Citrus Beurre Blanc • Classic French Butter Sauce with a Bright Twist • Two Purple Figs

Citrus beurre blanc is a silky, restaurant style French butter sauce with a refreshing zing of lemon, orange, or grapefruit. Classically a beurre blanc is a luxurious emulsion of butter, shallots, white wine, and vinegar. This creates a smooth sauce that elevates everything from seafood and fish to chicken and vegetables. Learn how to make it fool proof below!

Today’s citrus beurre blanc has a mixture of orange, lemon and grapefruit for an impeccable taste. By adding citrus juice and zest, the sauce becomes brighter, fresher, and more versatile.

It’s perfect for pairing with delicate proteins like black cod, Halibut,  scallops, or shrimp. It’s BEST in our opinion with this Chilean Sea Bass Recipe.

For a brighter finish we added some fresh herbs. Our favorites are a blend of oregano and thyme. You can use whichever you prefer. This is the sauce that chefs rely on to transform a simple dish into something extraordinary. It’s elegant but surprisingly easy to make at home once you learn the technique.

What Is Beurre Blanc Made of?

Beurre blanc translates to “white butter” in French. It’s a classic French sauce that originated in the Loire Valley. Beurre blanc is made by slowly whisking cold butter into a reduction of shallots, white wine or vinegar. The result is a velvety, creamy, butter based sauce with a delicate balance of tang and richness.

The magic is in the emulsion of butter suspended in the reduced liquid, giving the sauce its signature silky texture. Chefs love it because it clings beautifully to fish, seafood, and vegetables, adding depth without overpowering.

What is Citrus Beurre Blanc?

Citrus is a natural partner for fish and seafood, and adding it to beurre blanc takes the sauce to a whole new level. Lemon juice or lime adds brightness, orange lends gentle sweetness, and grapefruit brings subtle bitterness for complexity. The citrus not only cuts through the richness of butter but also enhances the freshness of the dish it’s paired with.

If you’ve ever had a beautifully seafood dish with a sauce that made it shine, it’s was most likely a citrus beurre blanc.

Why You’ll Love This Citrus Beurre Blanc Recipe

• It’s seriously TASTY. SO delicious and luscious, you can eat it on its own!
• Super easy to make once you know the tricks and tips for it.
• Elegantly simple sauce that brings restaurant quality flavor to your meals.
• This sauce uses really simple ingredients, which you probably have at home.
• You can pair it with everything1 Like EVERYTHING!!
• It has a beautiful balanced flavor of buttery richness and refreshing citrus.
• Quick! You’ll need just 15 minutes to make it.

Ingredients You Need

• Shallots. This is KEY to any beurre blanc, you need them finely chopped or minced.
• White wine vinegar. You can use a dry white wine (like sauvignon blanc) instead or a blend of both.
• Fresh citrus juice. A blend of fresh lemon juice, fresh orange juice and grapefruit juice.
• Zest of citrus. Zests of the same citrus you used above, so lemon zest and all.
• Cream. This is optional but SO GOOD!
  
• COLD Unsalted butter. It has to be COLD, cold butter is KEY for the emulsion. Cut them into cubes.
• Salt & Pepper. You can skip the black pepper and use white pepper for the color.
• Fresh Herbs. You can use chives, tarragon, oregano, parsley or oregano and thyme as we did here. Blend as many or as little as you prefer.

How to Make Beurre Blanc

Make the Reduction

1. Over medium heat, or medium-high heat add a saucepan and start by adding in the white wine and shallots.
   
2. Now add in the citrus juices you’re using.
   
3. Then add in the zests and simmer the liquids until it has reduced to about 2–3 tablespoons.
   
4. Now switch to low heat and keep the mixture at a gently simmer.
   
5. Add in the cream, which is optional. As soon as it starts to simmer, you’re ready for the emulsion.
6. Now turn off the heat.
   

   Emulsify the Sauce

   

7. Begin adding in the butter, one cube at a time.
8. Whisk to melt the butter cube before adding in the other one.
   
9. Continue adding the butter, one cube at a time while whisking each before adding more.
10. You’ll notice the sauce thickening up an becoming velvety smooth.
    

