How to Make White Wine Sauce

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

White wine forms the base of many sauces that go well with seafood, chicken, and pasta, and the simplicity of the sauce makes it easy to tweak to your preferences. There are generally two types of white wine sauce: a light, thinner sauce made with butter and chicken stock and a richer, dense sauce that uses cream and flour. Both sauces require a process known as "reduction," which cooks the liquids together for 5-10 minutes heat to concentrate their flavors.

These recipes make enough sauce for 4 people.

Ingredients

White Wine Cream Sauce

1 cup (120g) heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup (180 ml) dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay)
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1-3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste.
1/2 teaspoon desired seasonings -- parsley, oregano, cracked red pepper, nutmeg
Optional: 1 small onion, 1/2 lb mushrooms, chopped

Light White Wine Sauce

3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup (180 ml) dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay)
1 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon desired seasonings -- parsley, oregano, basil
Optional: 1 small onion, 1/2 lb mushrooms, chopped

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making a White Wine Cream Sauce

1
Heat up the oil or butter in a saucepan on medium heat. While this heats up, mince the garlic and chop up onions and mushrooms, if desired.
2
Cook the garlic in the hot oil for 1-2 minutes. The garlic should be slightly golden.
- Add the mushrooms and onions as well, along with an extra 1/2 tablespoon of butter.
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3
Add the white wine, whipping cream, salt, pepper, and seasoning. Stir everything well with a whisk or wooden spoon.
4
Bring to a boil. Raise the heat and quickly bring the sauce to a boil so that many bubbles are reaching the surface and popping. Do not let the sauce keep boiling -- you only need it to reach this temperature quickly.
5
Lower the heat to medium and whisk in the flour. Stir the flour in quickly after lowering the heat. The sauce should be simmering, with a few bubbles breaking on the surface.
6
Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. You can simmer the sauce for as long as you want before serving. The longer you leave it on, the thicker and richer it will be.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add hot broth to thin it out without sacrificing flavor.
7
Use the sauce over pasta dishes. White wine sauce pairs well with chicken and shellfish in particular. Some recipes to try include:
- Shrimp, cracked red or cayenne pepper, sauteed onions and bell pepper
- Chicken, broccoli, and peas
- Chicken, mushrooms and onions.
- Sauteed carrots, onions, and zucchini, lemon, cracked black pepper.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making Light White Wine Sauce

1
Heat up the oil or butter in a saucepan on medium heat. While this heats up, mince the garlic and chop up onions and mushrooms, if desired.
2
Cook the garlic in the hot oil for 1-2 minutes. The garlic should be slightly golden.
- Add any mushrooms and onions as well, along with a tablespoon of butter. Cook another 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent (slightly see-through)
3
Add the white wine and reduce the heat to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to stir and scrape up any bits of caramelized onion from the bottom of the pan. The heat should be on medium-low.
- This is the "reduction" phase.
4
Mix the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in another dish. Use you fingers to lightly mix the flour into the butter. Set this aside.
5
Add the broth to the saucepan once the wine has almost evaporated. There should only be a little bit of wine remaining -- roughly a fourth. Add the broth and bring the liquid back to a simmer.
- It can help to preheat the broth in a microwave before adding it.
6
Slowly stir in the butter/flour mixture. Add the butter a little bit at a time, stirring the whole time with a spoon.
7
Add any seasonings and let the sauce simmer for 4-5 minutes. The longer it simmers, the thicker the sauce will become.
8
Serve over pasta, chicken, or shellfish. The sauce is incredibly versatile, and goes well with vegetables and white meats or fish.
- If you want to add shellfish, like shrimp or clams, add them with the garlic to cook with the sauce.

Community Q&A

Question

Can the sauce be frozen?

Carla Ross

Community Answer

Yes, but there is a chance of a texture change. Make sure you do not keep it in the freezer for over a month. Freeze it in a bag or container of your choice. Don't thaw it, because the sauce will get watered down, just warm it up in a pan and then serve.