Everything you need to know about making a simple delicious pan sauce! Whether it’s for steak, chicken, fish or mushrooms, you’ll love our easy basic method.
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Often, the difference between an okay dinner and an exquisite meal is so simple—Pan Sauce! Luscious and flavorful it elevates seared mushrooms, fish, chicken, tofu or meat.
Don’t waste the tasty browned bits left on the bottom of the pan after searing vegetables or fish or meat. These delightful morsels are packed with flavor and serve as the foundation for a rich, savory sauce called pan sauce, that can elevate any dish.
Why you’ll love pan sauce
As a chef and caterer, I can’t tell you how often this pan sauce would completely save the day. As a wife, married to a man who always asks, “Is there any sauce?” and who looks like a deflated puppy if there is none, it’s genuinely marriage-saving. And the thing is, it really only takes a few minutes. Also, keep in mind that it is not just for steak—we love it over seared fish, chicken, tofu, and of course, this lion’s mane mushroom recipe!
Pan Sauce Recipe Ingredients
- Olive oil: For sautéing the shallots.
- Shallot: For aromatic depth, complexity, and sweetness! Or use garlic.
- Liquid: Use broth, stock, white wine, or water. Water works just fine, especially when butter is whisked in. If using wine, let it cook off before adding broth, reduce by half, then whisk in the butter.
- Butter: For rich flavor and a creamier texture. Use unsalted butter, then taste and adjust for salt to your preference. Vegan butter will work too.
- Optional herbs: Thyme, Italian parsley, sage, and rosemary.
Pan Sauce recipe Variations
- For Steak Pan Sauce – Use a combination of red wine (or white wine) and chicken or beef stock for the liquid. Add sage or thyme.
- For Lamb Pan Sauce– white wine and chicken broth with rosemary! Either shallots or garlic or a combo works.
- For Chicken Pan Sauce – Use a combination of white wine and chicken stock for the liquid. Feel free to swap out garlic for the shallot. Thyme works great here.
- For Fish Pan Sauce – Use garlic or shallot, and white wine with a little lemon juice for the liquid. Fresh Italian parsley is a nice touch.
- Aromatics – Use garlic, shallot, onion or leeks. Shallots will add sweetness while garlic is more punchy and pungent. Add fresh herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary, parsley, basil, or tarragon.
- Liquid additions – Keep in mind, you can simply use water, broth or white wine. Or experiment with a splash of brandy, vermouth, sherry wine, marsala wine, ruby port, or even champagne works.
- Additional flavor enhancers – A few drops of any of the following can add flavor: Worcestershire sauce, miso paste, soy sauce, Tabasco, squeeze of lemon juice, lime juice, dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar.
- Make it creamy – Add a swirl of heavy cream if you like! The richness in the butter is enough for me, but you do you.
- Make it vegan. Use vegan butter to emulsify. Or thicken with flour—which is truthfully more like a “gravy.” A few drops of soy sauce or liquid aminos will add umami flavor and depth.
How to make Pan Sauce
1. Warm your skillet. It’s best to use the same skillet you used to sear the meat, tofu, or veggies. Remove excess fat, but don’t wipe out the skillet. You want those flavorful browned bits (called fond).
2. Add aromatics. Add the shallots and just enough oil to sauté them. Bring the pan to medium heat, stirring until golden. Toss in herbs if using.
3. Deglaze the pan. Add liquid of choice and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits with a spatula. Reduce by half.
4. Add the fat. Whisk in butter, emuslifing the sauce, reducing heat to low. Once incorporated, turn off the heat.
5. Season. Taste and adjust for kosher salt and black pepper. If you used water, add a couple of drops of soy sauce for depth. For acidity, add 1-2 drops of vinegar or lemon juice.
Chef’s Tips
- Use the same pan you used for searing meat, tofu, or veggies. This way you can keep any browned bits (fond) to enhance the flavor of the sauce. Keep your main dish in a warm oven while you make the sauce!
- Use a cast iron skillet. Or heavy bottom stainless steel skillet.
- Don’t be afraid to just use water! Once the butter is whisked in, it actually makes a nice sauce.
- If using wine, I prefer to cook it off first before adding stock or broth. Then reduce the broth by half before whisking in the butter.
- If your pan sauce breaks or over-reduces, whisk in a little water while continuing to heat the pan.
Storing Pan Sauce
Store leftover pan sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
FAQs
Pan sauce is made using a liquid with the tasty browned bits leftover from cooking meat or veggies, emulsified with butter.
Gravy is similar to pan sauce, but it is usually thickened with flour and sometimes dairy.
Use broth, stock, white wine, or just water. You can always add other liquid flavor enhancers like a splash of brandy, vermouth, sherry wine, marsala wine, ruby port, or even champagne.
Love this easy Pan Sauce recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
More Sauce Recipes to Try
Pan Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2-4
- Category: sauces, cooking basics
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Everything you need to know about making a simple delicious pan sauce! Whether it’s for steak, chicken, fish or mushrooms, you’ll love our easy basic method. Vegan- adaptable.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely diced (3–4 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup liquid (broth, white wine or water, see notes)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- optional herbs: thyme, Italian parsley, sage, rosemary
Instructions
- Heat a skillet (preferably the same skillet you used to sear the meat or veggies.) Fee free to remove excess fat- but don’t wipe out the skillet- you want those browned bits (called fond).
- Add aromatics. Add the shallots and just enough olive oil to saute them. Saute over medium heat, stirring often, until golden. Toss in herbs if using.
- Deglaze. Add the liquid, and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce by half.
- Add the fat. Whisk in the butter, lowering heat to low. Once incorporated, turn off the heat.
- Season. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If you used water, a couple of drops of soy sauce will add delicious depth. If you want some acidity, add 1-2 drops of vinegar or lemon juice.
Notes
- Use a cast iron skillet or heavy bottom stainless steel skillet for the best results.
- You can make a pan sauce simply by adding water to the pan and whisking in butter. Shallot adds beautiful complexity and sweetness.
- When using wine, I prefer to cook it mostly off first, then add stock or broth, reduce by half, before whisking in butter.
- If your pan sauce breaks or over reduces, whisk in a little water, while heating it.
- To make vegan pan sauce, use veggie broth or water and whisk in vegan butter. Or thicken with flour, by making a roux (use extra olive oil), however, this is more like a gravy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ tablespoons
- Calories: 57
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 6.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.4 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Cholesterol: 7.6 mg
Very simple and fool proof!
Great to hear! I’m so glad you gave this a go!
Hi there . I too know that question – is there a sauce ?! One thing I always want to ask about pan sauces is the timing . After you eg cook steak it can rest but surely not for 15 minutes which is yr timing for yr sauce . And if you need the morsels in the pan you can’t do ahead 🤔. Advice please :). Thanks
Great question Rosemary! I place the meat in a low warm oven- like at 150-200F- while I make the sauce. It helps to slightly undercook it and let it finish in the oven.