Mushroom sauce for steak is a rich, savory sauce made with golden brown mushrooms, shallots, garlic, red wine, beef broth, and fresh thyme. With deep, earthy mushroom flavor and a silky, glossy finish, this easy homemade sauce turns a simple steak, pork tenderloin, or chicken breast into something special. It's naturally gluten-free, with no heavy cream needed.
A good sauce is one of the easiest ways to transform a simple meal into something special. I've been making variations of this classic mushroom sauce for years and finally decided to share it with you. It is wonderfully versatile, with a few easy variations to change the flavor, including a splash of cognac or sherry, or a little cream for a richer finish. It's the kind of sauce you'll find yourself making again and again.
Mushroom Sauce Recipe Snapshot
- Deep, savory flavor - Golden browned mushrooms, red wine, and herbs create a rich, restaurant-style sauce.
- Silky and glossy - A classic beurre manié (kneaded butter paste) gives the sauce beautiful body without heavy cream.
- Everyday versatility - Dress up steak, pork, or chicken, or spoon over pasta and mashed potatoes.
- Make it your own - Add a splash of cognac or sherry, or finish with cream for a luxurious variation.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Mushrooms - Brown cremini mushrooms for a rich, earthy flavor.
- Shallot - Adds a delicate sweet onion flavor.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic adds savory depth.
- Thyme - Fresh thyme complements the earthy mushrooms and red wine.
- Broth - Beef broth creates a rich, savory base for the sauce.
- Wine - Dry red wine adds depth and complexity.
- Worcestershire sauce - Adds a subtle umami boost.
- Dijon mustard - A little Dijon adds tang and balances the richness.
- Butter - Unsalted butter adds richness and combines with flour to thicken the sauce.
- Flour - Use gluten-free all-purpose flour or regular wheat flour to make the beurre manié (thickener).
- Oil - Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing the shallot and garlic.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt, and pepper.
Substitutions
- For dairy-free - Use a plant-based butter (stick not tub).
- No beef broth - When I ran out of beef broth, I used chicken broth and it was equally terrific. Turkey broth works too.
- Mushroom cream sauce - Add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream at the end. It's delicious!
- Optional cognac - For an extra layer of flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons of Cognac to the pan after sautéing the mushrooms and aromatics letting it simmer for about a minute before adding the broth. Cognac adds wonderful depth and complexity to the mushroom sauce.
Chef's Tip: Why I Start Mushrooms in a Dry Pan. Mushrooms contain a surprising amount of water. Instead of adding oil or butter right away, I start sliced mushrooms in a hot, dry skillet. As they cook, they release their moisture, which evaporates, allowing the mushrooms to brown and develop a deeper, more concentrated flavor. Once the moisture has cooked off, I add butter for richness and finish browning them.
How to Make Mushroom Sauce for Steak
To prep mushrooms, trim the stems flush to the base of the mushroom, then rinse quickly in a trickle of cold water while gently rubbing in your hands. Dry on paper towels.
- Slice the mushrooms thin.
- In a hot dry skillet (no fat), cook the mushrooms until they give off their moisture.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the released moisture evaporates and the mushrooms begin to brown.
- When most of the moisture is cooked off, stir in 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook another minute. Remove the mushrooms to a bowl or plate.
- Add the olive oil to the hot pan and cook the shallots, turning down heat so they do not burn but soften. Add garlic when soft and cook 1 minute.
- Add the wine and cook down until it is almost just a little juicy. Add the thyme sprigs.
- Add the broth, Worcestershire, and mustard and simmer until it concentrates and the flavors blend, 7-8 minutes.
- While waiting on the broth to simmer, stir together the flour and butter, into a soft smooth paste.
Chef's Tip: A Classic French Way to Thicken Sauce. Instead of using a cornstarch slurry or adding heavy cream, I thicken this mushroom sauce with beurre manié, a classic French technique meaning kneaded butter. It's simply softened butter mashed together with flour to form a smooth paste. Whisked gradually into the simmering sauce, it creates a silky, glossy consistency without making the sauce creamy. Use gluten-free flour to keep the sauce gluten-free if needed.
