Steak Marsala is a total show stopper! Tender filet mignon steaks are seared to perfection and finished in a rich and creamy Marsala wine sauce with mushrooms and fresh herbs. This Italian-American masterpiece transforms a simple steak dinner into a symphony of flavors, making it a recipe you'll want to make over and over!
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About This Recipe
Steak Marsala is an Italian-American inspired dish that combines tender filet mignon with the sweet flavors of Marsala wine and savory mushrooms. This recipe takes the traditional flavors up a notch with a swirl of heavy cream, creating a luxurious creamy Marsala wine sauce that coats the steaks beautifully.
📋 Ingredients
- Filet Mignon: The star of this dish, filet mignon, is a premium cut of beef known for being incredibly tender.
- Olive Oil and Butter: A combination of olive oil and butter is used for searing the filet mignon and sautéing the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic.
- Mushrooms: Button or cremini mushroom are a key component of the Marsala wine sauce. They bring an earthy, umami depth to the sauce, making it a savory complement to the tender steak.
- Shallots and Garlic: Shallots and garlic are aromatic powerhouses in this recipe. They infuse the marsala sauce with a fragrant and savory layer of flavor and enhance the overall complexity of the dish.
- Fresh Herbs: A few sprigs of fresh thyme are added to the sauteed mushrooms and shallots for an extra layer of herbaceous flavor. Rosemary would be a great addition as well.
- Marsala Wine: Marsala wine is a fortified wine from Sicily, Italy, and it serves as the foundational flavor in the Marsala wine mushroom sauce. It has a unique sweetness and depth, which works beautifully with the other ingredients in the steak marsala recipe.
- Chicken Stock: Chicken stock acts as the base for the sauce. Instead of chicken stock, you can use beef stock, vegetable stock or just water.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream lends a luxurious, velvety texture to the Marsala wine sauce. It balances the flavors, creating a creamy and indulgent finish that coats the steak and mushrooms beautifully.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Steak Choices: Swap out filet mignon for ribeye or New York strip.
- Mushroom Varieties: Experiment with different types of mushroom, such as shiitake, porcini or oyster mushrooms.
- No Marsala?: Substitute with sherry or sweet vermouth.
⏲️ Instructions
Step 1: Season the steaks with salt and pepper on all sides and lightly dredge with flour.
Step 2: Sear the steaks in a hot cast iron that is drizzled with olive oil. Sear until deeply charred on both sides, then set aside.
Step 3: Add butter and the sliced mushrooms and sauté until caramelized.
Step 4: Add the chopped shallot and sauté for 2-3 minutes then add the garlic and herbs and sauté for another minute.
Step 5: Add marsala wine and reduce for 1-2 minutes. Pour the stock and reduce slightly. Then stir in heavy cream and butter.
Step 6: Once the sauce comes together, add the steaks back into the mushroom sauce and baste the sauce on top of the steaks until warmed through.
Step 7: Before serving, let the steaks rest for at least 5 minutes. Remove the steaks to a cutting board and slice thin, then place the filet back in the sauce and garnish with chopped parsley.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Dry the Steaks: Achieve a perfect sear on your filet mignon by patting the steaks dry with paper towels before seasoning.
- Brown the Mushrooms: When sautéing the mushrooms, take the time to get a nice sear. Mushrooms have a good amount of water that needs to evaporate so they can caramelize well.
- Don't Rush the Reduction: Let the Marsala wine simmer and reduce to concentrate its flavors for a rich sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Marsala wine has a unique flavor profile that is sweet and slightly earthy with notes of brown sugar and tamarind.
To make steak marsala ahead of time, I'd suggest making the sauce ahead of time and searing the steaks right before serving. Then baste the sauce over the steaks and serve.
Serving Suggestions
- Start the meal with a crisp shaved brussels sprouts salad.
- Serve the steak marsala over a bed of creamy garlic mashed potatoes or with a side of pesto broccolini.
- For an even more decadent dinner, serve the steak marsala alongside creamy mascarpone pasta.
- Pour a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon to compliment the rich Marsala sauce.
More Steak Recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Steak Marsala
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4-6 ounce filet mignon steaks
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- ½ cup flour for dusting
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced- cremini and white button
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 2 garlic finely chopped
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves removed and roughly chopped
- ½ cup Marsala wine
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat a medium sized cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil.
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and evenly season the steaks with salt and pepper on all sides and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess.
- Once the skillet is hot, sear the steaks for 2 minutes per side until both sides are deeply charred, then remove and set aside to a plate.
- In the same skillet, lower the heat to medium add butter and more olive oil if needed and the sliced mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes until they begin to deepen in color.
- Add the chopped shallots and continue sautéing for another 2-3 minutes until the shallots begin to soften and become fragrant.
- Add the chopped garlic and herbs and continue sautéing for another 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the marsala wine in and let the wine reduce slightly, while scraping the bottom of the skillet.
- Then pour in the chicken stock and bring everything up to a strong simmer and let the liquid reduce for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of butter and stir everything together. Nestle the steaks back into the creamy marsala sauce, with any accumulating juices and baste the sauce onto the steak.
- Continue cooking on a low simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly and to warm through the steaks, for another 3-4 minutes.
- Once done, remove from the heat and let the steaks rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with finely chopped parsley and serve the steak marsala with the creamy mushroom sauce.
Notes
- Dry the Steaks: Achieve a perfect sear on your filet mignon by patting the steaks dry with paper towels before seasoning.
- Brown the Mushrooms: When sautéing the mushrooms, take the time to get a nice sear. Mushrooms have a good amount of water that needs to evaporate so they can caramelize well.
- Don't Rush the Reduction: Let the Marsala wine simmer and reduce to concentrate its flavors for a rich sauce.
- Thicker cuts of steak may need a few minutes of extra cooking, so keep an eye on the internal temperature depending on what you prefer.
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