Mushroom Cream Sauce

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Mushroom Cream Sauce

Mushroom Cream Sauce is a deliciously versatile and pairs perfectly with pasta, veal, chicken, beef or fish. This easy cream-based sauce contains mushrooms (champignons in French), butter, white wine, garlic, shallots and a hint of thyme and is ready in less than 30 minutes!

What Kind Of Mushrooms Should I Use?

This recipe calls for a pound of either white Button or baby Portobello mushrooms. Crimini mushrooms also work well in a mushroom sauce; however, the Crimini has more moisture, but not have as much flavor as a Portobello. If baby Button or Portobello mushrooms aren’t available, use 3-5 large Portobellos and finely slice them into small pieces.

What Can I Substitute for White Wine?

A good substitute for white wine in this mushroom cream sauce recipe is either a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. The wine adds a little acidity to the sauce, but if you prefer not to use wine, add vinegar or lemon juice after you add the cream and before you add the slurry. WHY? If you add the lemon or vinegar to the mushroom cream sauce after you add the slurry, the high acidity of either of these will break down the slurry (the thickening agent), resulting in a thinner, broken sauce.

Should the Cream be Cold When Added to the Mushrooms?

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.

How to Temper Cream

1. Pour cream into large measuring cup
2. Add 2 tablespoons of warm broth (from the mushroom skillet) to the cream
3. Whisk cream and broth until they are well combined
4. Add the cream/broth mixture to the mushrooms

What Can I Serve Mushroom Cream Sauce On?

Mushroom sauces 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.

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Mushroom Cream Sauce

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Creamy mushroom sauce with thyme, garlic, cream and white wine

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: American

Servings: 2 cups of sauce

: 100 kcal

Author: SmartyPantsKitchen

Ingredients

Sauce Ingredients

• 1 lb white (Button) or Portobello mushrooms cleaned, stemmed and sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon shallots minced
• 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
• 1 cup heavy cream not cold; pull the cream out of the fridge before you start prepping
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 springs thyme 3-4 for sauce; remainder for garnish (optional)

Slurry Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

1. Prep: clean mushrooms with damp paper towel; remove stem and slice; mince shallot; set aside

2. In a large skillet on medium heat, add oil and butter

3. 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 tender and shrink in size

4. Add salt and pepper; combine well; reduce heat to low

5. Add minced garlic, chicken stock, 3-4 thyme sprigs and white wine (optional); combine well

   Note: If you're substituting vinegar or lemon juice for vinegar, do NOT add it now; add it after the sauce is complete (see Alternative Method if Not Using Wine below)

Temper the Cream

1. 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 combine

2. Add tempered cream into mushrooms; stir well

Make Thickening Slurry

1. In a one-cup measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon of corn starch and fill the measuring cup up with warm water; stir and combine well

2. Add slurry to mushrooms and cream; cook on low for 3-5 minutes; remove thyme prior to serving

3. Serve mushroom sauce over pasta, fish, steak, pork chops, baked potato or your entree of choice; garnish with remaining thyme (optional)

Alternative Method if Not Using Wine

1. After you've cooked the shallots and mushrooms and added the garlic, thyme, broth and cream, make sure heat is on low and add 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice; combine well and serve

Recipe Notes

What Kind Of Mushrooms Should I Use?

This recipe calls for a pound of either white Button or baby Portobello mushrooms. Crimini mushrooms also work well in a mushroom sauce; however, the Crimini has more moisture, but not have as much flavor as a Portobello. If baby Button or Portobello mushrooms aren't available, use 3-5 large Portobellos and finely slice them into small pieces.

What Can I Substitute for White Wine?

A good substitute for white wine in this mushroom cream sauce recipe is either a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. The wine adds a little acidity to the sauce, but if you prefer not to use wine, add vinegar or lemon juice after you add the cream and before you add the slurry. WHY? If you add the lemon or vinegar to the mushroom cream sauce after you add the slurry, the high acidity of either of these will break down the slurry (the thickening agent), resulting in a thinner, broken sauce.

Should the Cream be Cold When Added to the Mushrooms?

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.

How to Temper Cream

1. Pour cream into large measuring cup
2. Add 2 tablespoons of warm broth (from the mushroom skillet) to the cream
3. Whisk cream and broth until they are well combined
4. Add the cream/broth mixture to the mushrooms

Got Questions or Comments? I’d Love to Hear from You!

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