If you love mushrooms, you'll love mushroom duxelle-also called mushroom duxelles or even duxelles mushroom. It's a classic French preparation made by finely chopping mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and herbs, then slowly cooking them in butter until rich, savory, and deeply flavorful. It may sound fancy, but it's surprisingly simple to make and versatile to use-and it freezes beautifully.
Mushroom duxelle is an earthy, umami-packed flavor bomb that goes far beyond just appetizers. It's essentially a mixture of mushrooms, cooked down with butter and other flavor enhancements. You can stir it into pasta and risotto, tuck it into omelets or puff pastry, spread it on toast or crostini, top a baked potato, or layer it into beef Wellington. It's simple, versatile, and full of depth. Keep reading for how to make it-plus plenty of creative ways to use every last delicious spoonful.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- If you love mushrooms - you'll love duxelles deep, earthy flavor.
- Easy to make -Just a few simple ingredients.
- Versatile - Use it in appetizers, pasta, eggs, beef dishes, and more.
- Freezer-friendly - Cooked mushrooms freeze beautifully.
What You Need for Mushroom Duxelle
- Mushrooms - Common white button or brown cremini mushrooms work perfectly for duxelle. Choose firm, fresh mushrooms with closed caps-no visible gills and definitely no slimy texture.
- Butter - Use good-quality unsalted butter so you can control the seasoning.
- Shallots - A member of the onion family, shallots are milder than onions and a staple in French cooking. I always keep them on hand.
- Herbs - Fresh thyme leaves and fresh parsley are my go-tos, but tarragon is a classic French addition.
- Garlic - A must. Fresh garlic cloves give the duxelle depth and backbone.
- Deglazing Liquid - Cognac, dry sherry, dry white wine, or vermouth all work beautifully. Just a splash lifts the flavor and releases any bits from the pan.
- Crème Fraîche (Optional) - Thick, French-style sour cream adds richness and helps the duxelle hold together-especially nice if you're spreading it on toast or using it in pastry. Omit for a vegan version.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt, and black pepper.
If you love mushrooms, try this hearty mushroom pasta sauce. You won't miss the meat.
Chef's Tip: How to Clean Mushrooms
Forget the old advice about never getting mushrooms wet. A quick rinse is perfectly fine-just do it right before slicing or chopping. Cup 1-2 mushrooms in your hand (depending on size) and rub them gently under a trickle of cold water to remove dirt, and pat dry with a clean towel. You can also wipe them with a damp paper towel or use a soft brush (a clean toothbrush works), but rinsing is faster and just as effective.
Substitutions and Variations
- Mushrooms: Feel free to mix mushroom varieties. White button and cremini are classic, but shiitake, portobello, or even oyster mushrooms add deeper, more complex flavor.
- Vegan Option: For a dairy-free version, use olive oil or a plant-based butter (choose a solid block or stick-avoid whipped tubs (which often contain extra water).
For another classic dish with mushrooms, try this Chicken Marsala recipe without cream. The mushroom sauce is terrific.
Chef's Note: Why is this called duxelles? This recipe is named for the 17th century French Marquis d'Uxelles by his Chef, François Pierre La Varenne.
How to Make Mushroom Duxelle
Using a food processor makes duxelles quick and easy. Use short pulses with the pulse button. You don't want pureed mushrooms. Without a food processor, chop the mushrooms into very small pieces by hand with a chef's knife.
- Chop the shallots, herbs, and garlic.
- Wash the mushrooms and dry.
- Quarter mushroom and put in the food processor.
- Pulse mushrooms fine. Without a food processor, chop finely by hand.
- In a large skillet, melt butter and saute garlic and shallot in butter.
- Add mushrooms and stir, cooking down the moisture.
7. When mushroom mixture is almost dry, add the herbs, wine, salt and pepper.
8. Cook off the wine. Finished mushrooms duxelle, almost like a paste. Add creme fraiche if using.
Chef's Tip: Cooked mushrooms freeze very well, but do not try to freeze raw mushrooms.
Serving Suggestions
Mushroom Duxelle is one of those great classic recipes that is easy, quick to make, and can turn every day recipes into something special. Think of it as a building block for terrific dishes. Here are a few creative uses for incorporating duxelles into recipes:
- Serve duxelles with crisp crostini, toast points, or crackers as appetizers.
- Fold into an omelet or with poached or scrambled eggs.
- Toss with warm buttered noodles.
- Stir into risotto for mushroom risotto (heavenly) or just simple rice.
- Make stuffed chicken breast by stuffing a boneless, skinless chicken breast with a combination of duxelle and soft cheese such as cream cheese, boursin, or garlic herb goat cheese, then bake.
- Stuff a pork tenderloin.
- Use for mushroom duxelles stuffed sole or Beef Wellington.
- Make grilled cheese and spread a little duxelles in with the melting cheese. Heavenly.
Freezing Mushroom Duxelle
Mushroom duxelle freeze beautifully, making it a great make-ahead ingredient. If you're making a big batch, here's how to store it:
- Portion first: Spoon cooled duxelles into silicone ice cube trays or tablespoon-sized mounds on a parchment-lined tray. Freeze until solid.
- Store: Transfer frozen cubes to a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- For best results, let frozen duxelles thaw in the fridge or defrost in a pan over low heat before adding to delicate dishes like eggs or sauces. Adding a frozen cube straight to warm food can cool the dish too much or introduce excess moisture. For heartier dishes like pasta or soups, a frozen portion works fine-just give it a minute or two to warm through before stirring everything together.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, duxelles are freezeable. I recommend freezing portions in silicone ice cubes trays and thawing portions that you need overnight in the refrigerator.
