Can You Freeze Creamy Mushroom Sauce?

Cream of mushroom, cream of celery, cream of chicken – I’m sure you’ve heard of them all. They are useful staples and you can use them for so many things. When it comes to creamy mushroom sauce, you must consider that it is just as versatile as these other items. 

Creamy mushroom sauce is relatively easy to make but you can also purchase the canned version to retain as a staple item in your pantry. 

Whether you make your own creamy mushroom sauce or use the can, inevitably you are going to end up with leftovers. It seems like there are always leftover foods and you have to figure out what to do with them so they don’t go bad. 

Can you freeze creamy mushroom sauce or do you have to simply toss out the unused sauce? It’s delightfully delicious so you hate to waste even the smallest remaining amount and each batch makes quite a bit. 

Creamy mushroom sauce does have cream, which is probably why you are questioning whether it is truly safe to freeze. The good news is you can freeze your creamy mushroom sauce and there is nothing wrong with it when you do. It’s quite easy to freeze and it’s also pretty easy to use when you pull it out of the freezer as well. 

We’ve prepared a simple guide to walk you through the process of making creamy mushroom sauce as well as walking you through everything you should know about freezing your sauce and using it after you freeze it. 

Keep reading to get the insight you’re after and put your creamy mushroom sauce to the best use! 

A Creamy Mushroom Sauce Guide

Creamy mushroom sauce has a lot of great uses. It’s a versatile sauce that you can even turn into a soup if you’re looking to really switch things up. Using a creamy mushroom sauce can subtly change the flavor of any routine meal. 

Here are some examples of things you can do with your creamy mushroom sauce:

• Use it as a steak topping and marinade
• Smother chicken or pork chops in creamy mushroom sauce 
• Use creamy mushroom sauce as a pasta sauce
• Use creamy mushroom sauce rather than gravy over mashed potatoes
• Add flavor to soups
• Use it to smother omelets
• Make beef stroganoff with creamy mushroom sauce
• Use to replace gravy for roast
• Use for a meatball sauce
• Add extra toppings and flavor to your baked potatoes
• Use with Salisbury steak
• Use as a bread dip or as a soup in a bread bowl

Do you catch the drift yet? There are so many things you can do with your creamy mushroom sauce. Don’t let this list halt you from trying other options, this is just a compilation of some popular uses for the sauce. 

Making Creamy Mushroom Sauce

There are probably thousands of recipes available for making creamy mushroom sauce. No single recipe is right or wrong. We wanted to provide you with a common example of how creamy mushroom sauce is made. 

Below, we will share a common creamy mushroom sauce recipe. Be aware that this recipe is not set in stone and you can make your creamy mushroom sauce however you would like. This is simply to provide you an example of how it is made so you further understand the types of ingredients you are working with when it comes to storing and freezing the sauce. 

Here is our simple recipe to share how creamy mushroom sauce is made in general. 

1. You will need butter, oil, sliced mushrooms, salt & pepper, thyme, garlic, heavy cream, corn flour or corn starch mixed with a small amount of milk (to thicken), and chopped parsley. You can also add parmesan if you like a slightly cheesy sauce. 
2. Heat butter and olive oil together. 
3. Sauté the mushrooms in the pan, adding thyme, salt, and pepper. 
4. Fry the mushrooms until they are golden brown in color. Add garlic or garlic cloves and fry a bit longer. 
5. Add cream and cornstarch mixture. Bring sauce to a simmer and allow the sauce to simmer for 5-10 minutes. 
6. The sauce will thicken during simmer time and is finished when it reaches your desired thickness and is warmed through. 
7. Add additional seasonings if needed as well as the parsley. 

This process takes less than 30 minutes when you include your mushroom slicing time. It really can be done in hardly any time at all and makes a great addition to nearly any meal you might be using it for. 

While you are simmering the sauce, you can be preparing other parts of your meal as a convenient way to save time throughout the process. Multi-tasking always makes things go a bit smoother. 

Freezing Creamy Mushroom Sauce

The hard part is over and you’ve probably put your sauce to use. Maybe you made way more than you needed for your recipe or maybe you made bulk amounts on purpose. Whatever the reason, you need to properly store your mushroom sauce for future use. 

Freezing your creamy mushroom sauce is really very simple. There are not any complicated steps to follow and you don’t have to worry about the cream. It will freeze just fine. There are some things that can prepare you for using it after freezing, which we will get to shortly. 

Here are the steps for storing creamy mushroom sauce:

1. You can store creamy mushroom sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days. To do this, simply spoon it into an airtight container and place it in the fridge. 
2. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature. 
3. To freeze, spoon the sauce into either a freezer bag or an airtight container that is freezer-safe. Be sure that it is well sealed no matter which method you use. 
4. Seal, label, and date the freezer container. 
5. Place into the freezer. 
6. Your sauce will stay good in the freezer for about 6 months. 

Now, here’s the deal. This is a cream-based sauce so how do you handle that when it comes out of the freezer?

Tips for Using Creamy Mushroom Sauce After Freezing

The first thing you will need to do is to either allow the sauce full thawing time or take it straight from the freezer to a pan and reheat it on the stove. If you are going to allow the sauce to thaw, put it in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours. 

If the Sauce Splits

Cream-based sauce is prone to splitting, however, you will notice that our recipe recommended corn flour or corn starch. This is the best way to prevent your sauce from splitting. With the use of these products, you should not have to worry about your sauce splitting. 

However, if your sauce does happen to split, stir a few tablespoons of water into the mixture and it will help return the sauce to its normal texture and consistency. 

The possibility of your sauce splitting is the number one risk to be concerned about when you freeze the sauce. However, we are confident that if you pay attention to the tips provided in this article, we are confident your sauce will turn out delightful. 

Related Questions

We hope that you find this guide to be useful for your creamy mushroom and your freezing possibilities. Your options are endless and freezing is truly a viable option (just remember the corn starch or flour!). 

We encourage you to take a look at the question and answer section for some additional information that may be helpful for you. 

Can I Make Creamy Mushroom Sauce with Canned Mushrooms?

Many would tell you that fresh is always best and that may be the case, but we believe in the fundamentals of saving time and using resources whenever you can. You may decide that you prefer fresh mushrooms in this sauce because of the flavor they provide. 

However, you can use canned mushrooms if you would prefer and your sauce should turn out quite similar. You can also follow the same freezing steps. Be sure to drain and rinse your canned mushrooms prior to cooking with them. 

Can I Use Creamy Mushroom Sauce to Replace Cream of Mushroom Soup?

Cream of mushroom soup tends to be a bit thicker in consistency than creamy mushroom sauce. You can use creamy mushroom sauce as a substitute but keep in mind that it will not be as thick or creamy and you may need to find ways to thicken it up in order for it to work effectively and not be too runny for some dishes. 

Can Creamy Mushroom Sauce Be Made with Wine?

Creamy mushroom sauce has a multitude of recipes that can be used. Each recipe has its own unique twist or ingredient. You can use wine (preferably a dry wine) in your creamy mushroom sauce and it will work great. 

Just remember to add that corn flour or corn starch so that your sauce will still freeze well. 

Up Next: The Best Substitutes For Cream Of Mushroom Soup