This creamy mushroom sauce comes together in 25 minutes and transforms any meal into a restaurant-worthy dish. Serve it over steak, chicken, pork, pasta or potatoes for a rich, garlicky, ultra-silky sauce made from simple ingredients.
Table of Contents
The Mushroom Sauce You’ll Put on Everything
This is that sauce. The one you’ll pour over steak, swirl into pasta, spoon over chicken or ladle onto a big ol’ scoop of mashed potatoes. And if you happen to grab a hunk of crusty sourdough and eat it straight from the skillet… well, I may or may not be speaking from experience here. Bottom line: there is no wrong way to eat this creamy, garlicky, buttery mushroom sauce.
I kept this recipe intentionally simple. No wine, no Parmesan, no flour-heavy roux. Just layers of savory flavor from ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. It’s rich without being heavy, restaurant-worthy without being fussy, and weeknight-easy without sacrificing flavor.
I originally set out to develop a mushroom sauce for steak (my go-to date-night order), but once I tasted it, all bets were off. Suddenly it was going on chicken cutlets, pork chops, roasted veggies, egg noodles, even omelettes. It is that versatile… and that good.
Grab whatever mushrooms you’ve got stashed in your fridge, and let’s make the easiest-ever mushrooms in a creamy sauce. It comes together in about 25 minutes but tastes like something you’d order at a steakhouse.
- Mushrooms: The star of the show (sauce!). This recipe works great with all varieties of mushrooms, including button, cremini, shiitake and even a mix. I love a combo of cremini and shiitake for flavor and texture. Slice them evenly so they cook at the same pace.
- Stock: I use beef stock because I think it lends the richest flavor, but you can make this mushroom sauce recipe with chicken and vegetable broth, too. I usually suggest using whatever broth pairs best with what you’re serving the sauce with. For example, if you’re making mushroom pasta, veggie stock is a natural fit. Serving it with chicken schnitzel? Use chicken broth.
- Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce: My not-so-secret ingredients that add depth of flavor to make this the best steak sauce to ever cross your lips.
- Heavy cream: You can swap in half-and-half, light cream or even whole milk, but keep in mind that the lighter the dairy, the thinner your sauce will be.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme is a classic pairing with mushrooms because it enhances their earthy flavor. Fresh is best, but if you only have dried thyme, start with ½ teaspoon and add more to taste.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
This creamy homemade mushroom sauce comes together in just three easy steps:
- Sauté the mushrooms. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’re golden and just starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. You want the garlic fragrant, not browned.
- Build the sauce. Pour in the stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits (those caramelized bits are pure flavor gold!). Whisk in the Dijon, Worcestershire and cream. It’ll look thin at first. Don’t panic! Let it simmer for 8 to 10 minutes and it’ll thicken into a silky, spoon-coating sauce.
- Finish and season. Stir in the fresh thyme, taste, and season with salt and pepper. That’s it!
My Favorite Ways to Use This Mushroom Sauce
Once you make this creamy sauce, you’ll start putting it on… well, everything. It’s rich, velvety, savory, and instantly turns simple proteins or pastas into restaurant-level meals. Here are my go-tos:
- This is the mushroom sauce for steak or your favorite pan-seared protein like stove top chicken breasts, pork chops, turkey or even salmon. Follow my recipe for cooking steak on the stove for juicy, seared perfection every time.
- Toss it with pasta. Thin the sauce with ¼ to ½ cup pasta water and toss with fettuccine, pappardelle or even tortellini.
- Serve with mashed potatoes. A generous ladle of roasted garlic mashed potatoes is comfort food perfection.
- Use it as a gravy substitute. Holiday turkey, chicken meatloaf, baked chicken thighs… this mushroom cream sauce works anywhere gravy does.
- Spoon over spaetzle. Also known as nokedli (one of my fave childhood foods), these little egg noodles are perfect for soaking up this sauce.
- Smother meatballs. Skip the marinara and spoon this over mozzarella stuffed meatballs. I promise: life-changing.
Storage Tips
Let the pan sauce cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. The cream may thicken as it chills. Reheat it gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream to loosen it back up.
Can you freeze mushroom cream sauce?
You can! Just know that the texture may change slightly once thawed because of the dairy. If you’re okay with a sauce that’s a little less silky (still delicious!), freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then rewarm slowly and whisk it back to life with an extra splash of cream.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 16 oz. mushrooms (See Kelly’s Notes), sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3/4 cup beef, chicken or vegetable stock (See Kelly’s Notes)
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Add the butter to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the butter had melted, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have softened slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking an additional 2 minutes.
- Stir in the stock, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and heavy cream. Simmer the sauce until it has thickened slightly, 8 to 10 minutes, then stir in the thyme leaves.
- Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper then serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- This recipe works great with all varieties of mushrooms, including button, cremini, shiitake, etc. I often use a combination of cremini and shiitake.
- I prefer using beef stock, as I think it lends the richest flavor, but this recipe will work with chicken and vegetable broth as well.
- For pasta: If you’re serving this as mushroom pasta sauce, thin it with ¼ to ½ cup pasta water to loosen it just enough so it clings to every noodle.
- To store: Let the pan sauce cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. The cream may thicken as it chills. Reheat it gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream to loosen it back up.
- To freeze: If you’re okay with a sauce that’s a little less silky (still delicious!), freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then rewarm slowly and whisk it back to life with an extra splash of cream.
- Reheating: Avoid blasting it in the microwave—gentle heat keeps the sauce smooth and prevents it from separating.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment below with your star rating!
This post may contain affiliate links.
