coulis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal/Culinary
Quick answer
What does “coulis” mean?
A thin puree or sieved sauce, typically made from fruit or vegetables.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A thin puree or sieved sauce, typically made from fruit or vegetables.
A smooth, pourable sauce made by pureeing and straining fruit, vegetables, or herbs, used to add flavour, colour, and decoration to a dish.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The French pronunciation is more likely to be attempted by UK speakers, while US speakers may anglicise it slightly.
Connotations
In both dialects, it connotes sophistication and professional or gourmet cooking. It is not a term found in everyday domestic cooking contexts.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties, confined almost exclusively to professional cooking, food writing, and upscale restaurant menus.
Grammar
How to Use “coulis” in a Sentence
[dish] + with + a + [fruit/vegetable] + coulis[chef] + drizzles + coulis + over + [dish]A coulis + of + [fruit/vegetable]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in the food service industry, hospitality, and culinary product marketing.
Academic
Rare; might appear in food science, gastronomy, or culinary arts texts.
Everyday
Very rare. Would only be used when discussing a specific recipe or a meal at a high-end restaurant.
Technical
Standard term in professional cookery and recipe writing to specify a sauce of a particular consistency.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coulis”
- Pronouncing it /ˈkaʊ.lɪs/ (like 'cow').
- Using it to refer to any thick sauce or dip.
- Misspelling as 'coulie', 'coolis', or 'coulisse'.
- Treating it as a countable noun in plural contexts (e.g., 'three coulis' is less common than 'three types of coulis').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While fruit coulis for desserts are common, vegetable coulis (e.g., tomato, pepper, beetroot) are also standard in savoury dishes.
A coulis is smooth and thin, often strained. A compote is thicker and contains distinct pieces of stewed fruit.
It depends. Berry coulis are often made with raw, pureed fruit, sometimes sweetened. Tomato or vegetable coulis are usually cooked. The key is the final texture, not the cooking method.
It is a loanword from French, fully naturalised in English culinary terminology. It is considered a standard English word in its specific domain.
A thin puree or sieved sauce, typically made from fruit or vegetables.
Coulis is usually formal/culinary in register.
Coulis: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkuː.liː/, and in American English it is pronounced /kuːˈliː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None specific to this term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'COULIS is a COOL, smooth, (s)LEEky sauce.' It cools the palate and is sleek like a liquid.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIQUID DECORATION / FLAVOURED RAIN (e.g., 'a rain of raspberry coulis').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a coulis?