ingredient that you prefer, such as lime juice or high-quality vinegar.
  • Parsley. This is the key ingredient in the basic Meuniere recipe, but besides parsley, you can also use other additions such as tarragon or capers.

👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions

This sauce is prepared in the butter left over after frying the fish, so firstly, we need to fry the fish fillet in melted butter.

Quick Note: Before we will begin, ensure that the fish is dry on the surface. For this, pat it well with a paper napkin.

Put the fish fillet on a plate, then season it on both sides with salt and pepper.

Top view of two slices of fish seasoned with salt and pepper on a plate.

After this, cover the fish well with flour on all sides to avoid sticking it to the pan and losing the shape of the fish during frying.

Also, the flour will give the fish a delicious crust which will be a bonus for us.

Top view of two fish fillet covered with all purpose flour.

After you have ready the fish fillets, take a frying pan and melt all the butter in it.

Two pieces of melting butter in a frying pan.

When the butter is melted and starts to boil a little, it’s time to add the fish to it.

2 fish fillets covered in flour frying in meuniere sauce.

Using a tablespoon, pour the melted butter over the fish while it is frying. This will allow the fish to cook more evenly.

When the fish is browned enough on the bottom, flip it to another side, then cook it until it is browned on both sides.

Quick Note: Don’t forget about pouring melted butter over the fish and on the second side.

Covering fish fillets with meuniere sauce.

When the fish is cooked, remove it from the pan and put it aside on a plate.

Frying pan with meuniere sauce on the stove.

Now, strain the melted butter into a bowl.

Quick Note: Slowly pour the melted butter to avoid hot splashes.

Pouring meuniere sauce in a sieve.

Clean the frying pan of the leftovers that are left in it and put it back on the stove on low heat.

Cleaned frying pan after making meuniere sauce.

Pour the strained butter back into the frying pan and wait for it to heat up again.

Pouring meuniere sauce in a frying pan.

When the butter has warmed back, carefully pour the lime juice over it.

Pouring lemon juice in a frying pan.

Using a whisk, mix well until it is incorporated, and turn off the heat.

A whisk over a wok with meuniere sauce.

Add the chopped parsley and mix again until you distribute it evenly.

Work with meuniere sauce and freshly chopped parsley.

The Meuniere sauce is ready to be served next to the previously fried fish or other meals you prefer.

Quick Note: The amount of sauce is enough to be used for a larger amount of fish. So you can store the sauce leftovers or just fry a larger number of fish fillets.

Pro Tip: In case you want to store the leftovers, don’t add in it the chopped parsley. Store just the sauce and the parsley, you will chop freshly and add just before serving.

Close look of meuniere sauce on a marble table.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Besides fish, a great option for the Meuniere sauce will be to pair it with some steamed vegetables. Steam some broccoli, green beans, or crispy asparagus, and serve them alongside the fish fillet and sauce.

For a classic French bistro-style meal, serve the fish fillet with a side of French fries. The fries can be cooked in the oven or air fryer for a healthier twist.

A side salad is a great way to add some freshness and texture to the meal. Mix together some greens, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers, and serve with a light vinaigrette.

🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?

  • Whenever possible, use fresh ingredients when making the sauce. Fresh lemon juice, parsley, and fish fillets will give you the best flavor.
  • Pay attention to not overcook the butter. The butter should be melted and slightly browned but not burnt. Burnt butter can give the sauce a bitter taste. To avoid burning the butter or flour, keep the heat on low or medium-low while making the sauce. This will give you more control over the cooking process and help prevent the ingredients from burning.
  • Using a non-stick pan can help prevent the fish fillet from sticking and falling apart during cooking.
  • Before cooking the fish fillet, make sure to pat it dry with a paper towel. This will help the fish cook evenly and prevent it from becoming too watery.

🤔 Answering Your Questions:

Can I Use a Different Type of Fish Fillet?

Yes, this recipe is versatile and can be used with a variety of fish fillets, including tilapia, flounder, cod, and trout.

Can I Use Salted Butter?

Yes, you can use salted butter, but it will be more difficult to control the sauce’s saltiness level. Because of that, it usually is recommended to use unsalted butter to have more control over the sauce.

Can I Make the Sauce Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make the Meuniere Sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Simply reheat the sauce on low heat before serving.

Can I Add More Lemon Juice to the Sauce?

Yes, you can adjust the amount of lemon juice in the sauce to suit your taste preferences. Be careful not to add too much, as it can make the sauce tart.

📋 Recipe Card:

Close look of meuniere sauce on a marble table.

How to Make a Perfect Meuniere Sauce

Victoria
Find how to make a perfect meuniere sauce in melted butter. You will get a flavorful sauce that you can serve near a fish fillet or other meal you prefer.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Sauces
Cuisine French
Servings 3 people
Calories 276 kcal

Equipment

Frying Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Fish Fillets
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • ⅕ tablespoon All-purpose Flour
  • 4 oz Butter
  • 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 tablespoon Parsley Chopped

Instructions

  • Prepare the fish fillet and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
    2 Fish Fillets, Salt, Pepper
  • Cover the fish fillet on both sides with flour.
    ⅕ tablespoon All-purpose Flour
  • Melt the butter, when the butter is heated, fry the fish in it on both sides.
    4 oz Butter
  • When the fish is fried, take them out and put the fish fillets a plate.
  • Then strain the melted butter into a bowl.
  • Clean the frying pan, then add the strained butter back to the pan and put it on medium heat.
  • Add the lemon juice and mix well until it is incorporated into the melted butter.
    2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • Turn off the heat and add the finely chopped parsley. Mix well.
    1 tablespoon Parsley
  • The sauce is ready to be served near the fried fish fillets or other meal you prefer.

Quick Note

I highly recommend reading the entire recipe to find more tips and notes about this recipe. Read Full Recipe ⇑

Notes

  • Using a spoon, pour the melted butter from the frying pan over the fish fillet to flavor the butter even more.

Nutrition Estimates

Sodium: 244mgCalcium: 12mgVitamin C: 6mgVitamin A: 1058IUSugar: 1gFiber: 1gPotassium: 29mgCholesterol: 82mgCalories: 276kcalTrans Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 19gFat: 31gProtein: 1gCarbohydrates: 1gIron: 1mg
Keyword sauces
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6 shares

About Victoria

Hey, I'm Victoria, the blogger behind the Go Cook Yummy. I'm running this blog with my husband, Alex, where we share our family recipes that actually work.

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A couple passionate about home cooking. Our mission? To inspire you with our handcrafted, healthy recipes, whether it's a family dinner, a festive celebration, or a quick snack, we've got a recipe for every occasion. Read more...

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