A creamy porcini mushroom sauce is a timeless classic that celebrates the gentle, earthy umami of porcini and their unmistakable scent of the wild forest. It’s made with fresh or dried mushrooms, a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of white wine, and a few simple spices. The porcini melt beautifully into the cream, turning it into a silky, rich sauce with the most comforting flavor. Easy to make and ready in just 15 minutes, this simple porcini recipe can turn any pasta, gnocchi, rice, or meat dish into a cozy gourmet meal.
This porcini mushroom sauce pairs well with almost anything
The famous porcini draw thousands of people into the forests every year, and they’re absolutely worth a pair of muddy shoes. In remote places, it’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t have a favorite porcini patch to check after the rain. Not so long ago, foraging and selling these little “piglets” (either fresh or dried) was even an important source of side income for many. For some, it still is.
While we love experimenting with new wild mushroom recipes, porcini are the ones we always look forward to the most.
If you, too, enjoy preparing these, you might like some of our favorites: a comforting Slovenian-style porcini soup, a rich porcini walnut pâté, a crispy porcini pizza, and, of course, the classics: porcini pasta and creamy porcini rice.
Today, here’s another great classic – a creamy porcini sauce that’s so versatile you can pair it with almost anything. It’s quick and easy to make and ready in about fifteen minutes. You can use freshly foraged porcini or dried ones; both taste wonderful.
The beauty of this sauce is in its simplicity. Porcini have such a rich, earthy scent that they don’t need much else combined. A touch of cream, a bit of wine, and just a few spices are enough to let these mushrooms shine. They easily melt into the sauce, giving it a gentle, nutty taste that’s really hard to resist.
It’s probably also one of the most versatile sauces you can make. Stir it through pasta or bulgur for an easy, comforting mushroom dinner, or mix it with rice for a simple mushroom risotto. It’s also delicious with homemade gnocchi, dumplings, vegetables or cooked grains like buckwheat and barley.
And if you love meat dishes, sauté your steaks or slices with a few spices and add this sauce. It quickly turns anything into a cozy, forest-style dinner.
Ingredient notes
PORCINI MUSHROOMS – This recipe works with both fresh and dried porcini. Keep in mind that they shrink a lot when dried. About 200 grams (or 2 3/4 cups) of fresh porcini chunks yields about 20 grams of dried porcini slices.
CREAM – We used thick heavy cream with 36% milk fat. If yours is thinner, don’t worry, simmer the sauce a little longer until it naturally thickens.
ONION – One medium onion is all you need. Finely chop it so it melts smoothly into the sauce.
GARLIC – Three cloves are my usual go-to. If you love a stronger garlic note, add it later in the cooking so it keeps more of its punch. Garlic powder works fine, too.
OLIVE OIL & BUTTER – The perfect combo! Olive oil keeps the base light, while butter adds that nutty richness that pairs perfectly with porcini. Together, they bring out the best of the mushrooms’ flavor.
WHITE WINE – Don’t skip this, it really deepens the aroma of the sauce. The alcohol cooks off completely, leaving only a soft, rounded flavor.
SALT & BLACK PEPPER – Season to taste, and if possible, grind your pepper fresh right before adding it.
MARJORAM – Marjoram pairs great with mushrooms. It’s mild, sweet and makes the sauce smell a little floral.
FRESH PARSLEY – Just a little bit, to brighten everything before serving. Sweet, a little citrusy and uplifting.
Creamy porcini mushroom sauce recipe
Note: If you’re cooking with dried porcini mushrooms, soak them in hot water for about 15 minutes before making the sauce. You’ll need about 350 grams of fresh mushrooms or 35 grams of dried porcini.
STEP 1: Clean the porcini without washing them. Remove any bits of leaves, needles, or soil by hand or with a soft brush. Porcini soak up a lot of water, so you want to keep them dry.
STEP 2: Slice the mushrooms into thin pieces, then finely chop the onion and slice or crush the garlic. The finer the chop, the smoother the sauce will be once cooked.
STEP 3: Prepare a skillet or saucepan and heat up olive oil together with butter. Add the onion and garlic and sauté slowly over medium-low heat until they turn golden and translucent. Take your time with this part – the better it’s done, the silkier your sauce will be. Then, stir in the porcini slices.
STEP 4: Season with salt, a bit of black pepper, and a sprinkle of marjoram. Stir-fry for a minute or two to let the mushrooms and spices release their aroma, then pour in the white wine.
STEP 5: Cook gently on low heat for about three to four minutes. The porcini will shrink, the alcohol will evaporate, and the mushrooms will soak up that lovely wine flavor.
STEP 6: Next, add the cream and stir well so it blends with the mushrooms. Let it cook on very low heat for another five minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. The trick is to catch the perfect texture; it shouldn’t be too thick, nor too runny. Once it’s just right, stir in the freshly chopped parsley.
