• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Foodle Club

  • By Category
    • All Recipes
    • Bread and scones
    • Cakes, cookies and desserts
    • Curry Recipes
    • How to …..
    • Main Meals
    • Picnics and Barbeques
    • Sauces, dips and marinades
    • Savoury Treats
    • Sides and salads
    • Collections
  • By Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Cheese
    • Chicken
    • Fish and Seafood
    • Lamb
    • Mushrooms
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Recipes using vegetables
  • By Cuisine
    • British
    • South African
    • Asian inspired
    • Italian inspired
    • German inspired
  • The Calculator
  • Free stuff
  • Meet Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
Home » Sauces, dips and marinades » Hunter’s sauce (creamy mushroom sauce)

Hunter’s sauce (creamy mushroom sauce)

Author: VJ Published : October 2021 Updated : January 2023 / Be the first to comment!

Recipe Video
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Yummly
  • Twitter
  • Whatsapp

Hunter’s sauce is a rich creamy mushroom sauce, packed with flavour. Pour it over schnitzels, steaks or chops, or simply mix it with pasta for a delicious meatless Monday meal.

A helping of hunters sauce being poured over a schnitzel on a plate.
This hunter’s sauce is loosely based on a recipe for the classic French chasseur sauce, but without all the fuss This version is ready in minutes.

**As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.**

Table Of Contents
  1. Homemade mushroom sauce
  2. Ingredients and substitutions
  3. What to do
  4. Storage
  5. Save for later
  6. Serving suggestions
  7. The recipe
  8. Hunters sauce (mushroom sauce)

Chasseur means ‘huntsman’ in French, and it is said that in the 1600s when the French hunters were returning home from the hunt they would stop off and forage for wild mushrooms to make this hunter’s sauce to accompany their wild boar (or whatever it was they’d been hunting!

According to Wikipedia, Chasseur sauce was invented by Frenchman Duke Philippe de Mornay, who also invented Mornay sauce and Bechamel sauce (amongst others).

This dish is also known as Jager sauce in Germany and is normally served poured over schnitzels.

Anyway, enough of the history! Let’s talk about the hunter’s sauce instead.

Homemade mushroom sauce

I already have a recipe for mushroom sauce on my website – crispy chicken schnitzel with creamy mushroom sauce. And while that sauce tastes great, this hunter’s sauce is completely different in that it doesn’t have a bechamel sauce base. Instead, hunters sauce is thickened by the addition of double (or heavy whipping) cream and allowed to simmer until it has reduced to the desired consistency. The result is a creamy pourable sauce, with a robust flavour that pairs beautifully with steak or roast meat. It also makes a great sauce for pasta.

I think everyone needs a recipe for mushroom sauce in their repertoire. So without further ado, let me tell you how to make it.

Ingredients and substitutions

**Get the full recipe for hunters sauce on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**

Ingredients for hunters sauce.
I always like to gather my ingredients together and prepare them first. Having all the ingredients to hand makes for much easier cooking.
  • Mushrooms – you can use whatever mushrooms you prefer for sauce. I used simple white mushrooms, but you could use any mushrooms really. Chestnut mushrooms give a stronger flavour, or if you are looking for a ‘meatier’ option you could use sliced portobello mushrooms instead. Or how about going with the exotic option and using oyster mushrooms or even shiitake.
  • Onions – use either red or white onions, as long as they are finely sliced. You could substitute these for shallots if you prefer a milder flavour, or leeks for a sweeter sauce.
  • Tomato puree – to add a touch of colour and extra flavour. Tomato puree is simply concentrated tomatoes. You my also know it as tomato paste. Substitute with tomato passata or even tomato ketchup.
  • Butter – this is for browning the onions and the mushrooms. Mushrooms are like little sponges, and they will soak up all the butter, but don’t worry – they will release all that flavour back into the sauce once you have added the stock. If you are watching your weight, substitute with olive oil or a low fat spread.
  • Cream – I used double cream (or heavy whipping cream). If you are calorie conscious you could substitute this with either single cream, or even milk. You may find that you have to thicken the sauce with cornflour if you do this though.
  • Dried thyme – I love the combination of thyme and mushrooms, but you do need to be careful not to overpower the delicate flavour of the mushrooms. A large pinch (or a quarter of a teaspoon) will be more than enough. You can leave it out altogether if you don’t like the taste.
  • Balsamic vinegar – Once again, not too much. You will only need a small amount to balance out the richness of the cream. You can substitute this with Worcestershire sauce.
  • Stock – the liquid component of the sauce. I used all vegetable stock, but you could use beef stock instead. If you prefer, you can substitute half of the stock for white wine. If you don’t have fresh stock, just dissolve one stock cube in one cup of boiling water.
  • Parsley – this is finely chopped and stirred through right at the end.
  • I haven’t included salt and pepper in the photo – but I always taste right at the end and add seasoning if I think it needs it.
  • Cornflour (or cornstarch) – not pictured and optional. Used to thicken the sauce if it does not reduce to the right consistency.

