Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Every cook needs a good easy creamy mushroom sauce recipe. It’s perfect stirred through pasta and fantastic on grilled steak.
If you love this easy mushroom sauce recipe, try our Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce.
Ingredients
- Butter and Olive oil. I used salted butter and extra-virgin olive oil.
- Mushrooms. I used portabellini/chestnut mushrooms/cremini mushrooms but use any mushrooms you like.
- Fresh garlic cloves.
- Fresh thyme. Other herbs like oregano, rosemary and parsley can be substituted.
- Cream. Heavy cream/whipping cream.
- Milk mixed with cornstarch.
- Fresh lemon juice.
- Salt and black pepper.
- Fresh parsley.
How to make creamy mushroom sauce?
Melt butter and olive oil together in a large frying pan or skillet set over high heat. Add the mushrooms then fry until golden brown. For intense flavor, it’s important to let the mushrooms brown well. The mushrooms might release a bit of liquid, simply let that evaporate and cook until golden brown. Add garlic and allow to cook for another 30 seconds.
Reduce to medium-high heat then pour the cream into the pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the milk and cornstarch mix. Allow to simmer until the sauce has thickened and any flouriness has cooked off. (If you prefer, you can omit the cornstarch mix and reduce the sauce down to thicken. You might need to start with more cream though as this will result in less sauce, overall.) Season with lemon, salt and pepper and serve.
Can I make mushroom sauce ahead?
Yes, you can. Make the sauce as instructed then allow to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Leftovers can be stored this way too. Reheat over medium heat in a saucepan until hot and bubbling. You could microwave the sauce but stir it every 30 seconds to prevent it from splitting. I wouldn’t advise freezing this sauce as it is likely to split once thawed.
Serving Suggestions
This is an incredibly versatile sauce and makes a great easy dinner stirred through al dente pasta (it also makes a mean pasta bake) but is equally delicious on pork chops, chicken and steak. We also love this on thick slices of sourdough toast for a simple breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 5 cups portabellini/chestnut mushrooms, halved/sliced approximately 500g/ 1 pound
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 cup cream
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tsp cornstarch
- 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice to taste
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil together.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan with the thyme and season with salt and pepper.
- Allow the mushrooms to fry until golden brown then add the garlic and fry until fragrant.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the milk.
- Pour in the cream and milk and allow to simmer gently for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened and cooked through.
- Season with lemon, salt and pepper and add the parsley.
- Serve.
Video
Nutrition
Why did my sauce split?
With the use of cornflour in this recipe, your mushroom sauce shouldn’t split as there is starch keeping the water and fat molecules together. A sauce splits when too much water has evaporated and there is nothing for the fat to emulsify with. To save a split sauce, simply whisk in a few tablespoons of water to restore the balance between water and fat.
Why is my sauce lumpy?
It could be that you didn’t whisk the corn flour and milk well enough before adding it to the sauce. Whisk with a wire whisk until smooth and add a little more stock/water.
Why is my sauce pale in color?
If you didn’t allow the mushrooms to brown well, the end result will be a paler sauce. There’s nothing wrong with this but if you prefer a more golden sauce, make sure to allow the mushrooms to brown properly before adding the liquid. Also take care not to over-crowd the pan, rather frying the mushrooms in batches. Some mushroom varieties are also more pigmented. Button mushrooms are very pale in comparison to portabellini/chestnut mushrooms so it could also be the type of mushroom you used.
So good!
Super delicious and fun to make! My family and I loved it!!!
easy and tasty side dish
lovely sauce
Just made this for the family and myself and the kids LOVED it. Can’t wait for hubby to get home to try it. I did customise it a bit by adding Parmesan cheese for more of a flavour boost and it is amazing! Served with oven baked chicken breast ?
This link use to go to a mushroom with fried egg recipe. Can you please bring it back??! It was a favorite adult comfort food of mine, but haven’t been able to enjoy much since having babies. We’re ready to try it as a family!
Here you go: https://simply-delicious-food.com/bacon-corn-bread-breakfast-creamy-mushrooms/
I’m 14 and made this recipe for my family with our streak and it was so good I got many compliments and it was easy and simple to make!!
Made this in large quantity to use in my restaurant, sauce absolutely fantastic, However, made 15litre on the stove and left to cool overnight, decanted into a big plastic container in the morning only to find that sauce started fermenting some 2 hours later. Please advise what could cause this to happen.
No clue, to be honest. Perhaps just the heat in a commercial kitchen?
Want to make this for dinner tonight. Can a cup of full cream plain yoghurt be added as a substitute to the cup of cream (I don’t have cream in my fridge)?
Yes, the finished result won’t be quite the same and take care not to let it boil as the yogurt can cause the sauce to split.
Hello! Does this sauce freeze well? I’m hoping to make it ahead of time for a dinner coming up.
You can freeze it but it also lasts in the fridge for up to 4 days.
