Emulsifier Free Herb Roux
A good roux is the quiet backbone of so many beloved sauces, and this herb-flecked version is exactly the kind of foundational recipe worth having in your back pocket. Made with just butter, flour, and a pinch of sea salt, it sidesteps the emulsifiers and stabilizers that sneak into store-bought sauce mixes and packet gravies — so you know exactly what's going into your food. The technique is straightforward: melt, stir, cook until pale and faintly nutty, and you've got a silky base ready to become a béchamel or velouté with nothing more than warm milk or broth. Optional fresh thyme adds a gentle herbal note while the roux is cooking, and a little chopped flat-leaf parsley stirred in at the end brightens the finished sauce beautifully. It comes together in one small saucepan with minimal cleanup, and the make-ahead flexibility — refrigerate for a few days or freeze in tablespoon portions — means you can batch it and pull it out whenever a creamy sauce is on the menu. Clean, simple, and genuinely useful, this is the kind of recipe that quietly improves everything it touches.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (optional)
- 1 tsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat until fully melted and just beginning to foam, about 1 minute. Do not let it brown.
- 2
Add the flour all at once and stir immediately with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, working the mixture into a smooth paste. Continue stirring constantly for 2–3 minutes, until the roux smells faintly nutty and turns a pale straw color — it should pull away from the sides of the pan slightly and look dry on the surface.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!