This easy mushroom sauce gives you rich, homemade flavor in minutes, perfect for holidays, festive dinners, and simple weeknight meals when you want something comforting without the cream.
This recipe goes well with our garlic mashed potatoes, cauliflower mashed potatoes, mushroom Wellington, and vegetarian stuffing.
A Rich Mushroom Sauce You Can Make in One Skillet
What I love about this mushroom sauce is how it develops its deep, rich color naturally — first from letting the mushrooms cook long enough to release all their flavor, and then with a splash of soy sauce to add umami and deepen the color. The result is a brown gravy–style sauce that tastes cozy and homemade, with real depth from the broth, and garlic.
And unlike bottled browning liquids or gravy colorings, which often rely on caramel coloring and additives just to make a sauce look darker, this recipe keeps things simple and real.
Everything comes from ingredients you already know and probably have at home — no artificial flavors, no colorants, nothing extra.
Just honest, one-skillet cooking with beautiful flavor, no bottle required.
Ingredients
Find complete ingredient list, quantities, and substitutions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
- Mushrooms: Use cremini, baby bella, or white mushrooms. Oyster or shiitake add deeper flavor. Great for an easy mushroom sauce for chicken or veggies.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Adds a Mediterranean touch. Substitute avocado oil or a light butter substitute.
- Garlic: Fresh gives the best aroma. Use garlic powder in a pinch or shallots for a milder flavor.
- Butter: Dairy or dairy-free both work beautifully. For a dairy free mushroom gravy, use vegan butter or olive oil.
- Flour: All-purpose makes the smoothest gravy. Substitute whole wheat flour, gluten-free flour blend, or rice flour for a lighter texture.
- Broth: Vegetable broth keeps the recipe plant-forward, but mushroom or chicken broth adds more depth. This is the base of a simple mushroom sauce with broth.
- Soy sauce: Adds umami and natural color. Substitute tamari, or coconut aminos for lower sodium.
How to Make Mushroom Sauce
Step 1 – Prepare the Ingredients
Gather your mushrooms, olive oil, butter (or dairy-free butter), flour, broth, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Having everything ready makes this feel like a quick mushroom pan sauce you can pull together any night of the week. Fresh parsley is lovely for garnish.
Step 2 – Sauté the Mushrooms
Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel or give them a quick rinse if needed. Slice them about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, then add the mushrooms with salt and black pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and turn golden. Add the grated garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
Step 3 – Start the Sauce
In the same skillet, melt the butter on medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until it looks smooth and slightly bubbly. Slowly pour in the broth while whisking so the sauce stays lump-free. Add the soy sauce and let everything simmer for 30–60 seconds until it begins to thicken.
Step 4 – Finish and Serve
Add the sautéed mushrooms back into the pan and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the sauce feels too thick, simply add a splash of broth.
Serve in a gravy boat or small bowl, topped with chopped parsley. It’s a cozy, comforting mushroom sauce for mashed potatoes, veggies, or your favorite protein.
Tips
- Slice the mushrooms evenly or buy pre-sliced mushrooms so they brown at the same rate and develop deeper flavor—this makes a richer healthy mushroom gravy recipe.
- Don’t rush the browning step; let the mushrooms release their water and cook until the pan looks almost dry. That’s when the flavor really builds.
- Use a large skillet so the mushrooms can spread out and caramelize instead of steaming.
- Grate the garlic instead of chopping it; it melts into the sauce more evenly.
- For a smoother mushroom sauce, whisk the flour and butter together until they look silky before adding the broth.
- Add the broth slowly while whisking to keep the sauce lump-free. Warm broth works even better if you have a moment.
- Soy sauce (or tamari) boosts umami and deepens the color naturally—no browning liquid needed.
- If the sauce gets too thick, loosen this simple mushroom sauce with broth to keep that perfect “spoon coating” texture in your .
- Finish with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme to brighten the flavor right before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Cremini, baby bella, or white mushrooms all work. You can mix in shiitake for a stronger flavor.
Whisk the flour into the melted butter until it looks silky, then add the broth slowly while whisking.
Just add a splash of broth until it reaches the texture you like. It’s very forgiving.
Absolutely. This mushroom gravy without cream reheats beautifully. Stir in a little extra broth when warming it up.
Yes, if you use dairy-free butter. The result is still a rich, cozy mushroom sauce with no cream.
It’s excellent with vegetables, mashed potatoes, grains, and proteins. It also goes well with holiday sides.
Yes. Freeze in small containers for up to three months. Thaw and whisk in a bit of broth to revive the texture.
More Easy Festive Recipes
- Healthy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing
- Fennel and Orange Salad
- Healthy Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt
- Apple Crisp
- Vegan Apple Pie
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Eggplant Parmigiana
- Lentil Loaf
If you tried this Mushroom Sauce recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Easy Mushroom Sauce (Without Cream)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound mushrooms thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt + black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 2 tablespoons butter or non-dairy butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups broth vegetable, chicken, or mushroom broth — best if reduced sodium
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce reduced-sodium
Instructions
- Prep the Ingredients: Clean 1 pound mushrooms and slice them thinly. Grate 2 cloves garlic and gather the oil, butter, flour, broth, soy sauce, salt, and pepper so everything is ready to go.
- Cook the Mushrooms: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the mushrooms release their liquid and turn golden. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
- Make the Sauce: In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour in 2 cups broth while whisking to avoid lumps. Stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and let the sauce simmer for 30–60 seconds until it starts to thicken.
- Combine and Serve: Return the mushrooms to the skillet and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a splash of broth if the sauce gets too thick. Serve warm.
Notes
- Mushrooms → Cremini, baby bella, or white; swap with oyster or shiitake for deeper flavor.
- Extra virgin olive oil → Use avocado oil or a light butter substitute.
- Garlic → Replace with garlic powder or finely chopped shallots.
- Butter → Use dairy-free butter or olive oil for a lighter option.
- Flour → Swap with whole wheat flour, a gluten-free blend, or rice flour.
- Broth → Use mushroom or chicken broth instead of vegetable broth for extra depth.
- Soy sauce → Substitute tamari or coconut aminos.
- Slice mushrooms evenly (or buy pre-sliced) so they brown at the same rate and build richer flavor.
- Don’t rush browning—let the mushrooms release water and cook until the pan looks almost dry.
- Use a large skillet so the mushrooms caramelize instead of steaming.
- Grate the garlic so it melts smoothly into the sauce.
- For a silky mushroom sauce with no cream, whisk the flour and butter until smooth before adding broth.
- Add the broth slowly while whisking to keep the sauce lump-free; warm broth works best.
- Soy sauce or tamari adds umami and natural color—no browning liquid needed.
- If the sauce gets too thick, loosen this simple mushroom sauce with broth with a splash more broth.
- Finish with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme to brighten the flavor.
- Storage: Let the mushroom sauce cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Warm it gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Add a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce if it thickens in the fridge. You can also reheat small portions in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between each one.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
Would this Taste good on polenta?
Oh yes it DOES, Maureen, I personally vouch for the polenta and mushroom sauce combination!!
And just FYI, it’s also delicious on mashed potatoes, pasta or orzo, roasted vegetables, grain bowls, and even cauliflower “steaks.” 🙂
All the best,
Louise
Geat recipe and easy to make – thanks