Steak Marsala Recipe with Creamy Mushroom Sauce (Restaurant Quality!)

Transform your dinner table into a fine dining experience with this elegant Steak Marsala that rivals the best steakhouse presentations. This sophisticated recipe combines perfectly seared steak with a luxurious creamy mushroom sauce infused with rich Marsala wine, creating layers of complex flavors that make any occasion feel special. Born from a happy kitchen accident when brandy wasn’t available for Steak Diane, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality results with surprisingly simple techniques, making it perfect for romantic dinners, celebrations, or impressive weeknight meals that feel like special occasions.

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Why This Recipe Works

The magic happens in the layered flavor development and proper technique execution. Searing the steak at high heat creates a beautiful crust while keeping the interior tender, then using the same pan to build the sauce captures all those flavorful browned bits (fond) that become the foundation for the rich Marsala sauce. The combination of dry Marsala wine, cream, and Dijon mustard creates a perfectly balanced, elegant, and comforting sauce.

What Makes This Steak Marsala Special?

This recipe represents the best of both worlds, combining the classic techniques of Steak Diane with the rich, wine-forward flavors of traditional Italian Marsala sauce. The happy accident of substituting Marsala for brandy created something even better than the original, with the fortified wine’s complex sweetness and depth perfectly complementing beef. Each element builds upon the last: the seared steak, aromatic shallots, earthy mushrooms, and that show-stopping cream sauce.

Ingredients

Premium Steak Selection:

• Tender steak cuts – Filet mignon, ribeye, or sirloin for optimal texture and flavor
• Salt and black pepper – Essential seasoning for proper crust development

Aromatic Foundation:

• Shallots – Provide mild, sweet onion flavor that won’t overpower the wine
• White mushroom caps – Create earthy depth and meaty texture in the sauce
• Fresh parsley leaves – Add bright color and fresh herb finish

Luxurious Sauce Components:

• Dry Marsala wine – The star ingredient providing complex, fortified wine flavor
• Heavy cream – Creates rich, velvety sauce texture
• Dijon mustard – Adds tangy sophistication and helps emulsify the sauce
• Worcestershire sauce – Contributes umami depth and savory complexity
• Unsalted butter – For searing and finishing with silky richness

Steak Selection Guide

Best Cuts for Marsala:

• Premium choice: Filet mignon (tenderloin) offers unmatched tenderness and a buttery texture that pairs beautifully with a rich sauce.
• Excellent alternative: Ribeye provides marbling and flavor that resembles robust Marsala sauce.
• Budget-friendly option: Top sirloin delivers good tenderness at lower cost, though requires careful not to overcook.

Thickness Matters:

• Thicker cuts require longer cooking and may brown too much before interior reaches desired temperature
• 3/4 to 1-inch thick steaks provide optimal ratio of crust to interior
• Thinner cuts cook too quickly and may become overcooked

How to Choose the Right Marsala for This Recipe

Understanding Marsala:

Dry vs. Sweet: Use dry Marsala for steak as its robust flavor complements red meat perfectly. Sweet Marsala works better with lighter proteins like chicken or veal.

Quality matters: Choose cooking-quality Marsala from the wine section, not cooking wine with added salt.

Substitutions: Madeira wine provides similar fortified wine characteristics if Marsala

How to Make Steak Marsala

This is an easy steak Marsala recipe. Here are the steps in brief:

1. Season a steak with salt and black pepper and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
2. Melt butter or olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Place the steak in the skillet. Sear and cook it to your preferred doneness. Medium rare is recommended.
4. While the steak is cooking, add the shallots and cook until translucent.

5. Remove the steak and keep warm.
6. Cook the mushrooms until soft. 

7. Add the Marsala and ignite.
8. After burnout, add the mustard, cream, butter, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir or whisk to combine.

9. Serve the mushroom marsala sauce over the steak and garnish with fresh parsley or fresh thyme.

Recipe Notes

• This recipe will yield a medium-rare steak. However, the thickness of the steaks, not their weight, determines the cooking time. 
• It’s a good idea to pull your steaks when they are under your desired doneness; they will continue to cook while resting.
• Be careful not to overcook the sauce by letting it reduce for too long.

Skillet Cooking Steak Guide

1. Thaw steaks in the refrigerator overnight.
2. One hour before cooking, place the meat on a platter at room temperature. This allows the meat to cook more evenly.
3. Preheat a cast iron skillet, griddle pan, or skillet to medium-high—season steaks liberally and place in skillet. Follow the cooking times below.
4. Remove the steaks from the heat when they are 5 to 10 degrees from your ideal done temperature. The residual heat will cause the steak’s temperature to rise while resting. Remove the steaks from the pan and allow them to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

This guide is courtesy of Omaha Steaks:

	Thickness	1/2″	3/4″	1″	1 1/4″	1 1/2″	1 3/4″	2″
Rare 120°- 130°F	First Side After Turning	2 2	4 2	5 3	5 4	6 4	7 5	8 6
Medium Rare 130°-140°F	First Side After Turning	3 2	4 3	5 4	6 5	7 5	8 6	9 7
Medium 140°-150°F	First Side After Turning	5 3	5 3	6 4	7 5	7 6	8 7	10 8

Recipe Variations

• Chicken Marsala: This marsala sauce goes perfectly with chicken breasts. However, if you use chicken, be sure to cook it thoroughly. 
• Veal Marsala or Pork Marsala: This mushroom Marsala sauce for steak recipe also shines over veal or pork cutlets.
• Marsala: Sweet Marsala is often used for chicken, veal, or pork versions of this dish because the protein is more delicate than that of beef.
• Mushrooms: You can use any variety of mushrooms in this recipe! Try a combination of mushrooms for layers of different flavors. 
• Leeks: If you like a slightly sweeter onion flavor? Substitute leeks for the shallots.
• Cheese: If you must have cheese, finish your sauce with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan, asiago, or pecorino. 
• Wine: If you don’t have Marsala wine but you happen to have Madeira, it can be substituted for Marsala. While Madeira won’t taste exactly the same, it will taste similar.

What to Serve With Steak Marsala

• Be sure to serve this steak with something to soak up the extra mushroom Marsala sauce. Some mashed potatoes, buttered rice, buttery noodles, crusty bread, or buttery dinner rolls would be great sides.
• Marsala sauce is also great to generously smother and cover pasta of your choice or pillowy gnocchi.
• You can also transform baked potatoes by bathing them in creamy Marsala sauce!
• If you want a veggie side dish, roast potatoes or roasted cauliflower would be good.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Reheating Method: Place steak on wire rack over baking sheet in 250°F oven for 20-30 minutes until internal temperature reaches 100-110°F. Reheat sauce gently in saucepan over low heat, whisking to recombine. Avoid microwaving, which overcooks steak and breaks sauce.
• Refrigerator Storage: Store steak and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
• Freezing: Wrap steaks in plastic wrap and foil, freeze for up to 3 months. Sauce may separate when frozen and reheated.

Love Beef and Steak? Try These Recipes

• Beef Tenderloin Roast
• Best Hamburger Steak Recipe
• Boneless Ribeye Roast
• Country Fried Steak
• Instant Pot Tri Tip
• Olive Garden Steak
• Smoked Eye of Round
• Smoked Steaks
• Stove Top Pot Roast
• Strip Loin Roast

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• Fried Pork Chops and Gravy
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Find more delicious main dish recipes and the best beef recipes on CopyKat!