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Creamy Mushroom Sauce

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Posted by:

Erin Lynch

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Updated:

March 9, 2025

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5 from 6 votes

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This extra creamy, incredibly flavorful Creamy Mushroom Sauce is easy to make and on the table in about 20 minutes. It’s a rich, umami-forward sauce that’s fantastic spooned over chicken, pork, steak, and even pasta!

Overhead closeup of creamy mushroom sauce in skillet with spoon.

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If you’re a fan of meaty meals smothered in rich, saucy mushrooms, like Chicken Marsala or Creamy Mushroom Chicken, then you need this Creamy Mushroom Sauce recipe in your life. It’s a quick 20-minute sauce that instantly takes steak, pork, and chicken over the top!

The ingredients needed to make the mushroom sauce are fairly straightforward. A blend of any mushrooms you like add an umami-forward base, while red wine, beef stock, and simple aromatics bring balance to every bite. Add heavy cream at the end to give this cream sauce for pork its irresistibly luscious appeal, then dig in!

Table of Contents

  • Best mushrooms for mushroom sauce
  • Ingredients
  • How to make mushroom sauce
  • Tips and tricks
  • Storing
  • Serving suggestions
  • Full Recipe

Best mushrooms for mushroom sauce

The best mushrooms to use in cream sauce are any type of fresh, meaty mushrooms that you already enjoy eating. You can’t go wrong with white button mushrooms, cremini, and baby portobellos. These options are also the easiest to find in North American grocery stores.

Less common varieties, like shiitake, oyster, porcini, chanterelles, and wild maitake would also be fun to experiment with in this sauce.

Close up of bowl of cremini mushrooms.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil – To prevent the mushrooms from sticking as they sear in the pan.
  • Mushrooms – I used a mix of portobello, cremini, white button, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms. You can use any mix of mushrooms you like, including some from the suggestions above.
  • Butter – Use unsalted butter to prevent the sauce from tasting overly salty.
  • Shallot – For aromatic, savory flavors. Minced red onion also works in a pinch. 
  • Garlic 
  • Tomato paste – Acts as a thickening and flavoring agent. Don’t skip it!
  • Four – This too helps thicken the sauce. If you’re gluten free, use your favorite gluten free flour as a substitute.
  • Red wine – Use a dry red wine you enjoy sipping alongside your meal. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Merlot are all good options. 
  • Beef stock – This gives the sauce volume and a rich, savory flavor. You can also use beef bone broth or vegetable stock for a vegetarian mushroom sauce. 
  • Thyme
  • Soy sauce – Or tamari if you’re gluten free.
  • Heavy cream – For the creamy element in this cream sauce! Feel free to use whole milk or half and half instead.
  • Salt and pepper
Finished mushroom sauce in skillet.

How to make mushroom sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Once it’s hot, add the mushrooms and cook in an even layer until they’re browned evenly. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a bowl.

Lower the heat and add the butter. Once it’s melted, add the shallots and saute until translucent, then add the garlic.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Then add the flour, stir well, and cook for another minute.

Add the wine, broth, thyme, and soy sauce to the pan. Bring the mixture up to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. 

To finish the sauce, stir in the heavy cream and pre-cooked mushrooms. Season to taste with soy sauce, salt, and pepper, then enjoy!

Spoon dipped into mushroom sauce.

Tips and tricks

  • It’s important to clean your mushrooms and remove all of the excess dirt before getting started. A Couple Cooks recommends tossing the mushrooms in a large bowl of water until the dirt settles at the bottom. Drain well, and be sure to pat the mushrooms completely dry before cooking.
  • Mix the flour thoroughly with the shallots, garlic, and tomato paste to prevent lumps in your cream sauce. Use a whisk if you need to.
  • Remember to scrape up the tasty browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan after deglazing it with red wine and broth. That’s where the flavor is!
  • To make this cream sauce even creamier, add freshly grated parmesan at the end and stir until melted and smooth. 

Storing

The sauce doesn’t freeze well but you can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

When it’s time to reheat, warm it over low to medium heat to prevent it from breaking. If it begins to separate, whisk in a splash of water. 

Close up of creamy mushroom sauce in skillet.

