Beurre Manié: A Finishing Thickener for Sauces

Beurre manié is a paste of softened butter and flour whisked into a simmering sauce, soup, or braising liquid. It is useful when a nearly finished dish needs a little more body.

Make and add the paste

1. Mash together 1 tablespoon softened butter and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour until no dry flour remains. Make more in the same proportions if needed.
2. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Whisk in a small piece of paste rather than adding the whole batch at once.
3. Simmer gently, whisking, until the starch thickens the liquid and the raw flour flavor has cooked out. Allow several minutes and taste before serving.
4. Add more paste only if needed, allowing each addition time to work. Adjust seasoning after thickening.

Beurre manié or roux?

Both use flour and fat. A roux cooks the flour in fat before liquid is added; beurre manié starts as an uncooked paste and thickens an existing liquid. Choose beurre manié for convenient final adjustment, not because roux necessarily loses its thickening power in a long-cooked dish.

Cook’s notes

The butter disperses the flour and enriches the sauce. The amount needed depends on the liquid volume and desired consistency. This technique contains wheat and dairy; it is not a gluten-free thickener.