Red Wine Mushroom Sauce for Steak
This velvety red wine mushroom sauce for steak tastes just like an expensive steak house dinner you can enjoy at home. Made with butter, garlic, tender mushrooms, and herbs, this easy steakhouse-style sauce is perfect for steak, pork, or chicken.
If there’s one sauce that can instantly make a good steak taste like a fancy meal from a white-tablecloth steakhouse, it’s this Red Wine Mushroom Sauce. Rich, silky, and packed with deep savory flavor, it’s the kind of finishing touch that makes people pause after the first bite and say, “Okay… wow,” even if you are not a fan of mushrooms.
This simple sauce leans into classic French technique without being fussy. Butter builds the base, onions and mushrooms add earthy sweetness, garlic brings warmth, and a splash of full-bodied red wine gives the whole thing that bold, luxurious depth you want with beef. Best part? It all comes together in one skillet while your steak rests.
“This recipe is delicious and right up my husband’s love of ‘gravy!'”
– Nellie
Recipe at a glance
- Steakhouse flavor at home without complicated steps
- Rich and savory, thanks to butter, mushrooms, and beef broth
- Perfect balance of earthy mushrooms and bold red wine
- Versatile – amazing on steak, but also great on pork, chicken, or mashed potatoes
- Ready in about 30 minutes
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Ingredients and tools you’ll need
This Red Wine Mushroom Sauce for Steak proves you don’t need a long ingredient list or fancy techniques to create a luxurious sauce with rich flavors. To make this easy red wine mushroom sauce, you will need a few simple ingredients, including:
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Unsalted butter – Creates a rich, glossy base and lets you control the salt..
- White button mushrooms – Soaks up all that full-bodied flavor.
- Red wine – Choose something full-bodied like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, or bold Chianti. Avoid sweet wines.
- Beef broth – Enhances the savory flavor and keeps the sauce balanced.
- Dried thyme – A subtle herb note that complements mushrooms beautifully.
Substitutions and variations
- Mushrooms: Swap plain button mushrooms for cremini, shiitake, portobello, baby bella mushrooms.
- Wine: Use Marsala or Burgundy, or replace the wine with extra broth plus a splash of balsamic or Worcestershire sauce.
- Broth: Chicken stock or vegetable broth both work if needed.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs such as fresh thyme leaves, rosemary, or a parsley finish all pair well.
- Make it creamy: Stir in a splash of heavy cream at the end.
- Gluten-free: Replace flour with cornstarch mixed with cold broth.
How to make red wine mushroom sauce for steak
Step 1: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and white mushrooms and cook until they’re soft, golden brown, and fragrant—this step builds a ton of flavor, so don’t rush it.
Step 2: Stir in the fresh garlic to the sautéed mushrooms and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the plain flour and stir to coat the vegetables, cooking for a couple of minutes to eliminate any raw flour taste.
Step 3: Slowly whisk in the beef stock, red wine, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the sauce thickens into a velvety, spoonable consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Tips for the best mushroom sauce
- Use a wine you’d actually drink. If it tastes good in the glass, it’ll taste good in the sauce.
- Let the mushrooms brown. Color equals flavor here.
- Simmer patiently. The sauce thickens naturally as it reduces—no shortcuts needed.
Serving suggestions
This rich mushroom sauce is tailor-made for red meat—ribeye, filet mignon, beef tenderloin, and this pellet grilled New York strip—but don’t stop there.
Spoon it over pesto rice stuffed pork loin chops, spatchcocked smoked chicken, or even creamy garlic red skin mashed potatoes. It’s also fantastic drizzled over egg noodles or grits for a cozy, meatless dinner.
Storage, Freezing and Reheating
Storage. Let the sauce cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of beef broth or water to loosen it.
Freezing. Freezing is not recommended because the texture may change due to the flour.
Red wine mushroom sauce FAQ’s
I prefer unsalted so that I can control the seasoning. But if salted is all you have on hand, it’s fine to swap them out.
Can I make red wine mushroom sauce sauce ahead of time?
Yes. You can make it up to 4 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat gently before serving.
Most of it does during simmering, leaving behind the rich flavor without a strong alcohol taste.
It may need more simmer time. Let it reduce a bit longer, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the desired consistency.
Tried this recipe? Let me know!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you made red wine mushroom sauce for steak, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Your ratings and reviews help others find the recipe and give me great feedback too.
Red Wine Mushroom Sauce for Steaks
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup diced onion
- 8 ounces sliced white button mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ cup full-bodied red wine
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Sauté for two minutes.
- Whisk in the beef broth, red wine and thyme.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 10-15 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Video
Notes
- Don’t rush the mushrooms. Let them cook until browned and tender to develop maximum flavor.
- Deglaze well. Scrape up any browned bits when adding the broth and wine—they add depth to the sauce.
- Adjust consistency as needed. If the sauce gets too thick, thin it with a splash of broth; if too thin, let it simmer longer.
- Season at the end. The broth reduces as it cooks, so wait until the sauce finishes simmering before adding salt.
- Serve warm. This sauce thickens as it cools, so reheat gently before serving if needed.
You are very welcome, Rowena! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a rating and review.
OMG made this twice, but not for steak. Bought short rib ravioli from BJ’s and this was the sauce. Followed recipe to the letter. Amazing. Kids said make more sauce! So I tripled it. That was a hard “simmer off”. Next time, I will brown the mushrooms first, hot pan no fat so the mushroom juices can cook off, then add broth and wine, cook down and swirl the butter in the end. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING!
I am so glad to hear that, Nellie! Thank you for coming back and leaving a comment and review.
I love garlic so I used a bit more. This recipe is delicious and right up my husband’s love of “gravy”!