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Creamy Mushroom Marsala Sauce that takes 25 minutes to prepare and goes well with everything! Serve it over chicken, steak, pork chops, baked potato or stir it in pasta! So versatile and delicious.
If you are looking a full proof steak recipe to go along with this mushroom sauce, look no further. Our ribeye steak recipe, complete with a video, is here to guide you!
Mushroom Recipes
Mushrooms definitely fall into ‘a hate it or love it type of food’ category. Some people don’t like them but those of us who do, love them passionately!
I never seem to get tired of cooking and eating mushrooms. They are a great source of vitamins and a delicious meat substitute! I especially love to combine different types of mushrooms for a mix of tastes and textures.
The versatility of mushrooms is hard to match. They could be used in so many different ways. Take these delicious starters as an example. Stuffed Mushrooms with Prosciutto and Pine Nuts or a classic Cream of Mushroom Soup brilliantly showcase the wide range of textures and flavours.
Main dishes like Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs Stuffed with Mushrooms could become a centrepiece of a dinner party or add mushrooms to this simple Chicken Risotto for an easy midweek meal.
They infuse a great deal of flavour into vegetable sides as well. Just take a look at our Braised Savoy Cabbage with Bacon, Mushrooms and Sour Cream.
Mushroom Marsala Sauce
Still one of my most favourite ways to eat mushrooms is in a sauce. The incredible flavour they bring is difficult to beat.
The inspiration for this mushroom marsala sauce comes from one of the most popular recipes on our site Chicken Marsala.
As much as people love tender and juicy chicken in that recipe, what makes it a firm favourite is the mushroom sauce flavoured with Italian fortified Marsala wine.
The ingredients that enhance and compliment the sauce are onion, garlic, rosemary, parsley and a touch of heavy cream for that luscious velvety texture.
How to Make It
Making this mushroom sauce is very easy and quick. Here are a few steps that will help you to get the most flavour out of your ingredients:
- Prepare the base of your sauce by sauteing your onions until tender and translucent. Don’t rush this step. Well cooked onions add a layer of flavour that shouldn’t be skipped.
- Cook the garlic over low heat to avoid burning, otherwise it impart a bitter taste to the sauce.
- Brown the mushroom until golden. Another way to add extra flavour.
- Thicken the sauce with flour mixed with olive oil left in the pan from browning onions and vegetables.
- Deglaze the pan with a sweet Marsala wine and let it bubble away until it reduces.
- Finally, add a splash of cream over low heat at the very end.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Mushrooms area wonderful source of flavour, but not all are created equal. I recommend choosing mushrooms with deeper flavour like chestnut mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, porcini or chanterelles. If the only mushrooms you can find are regular white button mushrooms, it’s still possible to impart flavour into the dish by following the next tips.
- Frying the mushrooms in olive oil until they are a golden brown is essential to giving them that deep umami flavour. The trick is to use high heat and not overcrowding your mushrooms in a pan. If overcrowded, they will steam instead of fry.
- Mushrooms are jammed full of water that gets released once they encounter heat. Seasoning them with salt encourages them to release more water which is why I recommend waiting to salt the mushrooms until the end of the cooking time.
- Another way to prevent excess moisture from ruining your mushrooms is to brush the clean rather than wash them in water.
- If you struggle to find marsala, either sherry or madeira are suitable substitutes.
Serving suggestions
Part of the genius of a great sauce like this one, and why they are so good to have in your repertoire, is how versatile they can be. I made this sauce to go with a lovely grilled steak, but it’s also amazing with grilled chicken or pork loin.
Or use the sauce to dress up very simple dishes like these Ground Meat Patties or Chicken into something utterly delicious.
The sauce is also one of my go-to ways to bring an exciting edge to roast or oven fried potatoes. Add steamed or roasted vegetables and chunks of sourdough bread to soak up that delicious sauce and you have everything you need for an amazing meal!
Storage and leftovers
Cream based sauces like mushroom marsala sauce will store well in the fridge. Keep it up to 7 days in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container. It’ll warm up well in a microwave or a saucepan, stirring over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water if it needs to be loosened.
