A buttery rich Marsala infused mushroom sauce makes any cut of steak extra special. Both dried porcini and fresh cremini mushrooms add a boost of flavor to the sauce that is poured over the skillet cooked steak creating a show stopper dinner that will impress your family and friends.
A Must Try Beef Marsala Recipe
This Marsala mushroom sauce is created by using both dried and fresh mushrooms. The liquid from the dried mushrooms is used to flavor the sauce and the fresh mushrooms are browned and then the steak is cooked in the same pan as the mushrooms, absorbing the mushroom flavor.
Once the steak has cooked, you’ll start the sauce by cooking shallots and rosemary then adding marsala wine and broth to create that distinct flavor you can only get from this type of wine. The mushrooms along with butter are added at the end and then it’s poured over your steak.
It takes just a couple of extra steps to create this amazing sauce, but you’ll be so glad you took them once you get one bite of that sauce coating the steak. Add some mashed potatoes or some yeast rolls so that you don’t miss a drop of the sauce!
Warm Up Your Winter: Southern Classics!
FREE EMAIL BONUS: Southern staples made simply & cozy
Be prepared for a savory sauce made with Marsala wine that compliments a steak of any cut. Since the sauce is so flavorful, you can get by with using a cheaper cut of steak like a top sirloin, or go all out and add it to a filet mignon.
Most people may have tried a chicken Marsala recipe or maybe pork marsala, trust me it’s just as good with beef.
Featured reader review
“Juicy steak, savory mushrooms, and a silky Marsala wine sauce come together in one pan for a weeknight dinner that feels indulgent.”
Sandy
What is Marsala and How Long Will it Last
Marsala is a fortified wine produced in Marsala Sicily. Its unique flavor comes from the grapes grown only in Sicily and it’s fortified with Brandy. It comes either dry or sweet. Want to learn more about this interesting wine, check out Wine Folly.
If you are buying it just for this beef marsala recipe, I would choose a dry marsala wine, but if you have a bottle of sweet marsala wine, that will work also – whatever you have on hand. Since it’s a fortified wine, once opened you can store it in a dark place for ages and it will still retain its flavor. Try using some in my family’s favorite dinner recipe, chicken Marsala meatballs.
What Can You Use Instead of Marsala
If you’re all out of Marsala or you can’t find a bottle at the wine store, Madeira is the closest substitute. You could also use Port or Sherry but other wines will not give you the same distinct flavor you get with Marsala.
If you aren’t a fan of alcohol, use about ¼ cup of chicken broth instead of the wine. You won’t have a marsala wine sauce, but the mushrooms are the key ingredient in this sauce, so it will be still be a fabulous dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Beef Marsala Sauce
For the full ingredient list, check out the recipe list below.
- Steak – The sauce is great on any cut so use your favorite cut of beef, a sirloin, ribeye, NY strip or fillet.
- Two types of mushrooms – To get a rich mushroom flavor, use dried porcini mushrooms and fresh cremini mushrooms. Cremini mushrooms are young portobello mushrooms, called baby bellas and are more flavorful than the more common white button mushrooms. Porcini are a wild mushroom with an aromatic woodsy flavor that in my area can only be find dried. With dried mushrooms, you have to reconstitute them with water but the rehydrating liquid adds so much flavor to the sauce. Don’t pour it out!
- Marsala wine – keep a bottle in your pantry, it lasts forever, you can use dry or sweet, but dry is my preference with beef.
How Do You Make a Rich, Buttery Mushroom Sauce
Step 1: Soften the dried mushrooms
Reconstitute the dried mushrooms.
Step 2: Brown the fresh mushrooms
Cook the fresh mushrooms, start by covering them with a lid to release the moisture then remove the lid and let them get golden brown and remove to a plate.
Step 3: Cook the steak
Cook the steaks in the same skillet and remove to a plate and cover it with aluminum foil to rest while you finish the sauce.
Step 4: Create the sauce
Add shallots, garlic and butter, then add flour and seasonings and the reconstituted mushrooms.
Step 5: Add some liquid
Once softened add Marsala wine and chicken broth and let it thicken.
Step 6: Add the mushrooms
Once thickened add back the browned mushrooms and pour over the cooked steaks.
This might sound like a lot of steps but it really won’t take long and the magical flavor is worth every step. This took me about 40 minutes from start to finish. You can shorten the time by browning the mushrooms ahead of time.
This will turn out to be one of your favorite steak recipes, try serving it with mashed potatoes or egg noodles so that you don’t miss a single drop of this amazing sauce. It’s such an impressive dish you’ll be stocking up on bottles of marsala so that you always have a bottle on hand.
If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.
Steak Marsala with Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms sliced thin
- salt and pepper
- 4 6 ounce steaks
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
- ¾ cup sweet marsala plus 1 tablespoon
- 4 tablespoons butter chilled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Add ½ cup of broth to dried porcini mushrooms in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 1 minute until steaming. Let sit for about 5 minutes until softened. Drain and reserve the liquid. Finely chop the mushrooms.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add fresh mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper and cover. Cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Pat steaks dry and season with salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. When hot, add steaks and cook until brown on one side. Turn over and cook until a meat thermometer registers 125º for medium rare, 130º for medium. Time will vary depending on how thick the steaks are, but about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with tinfoil.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat and add shallots, flour, garlic, rosemary, the reconstituted dried mushrooms, a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the shallots have softened. Stir in ¾ cup of Marsala, reserved mushroom liquid and ½ cup of broth. Cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat and whisk in butter a piece at a time. Next add parsley, lemon juice, the browned fresh mushrooms and 1 tablespoon Marsala. Season with salt and pepper. Slice steak and spoon sauce over steak.
Video
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- You can substitute Madeira or chicken broth for Marsala wine.
- The steak will continue to cook while it is resting so remove it at a slightly lower temperature than what you prefer.
- If you can’t find dried porcini mushrooms, use whatever dried mushrooms you can find.
Nutrition
Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage
on Instagram!
Jessica Robinson says
This steak Marsala looks SO darn good! Perfect for a weekend dinner with the family!
Barbara Curry says
It would be great with your Blueberry Slab Pie!
Sandy says
Quick and very good! Yum!
Barbara Curry says
Marsala adds so much flavor, glad it was a hit.
Janet Bradley says
Man, this sounds amazingly delicious. Except…..I HATE MUSHROOMS!!!!!! But I soooo much
want to make this. Can it be made without them? Do they add that much flavor to the recipe that they are needed. Maybe jut make it and pick them out.
Barbara Curry says
The mushrooms are what really add the flavor. You could strain out the mushrooms at the end if you don’t like the texture. But if you don’t like mushrooms, I don’t think you’ll like this sauce. Try just a straight marsala sauce like the one I use for marsala meatballsChicken Marsala Meatballs. Good luck! I