What to do

Ingredients for hunters sauce.
There are only three simple steps for making hunters sauce.
  1. Melt half of the butter in a large frying pan. Add the mushrooms and fry them on a medium heat until they just start to turn brown (1). Remove to a plate and set aside.
  2. Melt the rest of the butter in the same pan, then add the sliced onions and dried thyme. Fry them gently, stirring continuously, until they turn translucent and start to brown (2). Take your time, this step should take about 5 minutes. Don’t allow them to brown too much.
  3. Stir in the tomato puree, then add the stock, cream and balsamic vinegar. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and add the fried mushrooms and onions. Leave to simmer until the sauce has thickened and the onions are soft (3). This will take between 5 and 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in the parsley, taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
  5. The sauce should leave a trail when you draw a spoon through it (4). If you have substituted milk for the cream you may find you need to thicken the sauce with cornflour. To do this mix one tablespoon of cornflour with 2 tablespoons of water to make a smooth paste. Drizzle this into the sauce, stirring continuously over a low heat until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. You may not need all of the cornflour mixture.
Close-up of hunters sauce on a spoon.
Hunters sauce is a hearty, thick sauce and is packed with mushrooms and onions.

If you’d like to be notified of any new recipes, why not subscribe to my newsletter. As a thank-you gift, you will receive a free recipe e-book containing some of my most popular cakes and desserts.

Storage

You can freeze hunter’s sauce for up to 4 months, or you can make it up to 3 days in advance and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Defrost the hunter’s sauce in the refrigerator (if it was frozen). Reheat in a saucepan on the stove-top or in the microwave.

Save for later

If you’d like to try this hunter’s sauce for yourself, why not pin the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.

Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

Serving suggestions

Why not try serving hunters sauce with one of these dishes:

  • crispy crumbed beef schnitzel
  • cheesy bacon-wrapped chicken parcels
  • easy chicken cordonbleu
  • crispy chicken schnitzel
  • Hungrian beef goulash

The recipe

A helping of hunters sauce being poured over a schnitzel on a plate.

Hunters sauce (mushroom sauce)

Hunters sauce is a rich creamy mushroom sauce, packed with flavour. Pour it over schnitzels, steaks or chops, or simply mix it with pasta for a delicious meatless Monday meal.
Recipe by: Veronica
Sauces
French, German
Calories 116
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Print Pin Comment Bookmark Saved!
Prevent your screen from going dark
5 from 1 vote

(Click the stars to rate this recipe)

