The French butter trick: beurre monté makes every vegetable irresistible
It’s no secret: butter makes everything better. And once you get to know beurre monté, you’ll wonder why you ever settled for ‘ordinary’ melted butter. This velvety French sauce consists of just two ingredients and transforms everything—from asparagus to radishes—into a glossy, restaurant-worthy side dish. And the best part: it’s easy to make too.
Last night I ate (again) at the wonderful Jondani restaurant in Amsterdam, and every dish was comfort food at its best. From amazing fish and meat dishes with spot-on sauces to irresistible vegetable dishes. Haricots verts, green salad and, yes, really: even fennel haters devoured the side dishes on the table. The secret? Butter! It’s not for nothing that chefs always mention butter among their cooking tips.
What is beurre monté?
Beurre monté is a classic French butter sauce made by slowly whisking cold butter into warm water until it forms a smooth, creamy emulsion. Unlike regular melted butter, this sauce does not separate, but stays beautifully blended and silky smooth. The result? Vegetables that shine like jewels and taste as though they have just come from the kitchen of a Parisian bistro.
How do you make beurre monté?
1. Prepare your butter
You achieve a stable emulsion by adding cold butter little by little to warm liquid. Cut 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of cold, unsalted butter into cubes of 1/2 to 1 tablespoon and return them to the refrigerator until needed. This is enough for approximately 1 kg of vegetables.
2. Heat a little water
Put 1 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until it starts to steam. A saucepan works better than a shallow frying pan because it is easier to whisk without spilling.
3. Slowly whisk in the butter
When the water is steaming, add the first piece of cold butter. Immediately begin whisking with a whisk. Only add another piece once the previous one has almost melted. Continue until all the butter has been incorporated. The sauce will change from thin and pale to thick, smooth and soft yellow. See bubbles around the edges? Remove the pan from the heat briefly to prevent it from boiling.
4. Season & keep warm
Season with salt and, if desired, a little pepper. Serve immediately over cooked vegetables or keep warm over very low heat. Note: it solidifies as it cools, so serve it nice and warm!
Tips & Tricks
- Sauce separated? Don’t panic. Whisk vigorously or gently reheat it, but avoid boiling, as that will make it worse.
- Want to vary the flavor? Add a squeeze of lemon, fresh herbs or garlic for an extra kick.
- Got leftovers? Store them in the refrigerator and use them later as regular butter (but preferably not for frying, because of the water content).
- All types of butter work But unsalted is most convenient, as it gives you control over the flavor.
Why you’ll never want to use regular butter again
When you simply melt butter, it separates into water, milk solids and fat. Fine if you want to make brown butter, but not ideal for vegetables: the sauce simply slides off again and leaves a greasy puddle on the plate. Beurre monté, on the other hand, stays stable and coats every vegetable in a silky, glossy layer. No sugar needed, no added thickeners. What’s more, it doesn’t matter whether you boil, steam, roast or grill your vegetables; this sauce goes with everything. Try it with steamed carrots, roasted cauliflower or perfectly blanched asparagus, as in the recipe below.
How to make Asparagus à la flamande with beurre monté
This classic comes from Amsterdam’s Rijsel restaurant (whose recipe for the most delicious fried potatoes we also shared). There, they prefer to prepare white asparagus the classic way, with a poached egg, butter sauce and plenty of parsley. You often see this recipe made with chopped egg too, but at Rijsel they think poached egg is just a little tastier. And use extremely fresh asparagus! They should be shiny, and when you squeeze the bottom, moisture should spurt out. Rub them against each other and they should squeak a little. Don’t they? Then leave them where they are.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 500 g AA asparagus (± 3 asparagus spears per person)
- 30 g salt
- 150 g + 2 tbsp butter
- 1 piece of mace
- a splash of natural vinegar
- 4 fresh eggs
- a drop of lemon juice
- a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
- salt and pepper
Method (45 minutes)
- Peel the asparagus in overlapping strokes, so that you always peel half while including a peeled section. Cut 2 centimeters off the bottom.
- Put the peelings and ends in a pan with 2 liters of water, the salt, 2 tablespoons of butter and the mace, and bring to a boil. Let it infuse over low heat for 2 minutes.
- Remove the asparagus from the water and place in a shallow container. Strain the liquid over the asparagus. Bring the water to a boil, cover with kitchen paper or a napkin, and cook the asparagus for 3 to 4 minutes. After cooking, squeeze the asparagus just below the tip; if it gives slightly, it is done. Turn off the heat and let the asparagus cool in the water.
- Bring water to a boil in a tall pan measuring 20 to 30 centimeters, with a generous splash of natural vinegar. Crack each egg into a small bowl so you can get them into the water quickly. Add the eggs to the boiling water one after another. Lower the heat and wait until the eggs rise. Poach them for 2½ to 3 minutes and feel whether the white is cooked. Cool the eggs in a bowl of cold water.
- Put the reduced asparagus liquid in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add half of the 150 grams of butter and emulsify the sauce with an immersion blender while adding the remaining butter in portions. Season with salt, pepper and a drop of lemon juice.
- Warm the eggs in warm water (50 °C) or in the butter sauce for approximately 1 minute. Divide the asparagus among the plates and serve with the eggs, butter sauce and chopped parsley.
In short: whether you want to impress at a dinner party or simply upgrade your weekday vegetables, beurre monté is your secret weapon. Bonne chance and butter it up!
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