Marsala Mushroom Gravy

5 from 1 vote

This Marsala mushroom gravy is a rich, savory gravy with an Italian twist that doesn't just rely on turkey drippings. It's made with browned mushrooms, Marsala wine, and chicken stock, and is perfect to serve with mashed potatoes and turkey breast!

Prep Time5

Cook Time35

Total Time40

Course: sauce

Cuisine: American, italian-American

Servings: servings

Calories: 164kcal

Author: Vincent DelGiudice

Cost: $15

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.

Nutrition