This Mushroom Cream Sauce recipe is quick, easy and ready in less than 30-minutes! Made with fresh and simple ingredients, this rich and creamy sauce is delicious with chicken, pasta, fish or beef.
Make this as thick or thin as you like!
Learning how to make a really good sauce can be quite intimidating; however, I promise you, once you make this easy mushroom sauce recipe, you'll want to keep it on hand! It's super easy and really dresses up a simple weeknight dinner!
Why you'll love this recipe!
This quick and easy creamy mushroom sauce pairs beautifully with chicken, beef and fish. It's also an excellent pasta sauce.
- All-natural ingredients - no preservatives or artificial flavors
- Quick and easy - ready in less than 30-minutes!
- Versatile - serve with chicken, pork, beef, fish or pasta!
Note: if you serve this with pasta, add about ¼ cup of the pasta water to it. This helps it stick to the pasta better!
Ingredients for mushroom cream sauce
The ingredients for creamy mushroom sauce are simple and preservative-free!
- Fresh mushrooms- white button mushrooms or baby Portobello mushrooms; you can also use crimini mushrooms
- Oil- I recommend a high quality extra virgin olive oil, but you can use vegetable or canola oil as well
- Butter - use unsalted for best results
- Heavy cream- also known as heavy whipping cream in the dairy section at your grocery store
- Chicken broth-or chicken stock
- Garlic- fresh garlic cloves are best, but you can use minced garlic as well
- Shallots- a mild-flavored onion; if you don't have a shallot, use a little sweet yellow onion
- White wine or lemon- the sauce needs an acidic component; you can use a dry white wine or use a little fresh lemon juice
- Fresh thyme - I don't recommend using ground thyme because it affects the color
- Salt, pepper to taste
- Cornstarch-for a thickening slurry (optional)
How to make it
This creamy mushroom sauce comes together in no time.
Melt butter and oil in a large stainless skillet; add minced shallots and sliced mushrooms; cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes until mushrooms begin to get tender; add garlic, chicken broth, tempered cream and thyme sprigs; allow this to cook on low for about 5-6 minutes; taste for seasonings with salt and pepper to taste
Once you've got your mushroom sauce seasoned to your liking, pour in a little wine or lemon juice and cook another 5 minutes; if you want it thicker, add the cornstarch slurry (see recipe card below for instructions)
Recipe Tips
When to add acid (wine, lemon or vinegar):
Incorporate the acid after you temper the cream and before you stir in the thickening slurry.
WHY?
If you add acid to the mushroom cream sauce after you stir in the thickening slurry, the high acidity will break down the slurry (the thickening agent), resulting in a thinner, broken sauce.
Do not pour cold cream to the mixture
If you put refrigerator- cold cream into your mixture, you run the risk of the sauce breaking. Instead, you'll want to "temper" it before adding it to the mushrooms.
To temper, put the cream into a measuring cup and stir in two tablespoons of warm broth. Stir this mixture well, then pour it into to the mushroom mixture.
How to Temper Cream
- Pour cream into large measuring cup
- Add 2 tablespoons of warm broth (from the mushroom skillet)
- Whisk until well combined
- Pour mixture into to the mushrooms
FAQ
This recipe calls for a pound of either white Button or baby Portobello mushrooms. Crimini mushrooms also work well.
Crimini's have more moisture and less flavor than a Portobello, so for a super rich mushroom flavor, I recommend using the Portobello mushrooms.
If baby Button or Portobello mushrooms aren't available,
use 3-5 large Portobellos and finely slice them into small pieces.
A good substitute for white wine is either a little white vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
The wine gives a little acidity to the dish, but if you prefer not to use wine, use 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice.
Storage and reheating
If you want to make this ahead or have some mushroom cream sauce leftover, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I do not recommend freezing this due to the heavy cream - it separates upon freezing and the texture is never the same.
To reheat, simply reheat in a saucepan on medium low heat on the stove top; you may have to add a little water, as the mushroom sauce thickens upon refrigeration.
Serving suggestions
Mushroom cream sauce tastes great with steak (Steak aux Champignons), Chicken (Supremes de Volaille aux Champignons) or Veal (Blanquette de Veau).
It also goes well in Risotto or as a pasta sauce.
Make this easy Mushroom Cream Sauce as thick or thin as you like! Serve it over warm potatoes, rice or pasta. It pairs well with beef and chicken, too!
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♥ If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating below! I love to hear from you! Thank you!
📋 Recipe
Mushroom Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 lb white (Button) or Portobello mushrooms cleaned, stemmed and sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter ,unsalted
- ½ cup chicken
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- ¼ cup white wine (optional)
- 1 cup heavy cream not cold; pull the cream out of the fridge before you start
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper , to taste
- 6 springs thyme 3-4 for sauce; remainder for garnish (optional)
Slurry Ingredients (optional)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prep: clean mushrooms with damp paper towel; remove stem and slice; mince garlic and shallot; set aside
- In a large skillet on medium heat, add oil and butter3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons butter
- Once butter has melted, add mushrooms and shallots; stir, coating with butter/oil mixture and cook for 3-5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to get tender1 lb white (Button) or Portobello mushrooms, 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- Add minced garlic, chicken stock, 3-4 thyme sprigs½ cup chicken, ½ teaspoon minced garlic, 6 springs thyme
- Reduce heat to low
Temper the Cream
- Pour one cup of cream into a two-cup measuring cup; add 2 tablespoons of warm broth (from the mushrooms) to the cream; whisk well to fully combine1 cup heavy cream
- Add tempered cream into mushrooms; stir well
- Add wine (or lemon juice)¼ cup white wine
Make Thickening Slurry (optional)
- If you want a thicker sauce, make a slurry:In a one-cup measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and fill the measuring cup up with warm water; stir and combine well1 cup water, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Add slurry to mushrooms and cream; turn the heat up to medium high and cook for 3-5 minutes; (the high heat allows the slurry to thicken the sauce)
- Remove thyme springs; Season with salt and pepper½ teaspoon salt and pepper
- Serve and garnish with remaining thyme
Notes
- Do not add cold cream into the hot mushroom/broth mixture. If you add cold cream, you run the risk of the sauce breaking. Instead, you'll want to "temper" the cream.
- Pour cream into large measuring cup
- Add 2 tablespoons of warm broth (from the mushroom skillet) to the cream
- Whisk cream and broth until they are well combined
- Add the cream/broth mixture to the mushrooms
- Add the acid after you've added the tempered cream and before you add the slurry
- After you add the cornstarch slurry, bring the temperature up to medium-high for a few minutes (this gives the cornstarch time and heat to thicken)
- No wine? Substitute with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar
Garrett says
Recipes are good but I don't like that the ingredient quantity list is after the directions. It is more convenient when they are at the beginning of the instructions or are included within the instructions
Anecia says
I'm sorry. Most folks like the ingredient list in the instructions to "read as they go" and they don't have to keep scrolling back up to the ingredients. Anything else I can help you with? Have a nice day!
Debi says
Oh man, I love mushrooms and this sauce looks incredible! 🤗
Anecia says
Thank you!