How to Thicken Mushroom Sauce for Steak
This savory mushroom sauce is full of flavor, and creamy enough to marry the seared mushrooms to the steak. But, it should not be heavy like gravy. Many recipes call for adding a flour or cornstarch slurry to thicken sauces, but I’ve found that it muddies the meaty flavors of the steak and mushrooms. The best way to thicken mushroom sauce is evaporation and heavy cream.
- Evaporation: The liquids, including beef broth and water, loosen the flavorful, stuck-on browned bits leftover from sautéing the mushrooms. Let the sauce cook until it thickens and reduces to about 3/4 cup. For a slightly thicker sauce, keep simmering until reduced to 1/2 cup.
- Heavy cream: This ingredient has a thicker consistency than other dairy options and its higher fat content helps to create a rich and creamy consistency.
What to Serve with Mushroom Sauce for Steak
Spoon this savory, creamy sauce over your favorite steak — my favorites are a New York strip steak seared in a hot skillet or perfectly cooked steak from the oven. On the side, serve baked potatoes like the British do with a super-fluffy interior and crispy skin with a thick pat of salted butter (and more of the mushroom sauce spooned over the top) and something green like air-fried green beans or creamed spinach for a more classic steakhouse vibe.
Mushroom Sauce for Steak Recipe
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Makes about 3/4 cup
Serves 2 to 3
Ingredients
-
8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms
-
2 cloves garlic
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
1/2 cup beef broth
-
1/2 cup water
-
2 tablespoons heavy cream
-
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
-
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
-
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
-
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
Instructions
-
Thinly slice 8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms. Mince 2 garlic cloves.
-
Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
-
Add 1/2 cup beef broth, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer until the sauce is reduced and thickened slightly, 4 to 6 minutes.
-
Spoon over cooked steak, and top with more black pepper, if desired.