Duxelles is generally made without dairy such as cream or cream cheese. Cheese is often incorporated into pate recipes to give them additional creaminess for more spreadability.
There are many things you can do with duxelles. Toss it with warm buttered pasta, stir into risotto or rice, fold into an omelet, stuff boneless chicken breasts, stir in cream cheese or ricotta cheese for more of a mushroom pate. Serve with sliced baguette or crostini as an appetizer, spread on filet of sole and roll, then bake, make a grilled cheese sandwich and add a layer of duxelles. Delicious!
You can make duxelles with a variety of mushrooms. Common white or button mushrooms work great, are inexpensive, and always available. Other mushrooms that work for duxelles are beech mushrooms, brown cremini mushrooms, small "baby bella" portabella mushrooms, or small shitakes. Save the more expensive and exotic wild mushrooms like chanterelles and morels for simple preparations where their marvelous flavor, color and texture shine, like simply sautéing in butter.
More Recipes With Mushrooms
If you love mushrooms, try some of these terrific mushroom recipes.
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📖 Recipe
Mushroom Duxelle
Ingredients
- 1 pound white mushrooms
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallot 1 large shallot
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 tablespoon cognac or dry sherry optional
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or tarragon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 pinches ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or thick sour cream, optional
Instructions
- Lightly rinse mushrooms in a slow trickle of cold water, rubbing gently with your hands and dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Alternatively wipe any dirt off with a damp paper towel. Quarter the mushrooms. Add mushroom quarters to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. You can also chop them finely by hand with a chef's knife.
- Melt butter in a saute or fry pan over medium low heat. Add shallot and cook a minute or two until soft. Add garlic and cook one minute longer. Add mushrooms and cook until most of the moisture has released and cooked off, 12-14 minutes (mushrooms are mostly water). Stir in the herbs, salt and pepper, cook another minute or two. Stir in cognac or sherry (if using) and cook until liquid is about gone. Duxelles should be thick, almost like a textured paste. Add the duxelles to a bowl and stir in the creme fraiche.
- Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for 5 days or use immediately as an appetizer spread. Duxelles freezes well up to 6 months. Be sure to label and date.
Notes
- Serve with crisp crostini (wheat or gluten-free) or crackers as appetizers.
- Fold into an omelet or with poached or scrambled eggs.
- Toss with warm buttered noodles or pasta.
- Stir into risotto for mushroom risotto (heavenly) or just simple rice.
- Make stuffed chicken breast by stuffing into a slit in a boneless, skinless chicken breast with a soft cheese, then bake.
- Stuff a pork tenderloin.
Nutrition
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JAMIE LYNN TAYLOR says
I did not see a step for the thick sour cream. When would this be added?
Sally Cameron says
Hi Jamie, stir the creme fraiche in at the end. I've listed it as optional but it really makes them extra good.
Frank Canonica says
I often use button mushrooms for spreads or to serve in eggs but when it comes to pastas, risotto’s and sauces I pull out the big guns and make it with morels and porcini mushrooms. The duxelles does freeze incredibly well especially if you own a vacuum sealer. We could not live without our sealer. In fact we always have a new backup on hand in case the current one fails. Lastly, there are no hard rules, experiment with additives like Duxelles sauce for venison - mushroom duxelles, juniper berries, cherries, brown stock thickened with a dark roux!
Karen E Horner says
Hi and thanks for your great recipe! I learned how to make duxelles in a microwave many years ago, and used your recipe as a guide to make it on the stovetop today. I freeze it in icecube trays, and love it as a filling for an omelet, with some parmesan! It is also delicious in sauces and lasagne. Thanks again!
Sally Cameron says
Sounds like one delicious omelet, and agreed, terrific with pasta. It really elevates the average meal to new heights 😉
Julie Hummel says
I use this a filling for pinwheels. Take a sheet of puff pastry . If frozen, let thaw slightly so you can handle it. Spread duxelles over the sheet-not quite to the edges. Roll up and slice and bake per pastry instructions. NOTE: I usually freeze this ahead--wrap the log well in plastic wrap and put in a freezer bag. When you want a quick and elegant appetizer, remove from freezer, let thaw, slice and bake. Yummy!
Sally Cameron says
That is a fantastic idea Julie! I used to love working with puff pastry and phyllo until I went gluten-free. If you are ok with gluten, these are terrific!
Heather Zeleny says
Yes, after cooking, morels and chanterelles can be frozen.
Grazyna Zielinska says
Hi I have 4Lb of wonderful wild chanterelles and I am going to make a tasty duxelles. My question is : can I freeze it and if so for how long ? My freezer is set to -6F.
Sally Cameron says
Wow! Lucky you! Chanterelles and Morels are my favorites. Yes you can freeze finished duxelles, but not fresh mushrooms. Use ice cube trays. Cool completely before freezing. Use airtight, freezer-safe bags or containers, label with the date (because we always think we’ll remember...). After 3 months, it’s still safe to eat, but the flavor and texture may start to decline.
Linda says
If refrigerated should it be rewarmed to serve on crostini?
Sally Cameron says
Hi Linda, good question. You can serve it chilled (like a pate), room temp or warmed up. Hope you enjoy.