Best Pork Blanquette Recipe

This Pork Blanquette is made with tender pieces of pork slowly simmered in a creamy white wine sauce. The sauce is smooth and rich, while the meat stays tender and flavorful as it cooks.

Inspired by traditional Blanquette de Veau, this pork version keeps the signature pale, creamy sauce but uses pork instead of veal. White wine, stock, and cream give the dish its delicate flavor, making it especially good with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

If you enjoy creamy pork dinners, browse my pork recipes for more cozy skillet meals, slow-cooked favorites, and comforting dinner ideas.

Pork Blanquette

Blanquette is known for its light-colored sauce rather than the dark, deeply browned sauce used in many other slow-cooked dishes. In this version, the pork cooks gently with white wine and aromatics before cream and golden mushrooms are added near the end, giving the sauce a silky finish without making it overly heavy.

Quick Look at the Ingredients

Pork Blanquette uses simple ingredients, but the combination of tender pork, dry white wine, cream, and mushrooms gives the sauce its distinctive smooth, delicate flavor.

• Pork: Pork tenderloin gives this dish a tender, juicy texture and cooks beautifully with the gentle simmering method.
• Dry white wine: Adds depth and a light acidity that balances the creamy sauce. Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio both work well.
• Heavy cream: Added toward the end to give the blanquette its signature pale, silky sauce.
• Mushrooms: Browned separately before being added back to the pan for extra savory flavor.
• Bacon: Adds a rich, savory base at the beginning of cooking.
• Carrots and onions: Cook slowly with the pork and add gentle sweetness and flavor to the sauce.
• Herbs and seasonings: Thyme, bay leaves, cloves, salt, and black pepper give the stew its warm, aromatic finish.

What Meat Is Best for Pork Blanquette?

For this Pork Blanquette, I use pork tenderloin, cut into evenly sized pieces so it cooks gently and stays tender. Pork shoulder is another option if you prefer a richer, slow-cooked stew, but it needs considerably more time to become tender.

How to Make Pork Blanquette

Making Pork Blanquette is easier than it may look. The key is a gentle simmer, which gives the pork time to become tender while the white wine sauce slowly develops its smooth, delicate flavor.

Cook the bacon. Heat the olive oil and some of the butter in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until lightly crisp and golden, allowing the rendered fat to build a savory base for the sauce.

Brown the pork. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels, then add the pieces to the same pan. Brown them lightly on all sides over medium heat. The pork doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this stage.

Prepare the vegetables. While the pork browns, chop the carrots and press the whole cloves into the onions. This makes the cloves easier to remove before serving.

Build the white wine sauce. Sprinkle the flour over the pork and stir gently for about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the dry white wine, followed by the water or stock, stirring to loosen the browned bits from the pan. Add the carrots, clove-studded onions, thyme, 2 bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Bring everything to a gentle simmer.

Simmer the pork. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer gently for about 40 minutes. Start checking the pork earlier to avoid overcooking the tenderloin. The sauce should barely bubble. Add a splash of stock if it reduces too much.

Finish the creamy sauce. Toward the end of cooking, sauté the mushrooms in a separate skillet with the remaining butter until golden. Temporarily remove the pork and clove-studded onions, then stir the heavy cream into the sauce. Return the pork, add the mushrooms, and simmer gently for up to 10 minutes, until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Remove the bay leaves and cloves, then finish with fresh parsley.

I hope you enjoy this cozy French pork recipe as much as I do. If you give it a try, feel free to leave a comment or share a photo. I always love seeing your creations. You can also follow @DozusCook on Pinterest or Instagram for more easy, comforting recipes.

Storage

Make Ahead: Pork Blanquette often tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to come together. Reheat gently just until warmed through and avoid boiling.

Storage: Let the Pork Blanquette cool, then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.

Reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally. If the sauce has thickened, add a small splash of stock or cream to loosen it. You can also reheat it in the microwave using medium power, stirring once or twice for even warming.

Freezing: Let the blanquette cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally. The creamy sauce may separate slightly after thawing.

