This mouthwatering Jaeger Sauce is a type of German mushroom gravy. Easy to make in about 20 minutes with everyday ingredients, the finished sauce is so creamy and has incredible layers of umami, herby, and savory flavors. Serve it with schnitzel, steak, veggies, and more!
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While I love homemade chicken gravy and beef gravy, this easy Jager Sauce is in a league of its own!
A type of German brown mushroom gravy, it’s easy to make with a medley of mushrooms, aromatics, red wine, stock, herbs, and heavy cream. The robust flavors and savory depth make it the perfect fit for schnitzel but you can serve it with a ton of other dishes, too!
My jaeger sauce recipe is a lot like my Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Both feature mushrooms smothered in a rich and creamy gravy and pair well with chicken, steak, pork, and more. But what sets this German gravy apart is its sophisticated balance of flavor and lack of saltiness (since it’s meant to be paired with salty breaded pork or veal).
Treat yourself to a generous drizzle served over schnitzel, bratwurst, or any of the delicious dishes in the Serving Suggestions below. One taste and you’ll be hooked!
What is jaeger sauce?
Jaeger sauce, or jager sauce, Jager Soße, and hunter sauce, is a type of German mushroom gravy. It’s rich and full-bodied with deep, earthy flavors thanks to a mix of mushrooms, aromatics, red wine, beef stock, heavy cream, herbs, and sometimes bacon. You’ll often see jaeger sauce served with schnitzel (tenderized, breaded, and fried meat) to make the popular German dish, Jägerschnitzel.
Ingredients needed
- Olive oil
- Mushrooms – You’ll need a medley of different mushrooms for jager sauce, like portobello, cremini, and button mushrooms. You can also get creative with wild mushrooms or less common varieties, like shiitake, oyster, porcini, chanterelles, and wild maitake.
- Unsalted butter
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Tomato paste – Use a quality tomato paste. It adds a pop of umami to the sauce and makes the consistency more cohesive.
- Flour – Used as a thickener in the sauce. Feel free to use gluten free flour to keep this recipe gluten free.
- Dry red wine – Use a red wine you already enjoy sipping. I like to use dry Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot when making red wine sauces for meat.
- Beef stock – The rich depth of flavor from beef stock helps round out the sauce. If you’re vegetarian, use vegetable broth as a substitute.
- Sweet paprika
- Dried thyme
- Heavy cream – The secret behind jaeger sauce’s velvety smooth mouthfeel!
- Balsamic vinegar
- Dijon mustard – To help emulsify the sauce and give it a subtle tangy flavor.
- Salt and pepper
How to make it
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until they’re browned. Transfer them to a bowl.
Add the butter to the now empty skillet. Once it’s melted, add the shallot and cook until translucent. Next, add the garlic, and then the tomato paste. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine and beef broth. Stir in the paprika and thyme, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 5 minutes.
To finish, stir the cream, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and cooked mushrooms into the sauce. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve the finished jaeger sauce over schnitzel for Jägerschnitzel and enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- After cleaning the mushrooms, dry them really well with paper towels. Dry mushrooms have a better chance of crisping when pan-fried, which prevents them from becoming soggy in the sauce.
- If the sauce isn’t quite as thick as you like, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water) at the end and let it gently simmer until it thickens.
Variations
- Add bacon – Jaeger schnitzel sauce is sometimes made with pan-fried bacon for layers of salty, fatty goodness. If this sounds good to you, chop up some bacon slices and fry them in the skillet with the shallots and garlic.
- Use fresh herbs – Replace the dried thyme with 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme for a heightened earthy herbaceousness and subtle sweetness.
- Omit the wine – Replace the red wine with more broth.
- If you don’t have heavy cream – There are variations of jager sauce made without cream, so feel free to leave it out if you don’t have it at home! If you’re still craving that creamy element, you can use whole milk instead.
Serving suggestions
Strolling through Germany, you’re bound to see restaurants with schnitzel drowning in jaeger sauce on their menu. Whether it’s turkey, veal, or pork schnitzel, jaeger sauce is its perfect pairing. Serve your Jägerschnitzel with a simple green salad and German potato salad on the side for the most amazing homemade German-inspired meal.
And if you’re not the world’s biggest Jägerschnitzel fan, you’ll be pleased to know that German jager sauce is not limited to schnitzel. Think of it as an all-purpose sauce you can serve with meatballs, pork, steak, french fries, roasted vegetables, and much more!
These serving suggestions are sure to have you craving this mouthwatering sauce:
Storing
If you end up with leftover sauce, wait for it to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.
To reheat, pour the sauce into a skillet over medium heat until it’s warmed through. Feel free to whisk in a splash of water or broth to loosen the consistency.
I do not recommend freezing jaeger sauce because it usually becomes grainy after thawing.
More homemade sauces for meat
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Full Recipe
Jaeger Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms (such as portobello, cremini, button, etc. cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 cup low sodium beef stock (or vegetable stock)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 3 minutes. Stir the mushrooms, then continue to cook until browned all over, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the skillet. Once the butter is melted, add the shallot and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute longer.
- Add the wine, broth, paprika, and thyme. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard and the mushrooms. Season with salt, and pepper, to taste.
Notes
- Leftover sauce will stay fresh in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.
- To reheat, pour the sauce into a skillet over medium heat until it’s warmed through. Feel free to whisk in a splash of water or broth to loosen the consistency.
- I do not recommend freezing jaeger sauce because it usually becomes grainy after thawing.
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