Bold, tangy, and versatile, sauce gribiche is a classic French sauce made with hard-boiled eggs, briny capers, and sour cornichons. It adds punchy flavor to everything from steamed asparagus to cold meats.
Why You Should Make Authentic Sauce Gribiche
My best kitchen discoveries are often inspired by thriftiness. As someone who hates to waste food, I’m always looking for ways to use leftover ingredients.
I wanted to use up hard-boiled eggs, and that’s how I first discovered Gribiche sauce, a tangy, traditional French condiment that has been around since the 19th century and appears on bistro menus to this day. I like to imagine it was created by a cook just like me—one with too many hard-boiled eggs who couldn’t face another egg salad.
Gribiche starts by mashing hard-boiled egg yolks with Dijon mustard and vinegar, then whisking in extra-virgin olive oil until creamy. Some classic versions include a raw egg yolk to help emulsify the sauce, but I find that drizzling in a little extra oil creates a rich, spoonable texture I’m after. No raw egg needed.
Finely-chopped egg whites, briny capers, and sour cornichons complete the sauce. A few tablespoons of parsley and fresh tarragon give it its signature French flavor. The result is a bold, tangy sauce that’s incredibly versatile. Gribiche is traditionally served with poached fish, asparagus, potatoes, or cold meats, but it’s a simple and tasty way to dress up just about anything. It’s the perfect sauce to make after Easter, when you may have extra hard-boiled eggs on hand!
Why You’ll Love This Gribiche Sauce
- It’s healthy. Heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil is the backbone of this flavorful sauce – no mayo necessary!
- No raw eggs: Unlike mayonnaise, gribiche uses cooked eggs. Safe for everyone!
- Bright flavors: Briny capers and cornichons add punchy flavor, while tarragon and parsley add a hint of freshness.
- It’s versatile: Dress up any steamed vegetable, cooked chicken, or boiled potatoes.
Key Ingredients
- Hard-boiled eggs: The base of Gribiche sauce. The yolks are mashed to create a creamy foundation, while the chopped whites add texture. This is our fool-proof method to make (and peel!) them.
- Dijon mustard: A good Dijon gives gribiche its characteristic bite, while helping to emulsify the sauce.
- White wine vinegar: Its acidity cuts through the richness of the eggs and olive oil, giving the sauce a lively flavor.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Whisked slowly into the mashed egg yolks, it creates a creamy, emulsified texture.
- Shallots: While not always traditional, I love the peppery bite and extra bit of complexity a few tablespoons of chopped shallots add. Feel free to leave them out or substitute minced red onion.
- Capers: It’s not Gribiche without capers. These pickled flower buds are a staple in Mediterranean cooking and deliver a salty, tangy flavor.
- Cornichons: Miniature French pickles add crunch and sharp acidity. Their briny bite is essential to the sauce’s signature flavor.
- Fresh Herbs: Tarragon contributes a delicate anise-like flavor that pairs beautifully with eggs and mustard. Parsley, the workhorse of herbs, gives it freshness and color.
How to Make Sauce Gribiche
This French classic may sound fancy, but it’s actually very simple to make. Even starting with raw eggs and boiling them, the entire recipe comes together in about 20 minutes.
- Boil the eggs: Place 4 eggs in a saucepan (they should fit in a single layer). Cover with at least one inch of cold water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Immediately, turn off the heat and cover. Let stand for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water. When cool, peel the eggs and halve them.
- Make sauce base: Scoop the yolks out into a medium bowl, and mash well with a fork. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard and 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar. Slowly drizzle in 10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, whisking constantly, until incorporated and emulsified.
- Add texture. Stir in 2 tablespoons of finely minced shallots, 2 tablespoons of rinsed and roughly chopped capers, and 1/4 cup of finely chopped cornichons. Chop the egg whites and fold them into the sauce.
- Stir in herbs: Just before serving, stir in 3 tablespoons chopped tarragon and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Gribiche Sauce Variations
One of the best things about this sauce is its adaptability. Here are a few easy ways to customize it:
- Add more hard-boiled eggs: To make gribiche more like egg salad, stir in up to 3 additional hard-boiled eggs. It makes a great sandwich on a ciabatta bun!
- Switch up the herbs: Any tender fresh herbs suit the creamy egg base. Instead of tarragon, try dill, chives, or chervil. It’s also delicious when made with just parsley.
- Add a little heat: Use extra-spicy Dijon mustard or stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Use anything pickled: Sour cornichons are traditional, but a chopped dill pickle works in a pinch, and pickled red onions would be good, too!
- Umami booster: Add a finely chopped anchovy for an even more powerful flavor.
How to Use Gribiche Sauce
In France, this piquant sauce is used to perk up leftover cold meats, like beef tongue! I’m more likely to have leftover Poached Chicken Breasts on hand. Shredded and mixed with Gribiche and extra chopped parsley, it makes a fantastic chicken salad.
It’s also my go-to for enlivening green vegetables, like steamed green beans or Blanched Asparagus. Have leftover boiled potatoes? Slice them up and drizzle with Gribiche for an instant potato salad. It also makes a great stand-in for tartar sauce with steamed salmon or baked fish!
A Note from Suzy
“I love recipes where nothing goes to waste. And this recipe is a great way to use up hard boiled eggs!”
Ingredients
- 4 large hard-boiled eggs, cooled, peeled, and halved
- Kosher salt
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cornichons (about 6)
- 3 tablespoons chopped tarragon
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Make the sauce base. Scoop out egg yolks into a medium bowl and mash well with a fork. Season the yolks with a good pinch (about 1/2 teaspoon each) Kosher salt and black pepper. Add mustard and vinegar, mashing to incorporate. Then slowly drizzle in the oil and continue whisking with the fork until incorporated.
- Add texture. Stir in shallots, capers, and cornichons. Finely chop the egg whites and fold into the sauce.
- Stir in herbs. Just before serving, stir in chopped tarragon and parsley. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
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Traditionally, sauce gribiche includes chervil, tarragon, and parsley.
Tartar sauce is traditionally made with homemade mayonnaise, whereas gribiche is an emulsion of hard-boiled egg yolks and oil, and includes Dijon mustard. Both contain herbs and often pickles, capers, or both.
Gribiche tastes like a combination of eggs, herbs with a hint of anise from the tarragon, and briny pickle. Think of it like tartar sauce’s fancier cousin.
Treat it like any homemade sauce and keep it in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
