20-Minute Shallot Cream Sauce

Looking for the perfect creamy finishing sauce for you side dish, main, or even to coat your pasta in? This Shallot Cream Sauce is incredibly versatile, adding rich, creamy texture and vibrant flavor to whatever you choose to pour it over.

With fresh herbs, crushed black peppercorn, and of course, the shallots, this delicious homemade sauce brightens up any meal! Plus, it only requires about 15 minutes and less than 10 ingredients to come together.

And just like this Mushroom Gravy, this recipe is a great one to have in your back pocket to really tie a meal together!

As a busy mom who has a preference for bold flavor, I love a quick and simple sauce I can whip up or make ahead to elevate any meal.

Shallot Cream Sauce Ingredient Highlights

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I recommend using whole peppercorns for the most flavor, but ground black pepper works in a pinch.

I like using unsalted butter because I find there is enough flavor without being heavy-handed on the salt here. It’s easy to add salt to taste if you’re using unsalted butter.

That being said, if you only have salted butter on hand, it will absolutely work in this recipe.

If you don’t like using heavy cream, you can substitute coconut cream. Just note you will get a subtle hint of coconut in the overall taste.

Shallot Cream Sauce Tips and Tricks

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Crush Your Peppercorn

Using fresh peppercorn goes a long way in this recipe to provide tons of flavor and even a little bit of heat.

I like to use my trusty mortar and pestle to thoroughly crush my black peppercorns, but you can also opt to place your peppercorns in a storage bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.

If you don’t have whole peppercorns and want to substitute ground black pepper, that works, too! Start with 1/4 teaspoon, you can always add more later if you want to punch up your cream sauce.

Prep Your Ingredients for the Homemade Sauce

Once your peppercorn is crushed, prep the rest of your ingredients.

Peel and dice your shallots, peel and mince your garlic, and remove the rosemary from the stems, and finely chop it.

Make a Veggie and Herb Roux

Add your prepped shallots, garlic, and rosemary to a large saucepan or shallow pot with the butter, crushed peppercorns, and salt.

Cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until super fragrant and garlic and shallots are tender.

Now it’s time to form your roux by adding the all-purpose flour. Use a rubber whisk (preferred) or wooden spoon to mix, still over medium heat, until there are no visible lumps.

The melted butter will mix with the flour to form a thick paste around the shallots, garlic, and rosemary as pictured below.

Pour in Your Cream

Next, turn your heat all the way down to low and pour in your cream. Whisk again to combine it into the roux, ensuring you’re left with a smooth sauce.

Continue to heat on low, stirring occasionally until you are ready to serve. The longer you heat, the thicker the sauce will get.

Serving Your Shallot Cream Sauce

Shallot sauce is a versatile sauce that can be used for anything from serving over meat or fish or even over roasted vegetables or carbohydrates like pasta, rice, or couscous.

It can also be used as a dipping sauce for steamed or raw vegetables!

My favorites for serving are:

• This 20-Minute Baked Cod with Panko
• This Roasted Purple Asparagus
• This Roasted Garlic Salmon
• Over any cooked pasta of your choice.

How to Properly Store and Reheat Cream Sauce with Shallots

This Shallot Cream Sauce will last up to one week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. However, it’s best not to freeze any cream sauce for risk of separation.

To reheat the sauce, the name of the game is low and slow. Microwave or heat on the stove over low heat until thoroughly heated.

In the microwave, heat on the lowest setting in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. If it seems too thick, you can add a little extra cream.

Similarly, if you are reheating it on the stove, stir frequently and continue to assess the consistency, adding extra cream when needed.