- Add the beurre manié a little at a time, whisking until smooth, then simmer gently for 1-2 minutes to allow the flour to cook and the sauce to thicken before adding more, until the sauce reaches a thickened, glossy consistency. Remove the thyme stems. Add the browned mushrooms back to the skillet and stir to coat.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Note - If your sauce holds before serving and gets too thick, thin with a bit more broth or water.
Serving Suggestions
This rich, savory mushroom sauce is delicious with much more than steak. Its deep mushroom flavor, red wine, and fresh thyme make it a versatile finishing sauce for everyday dinners and special occasions.
- Steak - Spoon over grilled or roast beef tenderloin, ribeye, or New York strip steak.
- Pork - Delicious with roasted pork tenderloin, pork medallions, or thick-cut pork chops.
- Chicken - Serve over pan-seared chicken cutlets or roasted chicken breasts or thighs.
- Pasta - Toss with your favorite pasta for a simple mushroom pasta dish. Add sliced cooked chicken for a heartier meal.
- Mashed potatoes - Spoon over creamy mashed potatoes for a savory, comforting side dish.
- Polenta - Serve over soft, creamy polenta for a delicious meatless option.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftover mushroom sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. The sauce may thicken as it chills, so add a splash of beef broth to loosen it to your preferred consistency. For make-ahead preparation, refrigerate the sauce and reheat just before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Replace the red wine with additional beef broth and add a small splash of balsamic vinegar for depth. The flavor will be different, but the sauce will still be rich and savory.
Absolutely. Cremini mushrooms have a wonderful earthy flavor, but white button mushrooms work well, too. For a more complex flavor, try a combination of cremini and shiitake mushrooms.
Yes. For a creamy mushroom sauce, stir in a splash of heavy cream toward the end of cooking. Start with a few tablespoons and adjust to your preference. The cream will soften the red wine flavor and create a richer, silkier sauce.
More Recipes With Mushrooms
Love the earthy meatiness of mushrooms? Here are more mushroom recipes to try.
If You Make Mushroom Sauce
Please leave me a comment and let me know how you served it. I love hearing from you and your comments help other readers as well. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Mushroom Sauce for Steak
Equipment
- 10"-12" cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound small cremini mushrooms (brown mushrooms)
- ¼ cup chopped shallots 1 medium
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped or microplaned
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1½ cups beef broth or chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened divided use
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour or regular all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt amount depends on your broth
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional additions
- heavy cream
- 1-2 tablespoons cognac or dry sherry
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Instructions
Prepare the mushrooms
- Trim the stems from the mushrooms flush to the base. Gently and quickly rinse under a trickle of cold water and dry on paper towels. Slice thinly.
Brown the mushrooms
- Heat a 10-inch skillet (like cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms to the dry skillet and cook until the mushrooms release their moisture and develop a rich golden-brown color, 6-8 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl or plate.
Cook the shallots & garlic
- Add the olive oil and saute the shallots until soft, 1-2 minutes then add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Watch the heat and turn down if needed. Add the red wine to deglaze the pan. Simmer the wine down until it is almost gone with just a little left in the pan.
Build the sauce
- Turn the heat up a little and stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and thyme sprigs. Simmer until the liquid reduces and the flavors concentrate, 7-8 minutes. While it's simmering, make the beurre manié. Mash the remaining 2 tablespoons of softened butter and flour together with a fork until it's a smooth paste.
Thicken the sauce, add mushrooms
- Whisk the butter paste into the simmering liquid a little at a time until the sauce reaches a thickened, glossy consistency. Remove the thyme stems. Add the browned mushrooms back to the skillet and stir to coat. Finish with salt and pepper and adjust seasoning. The amount of salt you use will depend on the saltiness of your broth. Serve warm.
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