This Marsala Mushroom Gravy takes the mushrooms and Marsala wine you might find in a classic Chicken Marsala sauce and turns them into a thicker, richer gravy that's perfect for serving over roast turkey. Best of all, you don't need any turkey drippings to make it.
I developed this gravy for the holidays when I wanted all that rich Thanksgiving gravy flavor without relying on a whole roasted turkey for the drippings. Semi-sweet Marsala, browned mushrooms, chicken stock, and butter give it plenty of flavor on its own, with an Italian twist that works perfectly alongside a traditional holiday meal.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- ✅Recipe Name: Marsala Mushroom Gravy.
- ⏲️Ready in: 40 minutes
- 👪Makes: 6 servings
- 📋Main ingredients: Chicken stock, Marsala wine, mushrooms, butter.
- ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: This mushroom marsala gravy is a delicious twist on a Thanksgiving gravy that doesn't rely on drippings from whole roasted poultry
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Why This Recipe
Most traditional turkey gravies rely on the drippings left behind in the roasting pan. But when you're cooking for a smaller family or roasting something like a turkey breast, you may not have enough drippings to make much gravy.
This Mushroom Marsala Gravy is perfect for our family of four on Thanksgiving, so we could still have a rich homemade gravy on the table without roasting a whole turkey.
The mushrooms and Marsala give it the same classic Italian flavors you'll find in my Authentic Veal Marsala, while reducing chicken stock and finishing the gravy with butter gives it the richness you expect from a holiday gravy.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Semi-Sweet Marsala Wine- Marsala is the defining flavor in this gravy, so use a good-quality wine. Look for real Marsala near the port and fortified wines rather than bottles labeled cooking wine near the vinegars.
- Baby bella (cremini) mushrooms- I love how the mushrooms give this gravy a mild, earthy flavor and give the gravy that classic Chicken Marsala feel.
- Chicken Stock- Homemade chicken stock is especially useful here because the stock is reduced significantly to concentrate the flavor. Homemade stock also contains natural gelatin that gives the gravy more body as it reduces. The frozen block in the image above is my homemade chicken stock.
- Cornstarch Slurry- The stock reduction gives the gravy some natural body, but a small cornstarch slurry can be added if you want a thicker, more traditional gravy consistency, without making a roux.
- Butter- Cold butter stirred in off the heat at the end gives the gravy a richer flavor and a smooth, glossy finish.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information about the ingredients.
How to make Marsala Mushroom Gravy
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until browned, and most of the moisture they release has evaporated.
Step 2: Stir in the shallots and salt and sauté for another 3 minutes, until the shallots have softened and are mostly translucent.
Step 3: Pour in the Marsala wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until the wine has reduced by about half.
Step 4: Add the chicken stock and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about half. The gravy will still be loose, but should look glossy and have enough body to lightly cling to a spoon rather than running off like broth.
Gravy Thickness Tip: If the gravy is still thinner than you'd like, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Slowly stir the slurry into the gravy and simmer for another 1-2 minutes, until it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 5: Remove the gravy from the heat and stir in the cold butter until completely melted and the gravy is smooth and glossy. Serve warm.
Pro-Tips
- Choose a good Marsala wine. Marsala is the main flavor in this gravy, so the quality of the wine makes a big difference. Avoid bottles labeled cooking wine. I like Florio Semi-Sweet Marsala and Taylor Semi-Sweet Marsala.
- Homemade chicken stock works especially well in this gravy because it is typically lower in salt than store-bought stock, so it can reduce significantly without becoming overly salty. Homemade stock also contains more natural gelatin, which helps give the finished gravy body and thickness.
- Let the stock reduce enough. Don't rush this step. The gravy should still be loose and pourable, but it should have enough body to lightly cling to a spoon instead of running off like broth.
- Add the cornstarch slurry only if you need it. Depending on your stock and how much it reduces, the gravy may already have enough body. Add the slurry only if you want a thicker, more traditional gravy consistency. Add a little at a time so that you can slowly thicken the gravy.
- Finish with cold butter off the heat. Stirring in cold butter at the end gives the gravy a smoother texture, richer flavor, and glossy finish. Make sure the pan is off the heat so the butter emulsifies into the gravy instead of separating.
What to Serve with Marsala Mushroom Gravy
I developed this Marsala Mushroom Gravy specifically for a small holiday meal, so my favorite way to serve it is spooned over Rolled Stuffed Turkey Breast and a big pile of Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes.
- More Potatoes: Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes are probably my favorite thing to pour this gravy over, but you could also serve it alongside Parmesan Roasted Sweet Potato Halves or Fennel and Potato Au Gratin.
- Thanksgiving sides: Round out the plate with Italian Sausage Stuffing, Steakhouse Creamed Spinach, or Garlic Parmesan Green Beans.
FAQs about Marsala Mushroom Gravy
Yes, but in the refrigerator, the gravy will separate if you add the butter. When you reheat, pour the gravy into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and then remove from the heat. Then add the butter and cornstarch slurry, if using.
I prefer somewhere in the middle. I usually use a semi-sweet, but I've also used sweet, which is a nice contrast to the savory flavors of turkey and mashed potatoes.
You don't. The cornstarch slurry will slightly thicken the gravy so it has more of that classic texture. If you leave it out, it will be more similar to a classic Italian pan sauce like Marsala sauce or the sauce in a Chicken Piccata.
The gravy should still be loose and pourable, but it shouldn't run off a spoon like broth. It should look slightly glossy and lightly cling to the back of a spoon. Remember that the gravy will gain additional body once you add the cold butter at the end.
More Delicious Thanksgiving Recipes
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Marsala Mushroom Gravy
Equipment
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 gravy boat for serving
Ingredients
- 4 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 2 shallots sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semi-sweet Marsala wine
- 2 cups chicken stock preferably homemade
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1.5 teaspoon cornstarch optional
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until browned and most of the moisture they release has evaporated. Stir in the shallots and salt and sauté for another 3 minutes, until the shallots have softened and are mostly translucent.
- Pour in the Marsala wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until the wine has reduced by about half.
- Add the chicken stock and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about half. The gravy will still be loose, but should look glossy and have enough body to lightly cling to a spoon rather than running off like broth.
- If the gravy is still thinner than you'd like, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Slowly stir the slurry into the gravy and simmer for another 1-2 minutes, until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Remove the gravy from the heat and stir in the cold butter until completely melted and the gravy is smooth and glossy. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Choose a good Marsala wine. Marsala is the main flavor in this gravy, so the quality of the wine makes a big difference. Avoid bottles labeled cooking wine. I like Florio Semi-Sweet Marsala and Taylor Semi-Sweet Marsala.
- Homemade chicken stock works especially well in this gravy because it is typically lower in salt than store-bought stock, so it can reduce significantly without becoming overly salty. Homemade stock also contains more natural gelatin, which helps give the finished gravy body and thickness.
- Let the stock reduce enough. Don't rush this step. The gravy should still be loose and pourable, but it should have enough body to lightly cling to a spoon instead of running off like broth.
- Add the cornstarch slurry only if you need it. Depending on your stock and how much it reduces, the gravy may already have enough body. Add the slurry only if you want a thicker, more traditional gravy consistency. Add a little at a time so that you can slowly thicken the gravy.
- Finish with cold butter off the heat. Stirring in cold butter at the end gives the gravy a smoother texture, richer flavor, and glossy finish. Make sure the pan is off the heat so the butter emulsifies into the gravy instead of separating.
Vinny DelGiudice says
The perfect mushroom gravy for a small family dinner with a roast or when our holiday is just a couple of us and we don't have all the drippings from a whole bird!