STEP 7: Serve the sauce warm while it’s still silky and smooth, mixing it gently with pasta, gnocchi, rice, meat or vegetables. Once it cools, the butter will start to set, and it won’t coat the food as nicely. Enjoy this beautiful, creamy porcini sauce while it’s perfectly warm.
Tips for the best creamy porcini sauce
Keep the mushrooms dry. Fresh porcini soak up water easily, so if you’ve foraged them after rain, it’s best to use them the same day. Clean them right in the forest if you can, brushing off leaves, needles, or bits of soil by hand. This not only keeps them fresh but also helps spread spores for future growth.
The thickness depends on the porcini. Sometimes dried porcini sold in shops are made from older mushrooms that didn’t make it to restaurants because of their greenish spores or aged look. If you’re using those, expect a thicker sauce (but also a deeper, more intense flavor).
Cook the onions slowly. Don’t rush this step. Finely slice the onion and garlic, then let them soften gently on low heat until golden and fragrant. This gives the sauce its smooth, silky base. If needed, add a spoonful of water to keep them from browning too fast.
Don’t overcook the sauce. It should lightly coat the back of a spoon – glossy and smooth, yet still pourable. If it gets too thick, it will still taste great, but it’ll be harder to mix with pasta or gnocchi.
Serve it fresh and warm. This sauce is best when freshly made. Once it cools, it thickens and darkens slightly, losing that perfect silky texture. Serve it warm while it’s at its best.
Can porcini mushroom sauce be reheated?
There’s a well-known rule among foragers that mushroom dishes shouldn’t be reheated. This mostly applies to fresh mushrooms. The reason is that the enzymes and proteins in fresh mushrooms begin to break down soon after cooking, which can lead to the growth of harmful bacteria, especially when the dish is reheated. The effects aren’t dangerous, but they can be pretty uncomfortable.
However, if you store the mushroom sauce in the refrigerator within two hours after cooking, you can safely warm it up once without causing stomach trouble.
To keep the best flavor and quality of your porcini sauce, it’s wiser to store the mushrooms themselves rather than the finished sauce. You can rehydrate them, blanch and freeze them, or turn them into a fine powder. This way, you’ll have porcini ready to use year-round, and the sauce will taste just as fresh and delicious every time.
Questions you might ask
Yes! Porcini mushroom sauce tastes wonderful with Parmesan. The cheese blends beautifully with the creamy texture and earthy porcini aroma. If you’d like to keep the flavor more delicate and not overpower the mushrooms, try using Grana Padano instead, it’s milder but still adds a lovely cheesy note.
The porcini sauce thickens quite a bit once chilled in the fridge. To reheat it gently without burning, add a little water (ideally the soaking water from dried porcini), a splash of wine, or a few tablespoons of heavy cream. Stir slowly over low heat until smooth and creamy again, perfect for mixing with pasta or gnocchi.
Homemade porcini mushroom sauce doesn’t contain any gluten ingredients. But if you’re buying a store-bought version, always read the label carefully. Some brands use starches or flour for thickening.
More wild mushroom and porcini recipes
- Porcini mushroom walnut pâté
- Creamy porcini mushroom soup
- Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms
- Pizza with porcini
- Porcini rice
- Black trumpet risotto
- Bulgur risotto with chanterelles
Classic Creamy Porcini Mushroom Sauce
EQUIPMENT
- 1 saucepan or skillet
INGREDIENTS
- 350 g porcini mushrooms (or 35 g of dry porcini)
- 250 ml heavy cream
- 70 ml white wine
- 30 g butter
- 30 ml olive oil
- 5 g salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp marjoram (dry)
- fresh parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- When using dried porcini, soak them in hot water for around 15 minutes until they soften completely. Drain well before cooking, but keep the soaking liquid.
- If cooking with fresh porcini, clean them carefully without rinsing them in water. Brush off any forest debris (bits of soil, leaves, or pine needles) with your hands or a soft brush.
- Slice the porcini thinly. Finely chop the onion and either slice or crush the garlic. The finer you chop them, the creamier and smoother your sauce will be later.
- Warm up a mix of olive oil and butter in a wide skillet or pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly over medium-low heat until soft, golden, and fragrant. This step takes a few minutes but sets the base for a silky sauce. When ready, stir in the sliced mushrooms.
- Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of marjoram. Stir the mixture for a minute to help the mushrooms release their aroma, then pour in the wine.
- Lower the heat and let it simmer gently for three to four minutes. The porcini will shrink, and their flavors will concentrate as the wine cooks down and the alcohol evaporates.
- Pour in the cream and mix well so it combines evenly with the mushrooms. Continue cooking over low heat for another five minutes, just until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the chopped parsley right at the end.
- Serve the porcini sauce warm and glossy – that’s when it’s at its best. It pairs beautifully with pasta, gnocchi, rice, meat, or even roasted vegetables. Once it cools, the consistency will change, so enjoy it fresh while the sauce is still soft and creamy.
NOTES
NUTRITION
If you liked our porcini mushroom sauce, let us know! Drop a comment below – we’d be really happy to hear how yours turned out!
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