Delia Smith Bread Sauce​ Recipe

This creamy Delia Smith Bread Sauce is made with milk, a whole onion, whole cloves, a bay leaf, and freshly made white breadcrumbs. This recipe creates a thick, aromatic, and savory sauce. It’s the must-have traditional accompaniment for a Christmas dinner or any roast turkey, making enough for 6-8 people.

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Delia Smith Bread Sauce Ingredients

• 110g freshly made white breadcrumbs
• 1 large onion
• 15–18 whole cloves
• Milk (see recipe card for estimate)
• 1 bay leaf
• Peppercorns
• Salt
• Butter

How To Make Delia Smith Bread Sauce

Phase 1: Infuse the Milk

1. Prepare the onion: Stud the large onion with the 15-18 whole cloves.
2. Start the infusion: Place the clove-studded onion in a saucepan. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, a pinch of salt, and the milk.
3. Heat and steep: Bring the milk mixture just up to the boiling point. As soon as it’s about to boil, remove the pan from the heat. Cover it with a lid and leave it in a warm place for at least 2 hours to infuse.

1. Phase 2: Finish the Sauce 4. Strain the milk: After 2 hours, remove the clove-studded onion and keep it on a plate. Remove and discard the bay leaf and peppercorns. 5. Add breadcrumbs and butter: Stir the fresh breadcrumbs into the infused milk and add half of your total butter. 6. Thicken the sauce: Place the saucepan on a very low heat. Stir it now and then for about 15 minutes. The crumbs will swell and thicken the sauce. 7. Keep warm: Once thick, add the clove-studded onion back to the pan. You can leave the pan in a warm place until the sauce is needed.
2. Phase 3: Serve the Sauce 8. Extract the flavor: Just before serving, remove the onion from the sauce. Place the onion between two saucers and squeeze hard to extract all the juice and flavor back into the sauce. Discard the onion. 9. Reheat and season: Gently reheat the sauce. Taste it and add more salt if needed. 10. Serve: Pour the warm sauce into a serving jug. Dot the remaining butter on top. Let the butter melt, then stir it in just before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Use Fresh Breadcrumbs: This is key. Freshly made breadcrumbs (from a day-old white loaf) will swell and create a soft, creamy, “pillowy” texture. Dried, packaged breadcrumbs will make the sauce gritty.
• Don’t Rush the Infusion: The 2-hour steeping time is crucial. This is where all the flavor from the onion, cloves, and bay leaf is absorbed into the milk. You can even do this the night before and leave it in the fridge.
• Cook on Very Low Heat: Milk can scorch easily, and the breadcrumbs will stick. Keep the heat as low as possible while thickening the sauce and stir it often.
• Squeeze the Onion: Don’t just discard the onion after steeping. Squeezing it releases a final, powerful burst of flavor and infused milk back into the sauce.

What To Serve Bread Sauce

This traditional Bread Sauce is the classic, non-negotiable partner for a roast turkey at Christmas dinner. It is also fantastic served alongside a roast chicken or roast pheasant. Its creamy, spiced flavor is the perfect balance for roasted poultry. It’s a key part of a full holiday meal, served with gravy, roast potatoes, and Brussels sprouts.

How To Store Bread Sauce Leftovers

• Refrigerate: Bread sauce keeps very well. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It will become very thick when cold.
• Reheat: Reheat the sauce gently in a saucepan over low heat. You will need to add an extra splash of milk to loosen it up and get it back to a creamy consistency.
• Freeze: You can freeze bread sauce. Place it in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating as described above.

Delia Smith Bread Sauce Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 123 kcal
• Total Fat: 7g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Sodium: 250mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 11g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 3g
• Protein: 4g

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make bread sauce ahead of time? Yes, this is a great make-ahead recipe. You can do the milk infusion the night before. You can also make the entire sauce a day or two in advance. Store it in the fridge and reheat it gently, adding a splash of milk to loosen it.
• Why did my bread sauce go so thick? This is completely normal. The breadcrumbs continue to absorb the milk as the sauce sits and cools. It will always be very thick when cold. The magic happens when you reheat it with a little extra milk to bring it back to a perfect, creamy sauce consistency.
• I don’t like cloves. What can I use? If you are not a fan of cloves, the recipe suggests using freshly grated nutmeg instead. You can skip the cloves and add about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg to the milk during the infusion phase.
• Can I use dried, packaged breadcrumbs? It is not recommended. The texture is the most important part of a good bread sauce. Dried crumbs will not swell properly and can result in a thin, gritty sauce instead of a soft, thick, and creamy one.