Serving suggestions

Mushroom sauce and your favorite protein are a match made in heaven. But there are also plenty of other ways to enjoy it, such as:

  • Chicken – This thick, silky sauce is perfect for smothering baked, air fried, or sous vide chicken breast. You can also pour it over crunchy chicken dishes, like schnitzel or sour cream chicken. 
  • Pork – Use it to dress up pork chops, pork tenderloin, and “Shake and Bake” pork chops.
  • Steak – This sauce is delightful spooned over premium cuts of steak, like ribeye and filet mignon. It’s also perfect for transforming cheaper cuts of steak into a 5-star meal.
  • Pasta – Best of all, this mushroom cream sauce doubles as an excellent stroganoff-type sauce to toss with egg noodles. Add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water to help thin it out and give it a silky smooth consistency.
  • And more – Make Swedish-style meatballs by heating ready-made frozen meatballs directly in the sauce. You can also serve it instead of traditional gravy with your Thanksgiving turkey.
Mushroom sauce in white skillet with spoon.

More sauce recipes for steak night

Looking for more ways to transform any cut of steak into a gourmet dinner? Check out → 17 Delicious Sauces for Steak or these simple steak sauce recipes:

  • Bearnaise Sauce
  • Red Wine Sauce
  • Parmesan Cream Sauce
  • Mustard Sauce for Steak
  • Creamy Garlic Sauce
  • Bordelaise Sauce
  • Red Wine Jus
  • Chimichurri Sauce

Looking for gourmet sauces to pair with pork? Then you need this list of 20+ Sauces for Pork. Enjoy!

More mushroom recipes

  • Mushroom Risotto
  • Mushroom Pot Pie
  • Thai Mushroom Salad
  • Hungarian Mushroom Soup
  • Mushroom Stuffing

​​​​Did you make this mushroom cream sauce?

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Overhead closeup of creamy mushroom sauce in skillet with spoon.

Full Recipe

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

This extra creamy, incredibly flavorful Mushroom Cream Sauce is easy to make and on the table in about 20 minutes. It’s a rich, umami-forward sauce that’s fantastic spooned over chicken, pork, steak, and even pasta!
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin
Serves 6 people
Created by Platings and Pairings
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Equipment

  • Large Skillet

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms (such as portobello, cremini, white button, shiitake or oyster, 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
  • ¾ cup beef stock (or vegetable stock)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce (plus more to taste)
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 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, thyme, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the cream and the mushrooms. Season with additional soy sauce, salt, and pepper, to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 350mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 297IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!
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5 from 6 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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7 responses

  1. Judy
    February 27, 2023

    Looks delicious almost like a chocolate sauce. Yummy.

    Reply
  2. Lynda
    September 17, 2023

    5 stars
    This mushroom sauce is absolutely delicious! I will be making this a staple in meal planning. The directions are straightforward and easy to follow. My husband was thrilled with this sauce. Definitely recommend!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      September 17, 2023

      Thanks so much Lynda!

      Reply
  3. Linda Mims
    September 24, 2023

    5 stars
    Substituted milk for heavy cream. It was delicious.

    Reply
  4. Kelly
    January 1, 2024

    5 stars
    I let out a big WHOOHOO! when I tasted my finished product! This sauce comes together so beautifully and taste like something from a 5 star restaurant. Seriously you could serve this over Spam and your guests would still rave. Rich w a great finish!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      January 2, 2024

      Thanks Kelly!

      Reply
  5. Doug
    November 29, 2024

    5 stars
    I amped up the flavor on this by using dehydrated mushrooms with the fresh ones or you could use just dehydrated. Rinse and rehydrate in hot water. Filter the water that is left through a paper towel in a strainer and use in place or addition to the broth.
    I added a bit of better than bullion. This was a big hit at thanksgiving and was a lot easier than cooking turkey parts all day and making gravy from that, which I did anyway but now don’t feel the need to.

    Reply

Hi, I’m Erin!

Can I pour you a glass of wine? Let’s have some fun in the kitchen! Maybe some pasta? A juicy steak? I’ve got loads of yummy, easy recipes for you! Because cooking should feel as comfy as your favorite yoga pants. ♥

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