Tips & Variations

• Brown the mushrooms separately. Cook the mushrooms in the remaining butter until golden before adding them to the creamy sauce. Avoid overcrowding the skillet so they brown instead of steaming.
• Make it extra creamy: For a richer sauce, you can add a little extra cream toward the end of cooking. Stir gently and let it warm through without boiling.
• Add more vegetables: Feel free to add pearl onions, leeks, or even a handful of peas at the end for extra color and freshness.
• Keep the sauce silky. Once you add the heavy cream, keep the heat low and avoid boiling. Stir gently until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
• Lighter option: If you prefer a lighter sauce, you can replace part of the cream with a little extra stock. The dish will still be flavorful, just less rich.

What to Serve with Pork Blanquette

Pork blanquette pairs beautifully with a simple side that lets the creamy white wine sauce shine. Rice, potatoes, or noodles catch the sauce, while something fresh on the side balances the richness.

• Fluffy rice: A simple base for the tender pork, mushrooms, and creamy sauce.
• Mashed potatoes: Spoon the blanquette over a generous scoop for a comforting dinner.
• Buttered egg noodles: Toss lightly with butter, then top with the pork and plenty of sauce.
• Crusty bread: Perfect for soaking up the last of the sauce.
• Green vegetables or salad: Steamed green beans, peas, or a crisp salad with a lemon dressing add a fresh contrast.

For more comforting dinners like this, browse my stew recipes, from creamy French favorites to rustic stews with vegetables.

FAQ

What kind of white wine works best?
A dry white wine works best here. Something like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio is a great choice. It does not need to be expensive. If you enjoy drinking it, it will work well in the sauce.

Can I make this recipe without wine?
Yes, you can replace the wine with additional chicken stock if needed. The flavor will be slightly different, but the stew will still be rich and comforting.

If you enjoy slow-cooked pork dishes like this, you might also like my classic pork stew. It’s another cozy, comforting recipe made with simple ingredients and gentle simmering, perfect for relaxed family dinners.

Best Pork Blanquette

5 from 15 votes

Tender pork simmered in a rich, creamy white wine sauce with mushrooms, bacon, and aromatic herbs. This French-inspired Pork Blanquette is a comforting family dinner, perfect with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

Servings: 6 servings

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 lb (900 g) pork tenderloin, cut into chunks
• ▢ 7 oz (200 g) bacon, chopped
• ▢ 1 lb (450 g) mushrooms, sliced
• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• ▢ 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup dry white wine
• ▢ 3 cups water or stock
• ▢ 3 onions
• ▢ 10-13 whole cloves
• ▢ 2 carrots chopped
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 1 tsp thyme
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 1 cup 250 ml heavy cream
• ▢ Fresh parsley chopped, for serving

Instructions

• Cook the bacon. Heat the olive oil and some of the butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until lightly crisp and golden.
• Brown the pork. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, then add it to the pan. Brown the pieces on all sides over medium heat without cooking them all the way through.
• Add the flour. Sprinkle the flour over the pork and stir gently for about 2 minutes, until it coats the meat and loses its raw taste.
• Add the liquids. Slowly pour in the white wine, followed by the water or stock. Stir gently, loosening any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the vegetables. Press the cloves into the onions, then add them to the pan with the carrots, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
• Simmer the pork. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, checking occasionally. The sauce should barely bubble. Add a splash of stock if needed.
• Cook the mushrooms. Toward the end of cooking, sauté the sliced mushrooms in a separate skillet with the remaining butter until golden.
• Finish the sauce. Temporarily remove the pork and clove-studded onions from the pan. Stir in the heavy cream, then return the pork and add the golden mushrooms.
• Simmer gently. Cook over low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce becomes creamy and slightly thickened. Avoid boiling.
• Finish and serve. Remove the bay leaves and whole cloves, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve warm with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

Notes

• Keep the heat low. A gentle simmer helps the pork cook evenly and prevents the sauce from reducing too quickly.
• Use a dry white wine. Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio both work well with the creamy sauce.
• Brown the mushrooms separately. This gives them a deeper savory flavor before they go into the blanquette.
• Keep the cream sauce gentle. After adding the heavy cream, avoid a vigorous boil to help maintain a smooth texture.
• Make ahead. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
• Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened.

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