Blanquette de veau is a classical French white veal stew in which the meat is gently simmered without browning, then served in a pale, enriched sauce. It commonly includes veal shoulder or breast, mushrooms, pearl onions and a sauce finished with cream and egg yolk. The name blanquette refers to the pale appearance of the preparation.
Use veal cuts with enough connective tissue to remain moist during simmering, such as shoulder, breast or neck. The meat is cut into even pieces and gently cooked in liquid with aromatics, traditionally without browning. Skim the surface as needed to keep the cooking liquor clean. Cook until tender, then strain and reserve the liquid for the sauce.
The cooking liquor is used to make a pale sauce, often thickened with a roux or liaison according to the recipe. Cream and egg yolks may be added near the end to enrich the sauce. Temper the liaison with warm liquid and return it to gentle heat; avoid boiling after adding egg yolk, which can cause the sauce to curdle. Finish with lemon juice or another measured source of acidity to balance the richness.
Button mushrooms and pearl onions are traditional garnishes, prepared separately or cooked as part of the dish. Blanquette de veau is commonly served with rice, potatoes or fresh noodles.
Example: gently simmer veal shoulder with aromatics, prepare a pale cream-and-egg-yolk sauce from the cooking liquor, and serve with mushrooms, pearl onions and rice.
Unlike a brown veal stew in which the meat and vegetables are browned for colour and roasted flavour, blanquette is deliberately kept pale. The clean flavour and delicate sauce are central to the dish.
Chef’s tip: keep the simmer gentle, skim carefully and add the liaison off direct high heat. This helps preserve the pale colour and smooth texture.
This term is one of hundreds covered in depth across OCS courses, learning paths, and 1-on-1 coaching with Chef Eric.
