A coulis (/kuːˈliː/ koo-LEE; French, from Old French couleis, from Vulgar Latin cōlāticus, from Latin cōlātus, past participle of cōlāre, to strain) is a form of thick sauce made from pureed puréed and strained vegetables or. fruits vegetable coulis is commonly used on meat and vegetable dishes, and it can also be used as a base for soups or other sauces. Fruit coulis are most often used on desserts.