This was wonderful! My first time ever making a sauce from scratch. I poured it over pasta… I didn’t have cornflour so I used 4 heaped teaspoons of regular white flour, and used oregano instead of thyme and garlic… My husband, who always orders mushroom cream sauce in restaurants, enthusiastically said “PUT THIS ON THE MAKE-AGAIN LIST!”
Thank you so much!
Will be trying this with steak for fathers day!
Hope you loved it!
Excellent, my 10-year-old son loved it! We had it with steak and chips. I added one teaspoon of wholegrain mustard. A bit of mustard takes it to another level! I dipped my oven chips in the sauce…there was nothing left.
Simply amazing….great job mixing these ingridents together…second time im making it…cant wait to break my fast :9.
Me too Alhumdulillah! I made it spicier though and added some chicken bouillon and chilli pepper. I’m going to try mustard next time like another person posted. That would probably make it really tasty too!
Yet to make but just curious .. to make this vegan friendly I plan to sub for soy milk or coconut milk, but just wondering if you feeling using coconut cream will work well or best to leave without (and just a little more cornstarch perhaps?) would love your thoughts! Awesome recipe and look forward to making.
Hi Rosie. Yes you can use any alternative-dairy and thicken with cornstarch. I would add a little cornstarch at a time, allowing it to cook and adjust as you feel necessary. Adding too much cornstarch will result in a very thick, pasty sauce.
HI Rosie I substitute with Soya Cream all the time in dishes that ask for cream & it works a treat
Wonderful recipe, tastes great and its so easy. We use it on steak and even as a pasta sauce
Thanks Natalie!
Great recipe. Used oregano instead of thyme and worked fine. Also added some tarragon at the end for extra taste!
Yum!
First time making a homemade mushroom sauce and enjoyed it. Turned out a little thicker than I would like but that was my fault as I cooked it too long. Did not have any cream so use evaporated milk and it was fine. I do have a question. The nutritional values listed, is that for the whole recipe or per serving?
The nutritional info is per serving. So glad you liked this recipe. 🙂
This sounds like a terrific recipe! Can the sauce be made ahead of time and reheated prior to serving? If so, how would you recommend doing so?
Absolutely. Just bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat until warmed through.
Quite a nice recipe. Strongly recommend. One comment, though. If you are using with another recipe that also calls for salt I recommend that you do not salt the sauce. I used with a pork tenderloin recipe that also called for salt; the result was a bit too salty. Otherwise great. BTW I also used half and half and it was perfect.
Absolutely delicious!
My kids loved it too, thank you so much for this recipe.
We’re not meat eaters so this mushroom sauce over some pasta was great, thanks again!
I am so happy that you and your family loved it Addie.
Can I use half and half?
Yes, definitely!
I made this without tweaking anything. I had shitake, cremini, and chanterelle shrooms, and I loved this sauce so much. I did omit the lemon because I was afraid it would cause the sauce to break.
Fantastic!
I haven’t used exact measures but this is great.
Add some parmigiano and it makes wonders with pasta
Delicious! Makes the best pasta sauce.
5 Stars!
Came out great the first time and everyone loved it. Easy to adjust for varying results too.
So happy to hear that. 🙂
Hi Alida,
Can I use this sauce to add to my fetuccini pasta? Will it be appropriate?
Absolutely! This sauce will be delicious with pasta.
The recipe is a 10/10. My family loved it!
That is great to hear, thanks Martha.
Hi Aliya, I want to make this sauce but I’m not sure about the cream. I’m allergic to cow milk so I usually use goat, but can’t get goat cream anywhere. Will that have a huge impact on the sauce? I expect it might be thinner but not sure about any other consequences. Any suggestions to mitigate that?
You can definitely make this with milk instead of cream. If you want a thicker sauce, simply add a little more cornstarch/cornflour to the sauce and allow to cook until your desired thickness is achieved.
Alpro do a single cream that is dairy free. Would be a bit thicker than milk and the taste is just like dairy cream.
Best mushroom sauce recipe I’ve ever tried. So delicious on chicken and steak.
What a lovely compliment, thanks Tracy!
Absolutely love this recipe and make it for every BBQ we go out on. Question – with cream inside, can it be frozen? (and if so, any tips to stop it separating or tasting different?)
I haven’t tested freezing this recipe so I can’t give guaranteed advice. The flour should stabilize the cream. Thaw the sauce overnight and then gently heat in a saucepan, if it does separate, whisk in a little more milk mixed with cornflour. I’ll test it properly the next time I make this sauce to be sure. 🙂
Has anyone successfully freezed it and thawed eaten it?
I use this mushroom sauce for everything and absolutely love it. It is perfect on steak, chicken, pork and pasta. 10/10!
That’s awesome to hear. Thanks Elizabeth!
Hi Alida. I have to say your recipes are just amazing cos they are so simple and uncomplicated. Pls keep them coming. I have a question, u know the quick videos of new recipes on the sight that pop up, how do we get the full recipe with the measurements? Thank you so much.
Thanks so much! The best is to use the search bar and search for the recipe you are looking for. 🙂
Hi Aliya.. Thanks for explaining the recipe in simple and clear fashion. Also the FAQs are quite helpful too. I have always had great fondness for mushroom sauce with the preference of sauces available at any restaurant for steak. I tried the recipe and it was really yummy!! Thanks again ?
