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This mushroom cream sauce is next-level delicious! Rich, creamy, super flavorful and totally irresistible. Perfect for steak, pasta, chicken, pork, potatoes…the list goes on! Honestly, you’ll want to put it on everything!
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- Easy to make: This mushroom sauce is simple to make – you’ll want it on repeat. Plus, you can make it ahead and just reheat when needed.
- Full of flavor: Rich, creamy and super flavorful thanks to ingredients like garlic, shallots and a few other special flavor boosters. Once you taste this creamy mushroom sauce, it’ll become your go-to!
- So versatile: You’re going to want to drizzle this over everything! Luckily, it pairs perfectly with so many dishes. Check out the Ways To Use Creamy Mushroom Sauce section for lots of delicious ideas.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this creamy mushroom sauce recipe…
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
- Mushrooms: I like to use cremini mushrooms but any kind of mushroom or combination would work.
- Shallot & Garlic: This combo brings such great flavor to the sauce.
- Butter & Olive Oil: Used for sautéing. The butter also adds great flavor and richness.
- Thyme: This herb works wonders in a mushroom sauce. Use fresh or dried.
- Dry Sherry: Make sure it’s dry (not sweet!) – it’s used to deglaze the pan and also add an amazing depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Chicken Broth: Gives a nice subtle flavor, but you could swap it with beef broth for a richer taste or vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.
- Heavy Cream: The base of the sauce that makes it all creamy and rich. Don’t try to swap it for something lower fat or you’ll end up with a thin sauce, that’s not very luscious – and it could even curdle!
- Dijon Mustard: It builds depth of flavor and also helps to slightly thicken the sauce.
- Soy Sauce or Tamari: Adds umami flavor that pairs so well with mushrooms.
- Salt & Pepper: I like to use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Lemon Juice (optional): A little squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a little acidity and brightness to balance out the richness.
- Parsley or chives (optional): Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley or chives for a pop of color and freshness.
Variations
- Mix up the mushrooms: Use any variety you like or a combination. Just skip dried mushrooms unless you soak them first to fully soften them up.
- Make it cheesy: Stir through a couple tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan.
- Swap the dry sherry: I love the depth of flavor dry sherry adds but you can swap it for dry white wine or even chicken or veggie broth.
- Substitute the shallot: Shallots add a nice mild onion flavor without overpowering the sauce. If you don’t have any, some finely chopped onion works too or just leave it out altogether!
- Add some truffle flavor: A little truffle salt or a drizzle of truffle oil is a delicious addition.
How To Make Mushroom Cream Sauce
This delicious mushroom sauce is easy to make – let’s walk through it step-by-step!
- Sauté: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium/high heat. Add 1 finely chopped small shallot and 16 ounces (454 g) of thinly sliced cremini mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms are golden brown (about 8-10 minutes). Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon dried) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze: Pour in 1/4 cup of dry sherry to deglaze the pan. Give everything a good stir, scraping up those flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let it cook for about a minute or until mostly evaporated.
- Simmer: Stir in 1/2 cup of chicken broth and 1 cup of heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer (not boiling!). Stir occasionally for about 5 to 6 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Season: Stir in 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional but adds a nice balance). Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley or chives if you like.
My Tips
Tips For The Best Mushroom Cream Sauce
- Let the mushrooms get golden brown! Don’t rush this step – letting them brown properly brings out the best flavor for a more delicious sauce.
- Add the garlic later! I like to stir in the minced garlic after the mushrooms and shallots have cooked. This way, it won’t burn or turn bitter – just delicious garlicky goodness.
- Make it a pan sauce! If you’re pan searing meat like chicken breast, steak or pork, make this sauce right in the same pan while the meat rests. Those caramelized bits at the bottom of the pan add so much extra flavor! (Check out this pork tenderloin with mushroom sauce recipe for a perfect example.)
- Want a thicker sauce? Just let it simmer a little longer until it reaches your ideal consistency. Keep in mind, this sauce isn’t meant to be super thick and it will also naturally thicken a bit as it starts to cool.
Ways To Use Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Wondering what to serve this mushroom sauce with? Honestly…everything! It’s such a versatile sauce – here are some delicious ideas:
- Meats: Drizzle it over steak, chicken, pork, meatballs, schnitzel, frikadellen and roasts.
- Pasta or Gnocchi: Toss it with pasta or gnocchi for a rich, cozy dish.
- Vegetables: Also great on veggies like roasted cauliflower, steamed green beans or asparagus.
- Potatoes: This sauce + potatoes = yum! Try it on baked, roasted, steamed or mashed potatoes.
- Other ideas: It’s also amazing over crispy tofu, rice or even an omelet. So many ways to enjoy it!
FAQ
How can I thicken mushroom cream sauce?
The easiest way is to just let it simmer a bit longer until it naturally reduces and thickens. But if you love a really thick sauce, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water).
Can I make it ahead of time?
Absolutely! Once made, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy, just reheat it in a saucepan over low heat.
How long will it keep in the fridge?
You can store this mushroom sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Can you freeze creamy mushroom sauce?
I typically don’t freeze this sauce since the texture can change, but if needed, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before gently reheating over low heat.
More Creamy Sauces To Try
Did you make this creamy mushroom sauce recipe? I would love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below.
Mushroom Cream Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 18 min
- Total Time: 23 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
This mushroom cream sauce is next-level delicious! Rich, creamy, super flavorful and totally irresistible. Perfect for steak, pasta, chicken, pork, potatoes…the list goes on! Honestly, you’ll want to put it on everything!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 16 ounces (454 g) cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (¼ – ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- ¼ cup dry sherry (see notes)
- ½ cup chicken broth (or substitute for beef or vegetable broth)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- optional: squeeze of fresh lemon juice, to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chives (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium/high heat. Add the shallots and mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are golden brown (takes about 8-10 minutes). Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, minced garlic, thyme leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze: Pour in the dry sherry to deglaze the pan. Give everything a good stir, scraping up those flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let it cook for about 1 minute or until mostly evaporated.
- Simmer: Stir in the broth and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer (not boiling). Stir occasionally for about 5 to 6 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Season: Stir in the Dijon mustard, soy sauce or tamari and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional but adds a nice balance). Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley or chives if you like.
Notes
- Mushrooms: I like to use cremini mushrooms but any variety or combination of fresh mushrooms would work.
- Dry Sherry: Make sure it’s dry (not sweet!) – it’s used to deglaze the pan but I also love the depth of flavor it adds to the sauce. You could also substitute it for dry white wine (or chicken or veggie broth).
- Make it a pan sauce! If you’re pan searing meat like chicken breast, steak or pork, make this sauce right in the same pan while the meat rests. Those caramelized bits at the bottom of the pan add so much extra flavor! (Check out this pork tenderloin with mushroom sauce recipe for an example.)
- Want a thicker sauce? Just let it simmer a little longer until it reaches your ideal consistency. Keep in mind, this sauce isn’t meant to be super thick and it will also naturally thicken a bit as it starts to cool. But if you love a really thick sauce, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water).
- Make Ahead & Storage: Once the sauce is made, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy, just reheat it in a saucepan over low heat.
