Espagnole
/ˌɛspæˈnjoʊl/noun
A French-style sauce made from browned stock, vegetables, and tomato, used as a base for other sauces.
Did you know?Espagnole is one of the classic French mother sauces, and its name simply means “Spanish” in French—an old culinary label that stuck, even though the sauce itself is a French creation.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Latin
Latin
Hispaniolus
“Spanish; of Spain”
Old French
Old French
espaignol
“Spanish; from Spain”
17th Century
French
sauce espagnole
“Spanish sauce, a rich brown sauce used in French cookery”
Modern English
English
espagnole
“A classic brown sauce in French cuisine”
Explore more surprising origins