SO happy to help. And glad you liked it. 🙂
I’ve tried this and everyone absolutely loves it!! Thanks! Also wondering how long the mushroom sauce will last when refrigerated?
L
I’m so glad to hear that Janette. The sauce will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Just make sure to store it in an air-tight container.
Wow, it was yum, I made this sauce last night and served it with Woolies chicken schnitzel and it was delicious. Easiest mushroom sauce recipe I have ever tried and I actually scraped the sauce from my plate it was so tasty. Thanks for a great recipe!
So happy you liked it!
This sauce has become a staple in our home. We have it on chicken and steak, with pasta. I often add bacon and my kids just love it.
That’s wonderful to hear. Added bacon sounds awesome!
I became a stay at home mom 6 months ago when my son was born. I’ve been looking for new recipes to try out on my hubby and this looks delicious! Trying this out tonight!
Hope you love it!
Done this many times now. I love it with chiken and rice!! 🙂
Delicious! Thanks for your comment!
First time making a sauce from scratch… the family loved it. Thank you.
So glad you liked it Anita!
What about the corn starch ? When do I put that in
You add the cornflour to the milk and mix well and then you’ll see at step 4 in the recipe, the milk and cream are added to the pan of mushrooms.
please clarify your recipe. Corn Flour is ground corn. Corn starch is. a different ingredient from processed corn and is commonly used as a thiickener in sauces. (reference Americas Test Kitchens cookbooks)
In South Africa (where I live) corn starch is called corn flour, which is why I mention both names. You want the fine powder variety for this to thicken the sauce.
Love this recipe. So simple to make. Will try it out with roasted potatoes and grilled chicken. A bit different from the one I usually make. Thumbs up for this.
So happy to hear you loved it.
Made the mushroom sauce tonight and it was the best I’ve ever made. Really tasty and ideal with my bacon wrapped chicken. Thanks for such a great recipe.
That is fantastic to hear Lin. Thanks so much! Love the idea of that bacon wrapped chicken!
Do you remove the rosemary sprigs at some point? Thanks
Normally just before serving 🙂
I actually made this and I must say it was the tastiest ever! I didn’t think the lemon would give it what was missing! Just to think I was gonna leave it out! And try it with roasted chicken today and mash. Should go down a treat
So happy to hear that. I find that often what anything creamy needs is just a squeeze of lemon. 🙂
What do you normally pair this with? Like chicken and pasta or pork hops and rice?
All of the above but mostly I serve it on grilled steak or stir it through cooked pasta for a quick and easy dinner.
Perfect mushroom sauce. So creamy and delicious.
So glad you liked it.
would it work with out the corn starch?
Yup! You just need to let it reduce for slightly longer.
Hi!
You seem like such a talented chef!!
What cream do you use for the recipe, and what brand is it?
Thank you so much!!
Any whipping/heavy cream will work perfectly well.
The directions don’t mention when to add the corn starch . ??
You’ll see in the ingredients list that the cornstarch is mixed into the milk. The milk and cream are added to the sauce together.
How do I make mushroom soup base for pasta besides what u said in ur recipe
I’m not sure what you mean, could you elaborate?
My family ask for this sauce every time we cook steak. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so glad you and your family like this recipe Ben!
Will this recipe be sufficient for sauce for 9 fillet mignon? Looks amazing!
I would make a little bit extra just in case. Maybe 1½ times this recipe?
This has become my go-to recipe for mushroom sauce. It’s easy and so tasty.
So pleased to hear you like it Lauren!
You left out when to add the garlic. I make a very similar sauce with dill.
This looks really good. I’m going to make it tonight and pour it over Italian sausage and creamy polenta.
Thanks for the recipe.
How do you think this would turn out with another cup of cream instead of the milk?
Just much richer. More is more, I say! 😉
What ‘cream’ you used to for your sauce ?
I used whipping/heavy cream.
Made this to try to copy the pizza express mushroom bruschetta – even better, thanks for the recipe!!?
Yay! So glad you liked it.
I made this sauce last night and served it with Woolies chicken schnitzel and it was delicious. Easiest mushroom sauce recipe I have ever tried and I actually scraped the sauce from my plate it was so tasty. Thanks for a great recipe!
I am so glad to hear that Diane!
I could dive into this sauce head first. Yum!
You and me both!
I am making this tonight to top some pork chops but added finely chopped onion as well. It smells and tastes great!
I hope you loved it, love the addition of onion!
I could probably eat the sauce by itself. It looks so rich and creamy!
I’m not going to lie, I have actually done that and it’s totally delicious.
I LOVE mushroom sauce. Yours looks so simple and easy to do. Definitely trying this soon!
I hope you love it Nadine!
Your favorite meal sounds like it would be my favorite meal too Alida! This mushroom sauce looks amazing and I’m sure it’s pure perfection! My husband Tom would absolutely LOVE this!
I always know I’m onto a goodie when Tom would approve. 😉