    Strain the Beurre Blanc

    

11. For a smooth finish, use a fine mesh strainer to strain out the sauce.
    
12. You’ll remove the zests and shallots and end up with a super silky sauce.
13. Now add in the herbs and mix.
    
14. And the sauce is ready!

Tips for Beurre Blanc Sauce

1. Use cold butter, ALWAYS.  This prevents the sauce from separating.
2. Don’t overheat beurre blanc sauce, ever. Keep the pan warm but not hot. Likewise, the high heat will separate the sauce.
3. Don’t speed up the reduction step, allow the liquids to soak up the shallot flavor well.
4. Add butter gradually. You need to be whisking one butter cube at a time to ensures a stable emulsion.
5. Strain the sauce for a velvety smooth finish.
6. You can add the herbs initially with the shallots if you want a completely chunk free sauce.
7. Serve right away as beurre blanc doesn’t reheat well.
8. Make SURE TO READ below how to fix a broken beurre blanc, and common mistakes.

Variations

Try lime juice and zest for a zestier sauce. While some make this sauce with red wine, it definitely won’t be white sauce. It will rather be a more complex flavored sauce.

Can I make beurre blanc ahead of time?

Not really because it doesn’t reheat so well. If you want to make it ahead of time, keep it warm over super low heat or in an insulated container for up to 30 minutes.

What proteins go best with citrus beurre blanc?

Seafood is the best!  Scallops, halibut, Black cod, salmon, and shrimp.  Our favorite is Chilean Sea Bass Recipe with citrus beurre blanc! It’s also excellent with chicken or Potatoes, or any roasted vegetables.

What’s the difference between beurre blanc and hollandaise?

Both are French butter sauces, but hollandaise uses egg yolks as the emulsifier, while beurre blanc relies only on butter.

Can I use cream to stabilize the sauce?

Yes TOTALLY yes! By adding just a tablespoon of heavy cream before whisking in the butter, this helps stabilize the mixture for a fool proof sauce.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Simply substitute high-quality vegan butter, but you may need more butter. The texture may be slightly looser than traditional beurre blanc.

What’s the difference between orange and lemon beurre blanc?

Orange beurre blanc is slightly sweeter and less acidic, making it a great choice for delicate white fish or roasted chicken. Lemon beurre blanc is sharper, brighter, and more refreshing perfect for other seafoods. Today we combined both so it’s super versatile to use.

Can You Make a Lemon Butter Sauce Without Wine?

While wine is traditional, you can substitute white wine vinegar. You can even use chicken stock with citrus juice for a non alcoholic version. The acidity is key however to balance the richness of the butter.

What are other French sauces for fish?

Aside from citrus beurre blanc, try our Black Cod Recipe for another creamy sauce.

Is beurre blanc hard to make at home?

Not at all! Once you follow the tips above like using cold butter and whisking slowly. If you’re in doubt, add a splash of cream at the end to stabilize the sauce.

Can I add Parmesan to citrus beurre blanc?

While not traditional, a touch of Parmesan can deepen the flavor and give the sauce a subtle nuttiness. It works especially well non seafood dishes in general.

What are the common beurre blanc mistakes?

The most common mistakes include overheating the sauce (which causes it to separate. Other mistakes include adding the butter too quickly, or using butter that’s too warm. Also, not reducing the wine and vinegar mixture enough before whisking in the butter, this will create a thin, watery sauce instead of the luscious, velvety texture beurre blanc is known for.

What should beurre blanc taste like?

Beurre blanc should taste buttery, smooth, and rich, with just enough acidity to cut through the fat. The shallots and wine give it a subtle depth, while the herbs and citrus version adds brightness and a refreshing edge. A well-made beurre blanc shouldn’t taste overly sour or heavy.

What is the cheat for beurre blanc?

A common cheat is to add a splash of heavy cream to the reduction before whisking in the butter. The cream helps stabilize the emulsion, making it more forgiving for beginners. While this isn’t strictly traditional, it gives you a silky sauce that’s less likely to separate.

Another cheat you can opt for is blending the sauce with an immersion blender for extra stability.

How do you fix a broken beurre blanc?

If your beurre blanc starts to break, take it off the heat right away. Whisk in a teaspoon of cold water or a cube of cold butter to bring it back together. If it fully splits, you can make a fresh reduction and gradually whisk the broken sauce into it. This way you’re basically re emulsifying it from scratch.

What to Serve with Citrus Beurre Blanc

Chilean Sea Bass Recipe
Black Cod Recipe
Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Grilled Lobster Tail
Crawfish Tail
 Crab Legs
Grilled Halibut
Perch
Green Mussels