Equipment

  • Frying Pan
  • Sharp Knife
  • Chopping Board
  • Spatula

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces / 300 grams mushrooms sliced
  • 1 large onion peeled and finely sliced
  • ½ cup double cream (heavy whipping cream) substitute with single cream or milk
  • 1 cup beef or vegetable stock use a stock cube if you don't have fresh stock
  • 1 tablespoon butter (for frying mushrooms)
  • 1 tablespoon butter (for frying onions)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme optional
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour/cornstarch mixed to a paste with 2 tablespoons water (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the mushrooms and fry them on a medium heat until they just start to turn brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.
    10 ounces / 300 grams mushrooms, 1 tablespoon butter (for frying mushrooms)
  • Add the other tablespoon of butter to the same pan, then add the sliced onions. Fry them gently, stirring continuously, until they turn translucent and start to brown. Take your time, this step should take about 5 minutes
    1 large onion, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon butter (for frying onions)
  • Stir in the tomato puree, then add the stock, cream and balsamic vinegar. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and add the fried mushrooms and onions. Leave to simmer until the sauce has thickened and the onions are soft. This will take between 5 and 10 minutes.
    1 cup beef or vegetable stock, 1 tablespoon tomato puree, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, ½ cup double cream (heavy whipping cream)
  • Stir in the parsley, taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary
    2 tablespoons fresh parsley, salt and pepper to taste
  • The sauce should leave a trail when you draw a spoon through it. If you have substituted milk for the cream you may find you need to thicken the sauce with cornflour. To do this mix one tablespoon of cornflour with 2 tablespoons of water to make a smooth paste. Drizzle this into the sauce, stirring continuously over a low heat until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. You may not need all of the cornflour mixture.
    1 tablespoon cornflour/cornstarch

Notes

Substitutions (note – substituting ingredients cannot guarantee an exact replica of the recipe)
  • onions – substitute with shallots or leeks
  • tomato puree – substitute with tomato passata or even tomato ketchup
  • butter – substitute with olive oil or a low fat spread
  • cream – substitute with single cream or milk
  • balsamic vinegar – substitute with Worcestershire sauce
  • stock – substitute half of the stock for white wine
Storage and reheating
You can freeze this sauce for up to 4 months, or you can make it up to 3 days in advance and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Defrost the sauce in the refrigerator (if it was frozen). Reheat in a saucepan on the stove-top or in the microwave.
Nutrition does not include salt and pepper, neither does it include any cornflour that you may use for thickening.

Nutrition

Calories – 116kcal | Carbohydrates – 6.9g | Protein – 3.9g | Fat – 8.2g | Saturated Fat – 5.3g | Cholesterol – 28mg | Sodium – 230mg | Potassium – 369mg | Fiber – 1.7g | Sugar – 3.1g | Calcium – 28mg | Iron – 3mg

I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe I’d love it if you could leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it, I’d love it if you could give me a star rating in the comments below. And if you’d like to get in touch, you can email me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you. And don’t forget to subscribe to my mailing list so you can grab yourself a copy of my FREE COOKBOOK!

If you’d like to continue browsing, just click on this link to all my recipes.

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Yummly
  • Twitter
  • Whatsapp

Filed Under: All Recipes, Sauces, dips and marinades

About VJ

In my previous life, I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, and you'll probably find a little South African influence creeping in due to the many years I spent there.

Previous Post: « Zucchini and pistachio cake – with cream cheese frosting
Next Post: German fried potatoes – with bacon and onions »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to the Foodle Club

Hi, I'm VJ. Welcome to my little kitchen. Step inside and browse my collection of recipes collected over the years. More →

Lets Connect

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


See my Privacy Policy and Disclaimer

By subscribing you consent to receiving the Foodle Club newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Most popular recipes

Sliced silverside on a plate with carrots and potatoes.

Slow-cooker beef silverside

A slice of pineapple coconut cake.

Easy pineapple coconut cake with crushed pineapple

A homemade fishcake cut in half to show the inside.

Easy homemade fish cakes with a crispy coating

A scone covered in strawberry jam in front of a pile of scones.

Quick and easy homemade scones – only 4 ingredients

A wire basket of crispy fries.

Crispy French fries – with a spicy coating

A bowl of white rice with a pair of chopsticks.

How to cook rice in the Microwave

Footer


See my Privacy Policy and Disclaimer

By subscribing you consent to receiving the Foodle Club newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time but the books will still be yours to keep.

In my previous life, I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, and you'll probably find a little South African influence creeping in due to the many years I spent there.

Copyright © 2023 Foodleclub.com