Traditional English Parsley Sauce Recipe (2024)

My traditional homemade parsley sauce recipe is so easy to make and pairs beautifully with ham, fish or vegetables. Learn how to make this classic English sauce!

English parsley sauce

A British classic, parsley sauce is delicious, but has somewhat fallen from fashion amid our search for new recipes from around the world. This is rather a shame. Not only does parsley sauce taste great, it is easy and speedy and lifts the simplest of dishes.

I think the humble parsley sauce has gained a poor reputation, and I suspect those dry packet mixes may be to blame. They may be convenient but they are not worth the trouble, and the list of ingredients is often baffling. Why would you use them when a real homemade parsley sauce is so easy?

I’ve certainly had parsley sauce served lukewarm, claggy and gloopy, which really isn’t very nice. However, when freshly made it is really rather lovely, and a welcome addition to the table. I think it’s time to revisit this old-fashioned classic.

What is parsley sauce?

Parsley sauce is simply a classic white or béchamel sauce with lots of chopped fresh parsley added in. At its best, it is creamy, delicious and fresh. It is served warm with white fish or fishcakes, gammon (ham) or even over steamed vegetables.

Why make parsley sauce

• It is a delicious classic
• It is so easy
• Freshly made sauces are impressive
• Ready in less than 15 minutes
• It will make an everyday meal special.

Parsley sauce ingredients

• Butter – salted or unsalted it really doesn’t matter

• Flour – ordinary plain or self-raising white flour, regular or gluten free (but not strong bread flour).

• Milk – whole, skimmed or semi skimmed – it really doesn’t matter

• Fresh Parsley – flat or curly leaf, use what you have

Optional

• English Mustard – gives a little kick, very good if serving the parsley sauce with ham

• Lemon – adds some extra flavour when stirred in with the parsley, and especially good if serving with fish

• Cream – stirring in a little cream at the end makes a more luxurious sauce for dinner parties

How to make parsley sauce – step by step

Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can to make this perfectly every single time.

Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.

Step One – First, chop the parsley. Remove most of the stalks, and then chop finely. You can do this on a board with a good sharp knife, or put the leaves into a mug and then cut them up with scissors.

Helen’s Fuss Free Tip

Freeze the parsley stalks and add to the pot the next time you make stock, or soup. They are full of flavour.

Step Two – Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a mid to low heat. Once the butter is melted add the flour.

If you are using mustard power, add this along with the flour.

Step Three – Stir the flour in, until you have a thick paste or roux. Then cook for a few minutes stirring all the time.

It is important to cook the roux properly. If you don’t, the parsley sauce will taste of flour.

You can use either spoon or a whisk for making the sauce – I prefer those silicon spatula spoons as they are great at scraping the bottom and sides of the pan!

Step Four – Gradually start to add the milk, a little at a time, stirring it in well to make a smooth paste after each addition. As the paste turns to a sauce, you can add more milk each time.

Helen’s Pro Tip

At the start, add the milk very gradually, a dribble at a time stirring in well each time, before you add more. This will help avoid any lumps. If you do end up with lumps, you can pass the sauce through a fine mesh sieve, pushing it through with the back of a spoon. If you need to do this make sure you sieve the sauce before you add the parsley!

Step Five – Bring to a simmer for a few minutes so the sauce thickens. Keep stirring all the time. Make sure you scrape the sides and bottom of the pan where the sauce will thicken faster, to ensure an even consistency and avoid burning.

You want a sauce that will pour, but isn’t too thick. If necessary, add some more milk.

When it is ready, you will have a glossy sauce that coats the back of a spoon.

Step Six – Stir in the freshly chopped parsley and season with pepper and salt to taste.

You can add any mustard, lemon and cream at this stage too.

Step Seven – The sauce will keep warm in the pan for 15–20 minutes. If you need to leave it for longer than that, place a circle of buttered parchment or greaseproof paper over the top, to stop a skin forming.

Serving suggestion

Serve homemade parsley sauce with poached or baked cod or haddock, or other white fish, or even salmon. It is also good with fishcakes or used to make a fish pie.

Parsley sauce is also traditional with a roast joint of ham.

Alternatively, use it for a vegetable gratin.

Variations

• This sauce is also delicious with other leafy green herbs. Try tarragon, chervil, or coriander (cilantro), or a combination. You could even use carrot tops.

• If making to serve with boiled ham / gammon, then substitute up to half the milk with the ham stock. (Taste test first as ham stock can be very salty)

• If you are poaching fish in milk, reuse the milk for the sauce for a cohesive flavour.

• Add some finely grated strong cheese, such as cheddar, grana padano or parmesan, to top a vegetable or fish gratin.

Storage

Keep leftover parsley sauce in a covered container in the fridge for a few days. When you are ready to use it, gently reheat, adding a little more milk if needed.

Freezing will change the texture, so I don’t recommend it. It is always best to make a fresh batch. It will be much more vibrant.

If you have a glut of parsley, you can pack it into bags or boxes and freeze. Once frozen, quickly cut it up and put back into the freezer. Add to the sauce at stage six as above.

Hints and Tips

• It is important to properly cook the flour and butter (roux) so the sauce doesn’t taste of flour.

• To avoid lumps when you add the milk start slowly, a few drops at a time stirring it in to make a smooth paste.

• If the sauce is too thick then simply stir in some more milk and let it simmer.

• If the sauce is too thin put a teaspoon of cornflour (cornstarch) into a bowl, add a little milk to make a slurry or paste and then add to the sauce, stir through and allow to cook a little longer. Repeat if needed.

• Dried parsley will not work in this sauce, as it has very little flavour. I much prefer to freeze parsley. Drying spoils it.

• Cut fresh parsley will easily last for a week in a jar of water in the fridge. To help make it last even longer, loosely cover it with a plastic bag. This will keep the moisture in the leaves. It can also be frozen (see storage notes above).

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