A Greek-inspired version of classic Marsala sauce, this gem swaps Sicilian Marsala for sweet yet deep Greek Mavrodaphne and balanced dry red wine. The result? Sweet, rich, earthy mushrooms dancing with garlic and thyme. It’s elegant without being complicated, a sauce that feels chef-level but is totally home-cook friendly.
If you love this Marsala Sauce With Mavrodaphne Wine, you will also love this Greek Beef Stew With Eggplant, Stifado-Red Wine Beef Stew, & Kokkinisto-Braised Beef in Red Sauce!
Why you will love this wine sauce
A Greek Take on Marsala Sauce
- This sauce is my Greek interpretation of a classic marsala sauce. While traditional marsala is made with Sicilian marsala wine and is most familiar through Chicken Marsala, an Italian-American favorite, the technique itself has always been about balancing richness, sweetness, and depth.
- In this version, I swap Sicilian marsala for sweet Greek Mavrodaphne, paired with a touch of dry red wine to keep the sauce balanced. Mavrodaphne, a grape native to the Peloponnese and best known through Mavrodaphne of Pátras, brings a deep, dark character with notes of caramel, dried fruit, coffee, and chocolate.
- Those flavors meld beautifully with mushrooms, butter, garlic, onion, and reduced broth, creating a sauce that’s silky, savory, and gently sweet. It stays true to the spirit of a marsala-style sauce while giving it a distinctly Greek identity, one that feels at home over steak, chicken, or a festive holiday table.
Here is what you need
- Mushrooms – The backbone of the sauce. They add earthiness and depth, soaking up all that buttery goodness as they cook.
- Onion & garlic – These build the savory base of the sauce. The onion softens and sweetens as it cooks, while the garlic adds warmth and aroma.
- Mavrodaphne wine – This sweet Greek wine gives the sauce its signature dark color and complex notes of caramel, dried fruit, and spice.
- Dry red wine – Used to balance the sweetness of the Mavrodaphne and keep the sauce rich but not cloying. Always cook with a wine you’d happily drink.
- Chicken broth – Adds body and savory depth. Vegetable broth works just as well if you prefer.
- Extra virgin olive oil – Used for sautéing and building flavor from the very first step.
- Butter – Added at the end for richness and a silky finish.
- Fresh thyme sprigs – I like to add a couple of sprigs right at the end so the flavor stays fresh and aromatic. A light sprinkle of thyme leaves just before serving is lovely.
Step by step
Step 1: Pour the chicken broth into a saucepan and let it simmer until it is reduced to ¼ of the original volume.
Step 2: Place a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, and saute the mushrooms until golden brown.
Step 3: Lower the heat, add the onion, and saute until caramelized for about 4 to 5 minutes; add the garlic and stir.
Step 4: When the garlic is fragrant, pour the mavrodaphne and dry red wine, and simmer until the liquids are reduced to about one-third.
Add the condensed chicken stock and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens.
Step 5: Stir the butter in the sauce.
Step 6: Add the fresh thyme herbs and stir. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. keep the sauce warm until serving.
What to Serve It With
This sauce loves bold, simple mains that let it shine:
- Roasted or pan-seared chicken
- Pork chops or pork pot roast
- Mashed potatoes or buttered rice
- Roasted vegetables, especially mushrooms, carrots, or Brussels sprouts
It’s also wonderful served on the side as a finishing sauce, letting guests spoon it over their plates as they like.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make ahead: The sauce can be made earlier in the day and gently reheated before serving.
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm slowly over low heat, stirring gently to keep the sauce smooth.
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Marsala Sauce with Mavrodapne Wine
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz white mushrooms sliced
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves diced
- 1 cup mavrodaphne wine
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 cus chicken broth
- 5 tablespoons butter
- thyme sprigs
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
This recipe yields 2 cups of sauce.
- Pour the chicken broth into a saucepan and let it simmer until it is reduced to ¼ of the original volume.
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, and saute the mushrooms until golden brown.
- Lower the heat, add the onion, and saute until caramelized for about 4 to 5 minutes; add the garlic and stir.
- When the garlic is fragrant, pour the mavrodaphne and dry red wine, and simmer until the liquids are reduced to about one-third.
- Add the condensed chicken stock and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Stir the butter in the sauce.
- Add the fresh thyme herbs and stir. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. keep the sauce warm until serving.
Notes
- Use the mushrooms you like. I use baby Bella, white button mushrooms, and portobello. They all work great.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix 1 tsp of cornflour/cornstarch with a tablespoon of the sauce or broth. Once the cornflour is dissolved, mix it in the sauce
Nutrition
This sauce is so wonderfully flavourful and really easy to make. I use it on everything from chicken thighs, to meatballs, and pork chops. All the flavours are bang on.
Thanks so much, Bernice, so happy you enjoy the sauce!
This sauce is so rich! It reminds me of the sauce in beef stroganoff – so good and perfect with steak!
Yes indeed, it is similar to beef stroganoff! Thanks so much, Lauren!
Mushroom dishes taste so comforting to me, their umami flavor is just irresistible. I love all your suggestions for serving this gorgeous-looking sauce, especially the idea of spooning it over an omelet! I hadn’t thought of that and now I’m obsessed 😍 Also, I’d never heard of Coconut Aminos, just googled it so thanks for the discovery!
Thank you so much, Marie!
Oh tried this recipe and I am totally in love with the flavors. It’s so creamy. Saving this for later too will have to make this again. Love the simplicity and the rich flavor. I can use this sauce with so many sides.
My husband and my daughter are HUGE mushroom lovers, so I just had to try out this sauce. We had it with chicken breast and it was a big hit.
Thanks so much, Tristin!
This would be great with steak…I’ve never made my own but seeing how easy it is, I have to give it a try. Such a comforting dish to serve alongside so many different meals!
Hi Tammy! It is indeed delicious with steak! Thanks so much!
My husband would just love this! I’m not a fan of mushrooms so he’d be thrilled if I made this for his birthday or something. 🙂 It looks perfect for him!
Thanks so much, Erin!
I love the idea of adding it to omelets! I really need to give this a try.
Hope you like the sauce with the eggs, Alex! Thanks so much!
So creamy… so good… this is EXACTLY how I love my mushroom sauce. Fantastic flavor and easy to make – just perfect.
Thanks so much, Elaine!
I love mushrooms and I’m always looking for different ways to cook them. This recipe has come at a great time as I have some mushrooms in the fridge, I cant wait to try it and serve it with mashed potatoes. Thanks for sharing
What happened to the recipe for the creamy mushroom sauce? It was replaced by another recipe.
Hi Autumn,
The recipe was updated to a different sauce, I am sorry! The mushroom sauce will be featured on our new website misscookalot.com soon.
Bellow is the recipe for the mushroom sauce
Ingredients
½ onion diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces mushrooms brown or white, sliced
salt and ground pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic minced
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup white wine
½ cup chicken broth
⅔ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce (replace with coconut aminos or omit from recipe)
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
1. Saute the onion in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until fragrant and softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms have released juices 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper, add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the wine to deglaze and loosen any bits off the pan and simmer a few minutes until the wine has almost evaporated.
4. Add the chicken broth and cream. Add nutmeg, mustard, and worcestershire sauce. Stir and simmer 5 minutes or until reduced by half.
5. To thicken the sauce further, add the grated parmesan into the broth a little bit at a time to reach desired consistency. You may not need all of the parmesan.
Let sauce simmer for one minute.
Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Thanks so much!
Jenny
Thanks so much for providing the recipe so quickly! I really want to make it today!
You are very welcome Autumn! x Jenny