As a creamy sauce, this isn’t one to freeze. The cream in the sauce will likely separate if frozen, making it less than pleasant to eat.
More sauce recipes
Creamy Mushroom Marsala Sauce
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 200g/2 cups mushrooms, sliced thickly
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp flour
- 125ml/1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
- 1 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
- 125m/1/2 cup double cream/heavy cream
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1-2 sprigs parsley, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and saute the chopped onions over low heat for 5-7 minutes, then add the garlic and cook briefly for 30 seconds while stirring. Add the mushrooms with a pinch of pepper and chopped rosemary and brown over medium heat until golden. Add salt when mushrooms are close to done.
- Sprinkle the mushrooms with flour and stir to coat. Deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine and let it bubble away for about 5 minutes until it's reduced by a half. Then add the stock and cook for 5 minutes longer. At the end stir in the double/heavy cream and let it warm through. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed, then take off the heat. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving if using.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Could I use white wine instead of Marsala in the mushroom Marsala sauce recipe?
Yes you can, however Marsala wine gives this sauce a very specific taste, which will be lost without it.
Superb!! And so easy. I made this with coconut cream (unsweetened) because I cannot do dairy. It was delicious. I served it with veal and will make again and again! Thanks.
I am so glad it turned out well with coconut cream, Jennifer. I often use soya single cream by Alpro for my dairy intolerant son.
Wonderful sauce, rosemary is the key to the next level. I have made sauces before without it and “something” is always missing. But you, put it right there in the ingredient list. I followed the quantities, somewhat, laughed at one clove of garlic, what are you going to do with one clove? But, that’s personal preference. I didn’t have heavy cream so I just used 2% milk and added some sour cream, gave it a stroganoff tang. It turned out wonderful. I used quality ‘schrooms and quality wine. I pan fried chicken cutlets and pork cutlets prior to starting the sauce, as one should. That built up a layer of flavor in the pan that got dissolved into the sauce. Top Notch.
Thanks for your comment, Brian. Garlic quantity is definitely a personal preference. I tend to go with less as it could be overpowering. I did notice the majority of my North American readers go for more garlic while in Europe it’s all about subtlety! 🙂 I am so glad you enjoyed it though!
What can I substitute for the cream to still make this sauce delicious?
Hi Jai, it really depends on where you live and what is available in your area. Generally, you can use plant based cream substitutes if you avoid dairy. Soy Single Cream by Alpro (I am in the UK) is my go to dairy substitute. I would avoid coconut cream as it has such a distinct flavour and tends to overpower everything. Or you can replace cream with vegetable or mushroom stock. This recipe for Chicken Marsala uses no cream but is very delicious and a reader favourite.
I’ve used coconut milk to make a vegan mushroom stroganoff and it was very thick and creamy. I was planning on using it for this recipe but I’m trying to figure out if I should take the risk. If I do, I’ll leave a comment.
Let me know what you think, Alexander. Whenever I go the dairy free route, I choose soy cream. It has a less pronounced taste than coconut milk and seems to work well for many dishes.
You say that one of the ingredients that enhances the flavour is parsley, yet I don’t see any parsley in the recipe (apart from a few leaves sprinkled on top for the photo!) So my question is, should it be a T of rosemary, or parsley? TIA, as I would like to make this 🙂
Hi Shirley, I used both. I usually add rosemary while the sauce is cooking, as it allows it to be infused, and then sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley right before serving. Some people don’t like either of these herbs, so I give them a choice. I just clarified it in the instructions!
Fabulous, thanks so much for getting back to me Julia. I’ll be making the sauce very soon, it sounds perfect to go with swordfish or tuna, as we don’t eat meat or chicken 🙂
Absolutely beautiful sauce, we had it with garlic and rosemary marinated pork chops..stunning
What a lovely comment, Lisa. Thank you!
Everybody loved it with their steaks…
Excellent, Joe!!
This is one of my alltime favorite pasta sauces! I love having it over angel hair pasta with plenty of fresh grated parmesan! Delicious and creamy!
Oh my goodness, sounds soooo good, Betsy!
This is so good!! Such a comforting meal!
Comfort food indeed! 🙂
Yummy! This is so delicious and tasty!
Thank you, Beth!