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This creamy marsala sauce recipe is a silky, restaurant-quality Italian American classic that’s easy to make! It’s great on everything from steak and chicken to pork chops.
You may also enjoy my Easy Chicken Marsala, Pork Marsala, or Chicken Marsala Pasta next.
Why you’ll love it
Who would have thought everyday ingredients like mushrooms, cream, marsala wine, and garlic can be transformed into such a tasty sauce? Of course, marsala is the star here. It’s a fortified wine (like port) that adds such a deep, rich flavor in this Italian restaurant favorite!
I love how versatile this marsala wine sauce is. It jazzes up whatever protein you choose. The sautéed mushrooms also make it meaty enough to enjoy on a baked potato on meatless Monday! It’s also ready in just 25 minutes, so you can make it any time with ease.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
- Mushrooms – I like cremini (aka baby bellas), but white mushrooms work too
- Onion and garlic – tasty base aromatics. I like sweet (Vidalia) onions.
- Dijon mustard – it’s a delicious flavor enhancer that you don’t really taste specifically; it makes the sauce less one-dimensional
- Marsala – for that signature flavor. use a semi-secco (semi-dry) or dry variety of this wine.
- Heavy cream – for that touch of luxuriousness
- Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce
Helpful tips
- Don’t rush cooking the mushrooms and onions — getting a nice sear adds lots of flavor to this sauce.
- If possible, don’t use cooking wine. It’s worth it to buy a better quality one.
- As with any cream sauce, be sure to add enough salt to bring out the flavors!
How to make marsala sauce
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a skillet, sauté the onions and mushrooms in the oil and butter until nicely seared. Stir in the garlic and Dijon, and cook until fragrant. Pour in the marsala, and let it bubble for up to a minute.
Pour in the cream. Make the cornstarch slurry, then add it to the skillet. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches desired thickness. Generously season with salt & pepper to bring out the flavors, and top with fresh parsley if using.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This is the cast iron skillet I use.
- I like this butter dish because it has measurements marked on it.
- Mince garlic quickly with a squeeze of a garlic press, and store the rest in this cute garlic saver.
Substitutions and variations
- Change the sauce up by using Madeira, sherry, or even your favorite red or white wine.
- I like to sub my usual sea salt with truffle salt to add an extra little gourmet flair to it.
- You can skip the cornstarch if needed, but you may need to cook it for a bit longer to get it to thicken properly.
What to serve with marsala sauce
- It’s great on Steak, Chicken, Pork Chops, or even fish. Try baking or pan frying some white fish like halibut or cod!
- Round out the meal with my Roasted Asparagus and Garlic Mashed Potatoes or pasta.
- Or fancy up a Baked Potato with this sauce for a meatless meal.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftover marsala sauce will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container.
- I recommend reheating it slowly over a low heat.
- I don’t recommend freezing cream sauces as the texture can change.
If you made this marsala cream sauce, please leave a star rating and review below! What did you serve it with? You can also tag me on Instagram with your S&L creations.
Easy Marsala Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup marsala wine see note
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley optional, to taste
Instructions
- Add the oil and butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and onions.
- Sauté until the mushrooms have released their water, it cooks off, and the mushrooms and onions are nicely seared (about 10-12 minutes).
- Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the garlic and Dijon mustard. Cook for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the marsala and let it bubble for about 30 seconds – 1 minute (don't let it evaporate completely).
- Pour in the cream. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1/2 teaspoon of cold water and then pour into the skillet. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened to your liking.
- Season generously with salt & pepper and stir in the chopped parsley if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I recommend using semi-secco (semi-sweet) or dry marsala wine for this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hardest part about this recipe is chopping and measuring but worthwhile.
Excellent flavor and very easy to make. I served it with chicken legs quarters and spaghetti without tomato sauce.
Thank you, Margo!
Question Regarding Preparing this dish ahead of time – I’d like to prepare this dish a day in advance or earlier in the day before serving for a small dinner party. Do you recommend this approach and/or have any tips for preparing in advance?
Hi Linda! I think that should be fine. See the “leftovers & storage” section of the blog post – that should help. Hope you enjoy the sauce! 😀
We loved this recipe. What started out as a search for a Marsala mushroom sauce dupe turned into an obsession with this dish. Our foodie kids were loving the sauce over their roast chicken. I’m saving this recipe for every single possible occasion where Marsala mushroom sauce is appropriate.
That’s great to hear, Erin!
Can spicy brown mustard be substituted for the Dijon mustard?
Sure!
everyone absolutely adored this and so did i. it came together really easily as well! only flaw is that the amount recommended of cornstarch is not very affective lol. but literally 10/10 taste this is amazing and just like my fav italian restaurant!!!!
Hi Zofia! I’m so glad you liked it! 😀 You could definitely add a little bit more next time, but I didn’t want to go overboard with it as heavy cream thickens on its own fairly easily.
Hi! I’m looking at this one to make extra sauce for the chicken marsala recipe. Why does this one have onions, but the chicken marsala recipe does not? If I omit them will it make a difference?
Hi Steph! This recipe has onions because it’s a standalone one and I wanted to ensure there’s plenty of flavor no matter what it’s served with (for example, my chicken and pork ones both sear the meat and that adds flavor to the sauce in itself), but someone may just want to add this sauce to a baked potato or something. Also, I drafted this one a couple weeks ago and the chicken marsala one back in 2015, and I just felt like adding onions this time around. You can omit the onions if you like. To make it easier, however, I would probably just double the sauce ingredients in the chicken marsala recipe and add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up more as the flour from the chicken won’t be enough to thicken it by itself for a double sauce quantity.