In French cuisine, the mother sauces also known as grandes sauces, are a group of sauces upon which many other sauces – "daughter sauces" or petites sauces – are based. Different classifications of mother sauces have been proposed since at least the early 19th century.

 

The most common list of mother sauces in current use is

​

Béchamel sauce: White sauce, based on milk thickened with a white roux.
Espagnole sauce: Brown sauce based on a brown stock reduction and thickened with a brown roux. Ingredients typically include roasted bones, bacon, and tomato (puréed or fresh).
Tomato sauce: In addition to tomatoes, ingredients typically include carrots, onion, garlic, butter, and flour, plus pork belly and veal broth.
Velouté sauce: Light colored sauce, made by reducing clear stock (made from un-roasted bones) and thickened with a white roux. Velouté is French for "velvety".
Hollandaise sauce: Warm emulsion of egg yolk, melted butter, and lemon juice or vinegar.
Mayonnaise sauce: Emulsion of egg yolk, oil, and lemon juice or vinegar.