I make my creamy mushroom pork chops with seared boneless pork chops, a fresh sage cream sauce and a full pound of mushrooms roasted separately until browned. The mushrooms go on at the end instead of simmering in the sauce, so they keep the roasted flavor and texture they developed in the oven.
Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops with Roasted Mushrooms and Sage Cream Sauce
Since moving to Oregon, I’ve somehow become even more attached to mushrooms than I already was. I’ve always loved pork chops with mushrooms, but with this dish, I wanted the mushrooms to have more presence than they usually do once they find themselves in a cream sauce. So, I gave them their own pan and a hot oven, while the boneless pork chops get seared on the stove, leaving everything from the sear behind for the sage cream sauce. A full pound of mushrooms might sound like a lot for four boneless pork chops, but they shrink considerably once they roast and give up their moisture.
What I didn’t want was a skillet full of pale mushrooms that had given everything they had to the sauce. I wanted browned, concentrated mushroom flavor and pieces I could still identify when taking a bite. Roasting them separately does that, and it also keeps all of their released moisture out of the cream sauce.
The pork chops get their own time in the skillet first. I sear them until they have good color, then take them out before they’re completely cooked through. I don’t wipe out the skillet afterward because everything left from searing the pork belongs in the sauce. That’s what the flour, chicken broth and cream go into, and the fresh sage follows.
Once the pork goes back into the skillet, it only needs a few more minutes in the sauce to reach 145°F. Then the roasted mushrooms go over everything at the end. They stay browned and substantial, the sauce stays creamy, and neither one has to become the other.
I wanted creamy mushroom pork chops where the mushrooms still tasted like they weren’t a side quest.
What Makes This Recipe Different
- Mushrooms have a surprising amount of water, and I didn’t want that water released into the cream sauce. Roasting a full pound at 450°F gives the moisture somewhere to go while the mushrooms reduce considerably in size and develop more concentrated flavor. By the time they meet the pork chops, that part of their cooking is already finished.
- The sage cream sauce is made in the same skillet used to sear the pork chops. I leave the drippings and everything from the sear in the pan, then add the flour before slowly whisking in the chicken broth. The broth loosens what’s left in the skillet and brings the flavor into the cream and fresh sage.
- I also don’t fully cook the pork during the initial sear. The chops go back into the sauce to finish, which gives me much more control over the final temperature than cooking them through first and then having them spend another few minutes in a hot skillet. I’m looking for 145°F in the thickest part, not a specific number of minutes on the clock.
Ingredients
- Boneless pork chops – I use 1-inch-thick boneless pork chops because they give me enough time to sear the outside without cooking the center through before they go back into the sauce.
- Baby portobello mushrooms – You may also see these labeled baby bella or cremini mushrooms; they’re the same mushroom. I use a full pound because I want mushrooms all over this dish, not five slices floating around pretending they contributed.
- Olive oil – Used for roasting the mushrooms and searing the pork. The mushrooms need enough to be lightly coated before they go into the hot oven.
- Unsalted butter – Goes into the skillet with the olive oil for the pork chops and adds more flavor as they sear.
- Garlic powder – I use it on the pork and again in the sauce. It gives me garlic flavor without putting fresh garlic into a very hot skillet where it can burn before the pork is ready.
- Kosher salt and black pepper – For seasoning the pork and mushrooms as they cook. I go lightly on the mushrooms because the cream sauce gets seasoned separately.
- All-purpose flour – There’s only a tablespoon. It gives the sauce enough body to coat the pork without turning it into mushroom gravy.
- Chicken broth – Gives me the liquid I need to loosen the skillet after searing without diluting the sauce with water.
- Heavy cream – The base of the sage cream sauce. It gives me the richness I want and holds up while the pork finishes cooking.
- Fresh sage – This is supposed to taste like sage. I use a full tablespoon of fresh because I want it in the sauce, not three leaves scattered on top so we can technically say it’s there.
- Sea salt – Used to season the cream sauce separately so I can control that part of the dish without oversalting the pork.
- Fresh parsley – Goes over the finished pork chops and mushrooms right before serving.
How to Make Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.
- Step One (roast the mushrooms)
Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Toss the sliced mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, adding the last tablespoon if they look like they need it, then spread them out in a single layer and season lightly with salt. Roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes, until they’ve released their moisture and have real color on them. Set them aside. Their job is done for now. - Step Two (sear the pork chops)
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the pork chops with garlic powder, salt and black pepper, then sear them for about 5 minutes per side, until they’re browned on both sides. Five minutes is a guide, not a promise. Pork chops have opinions about thickness. You don’t want them at 145°F yet because they’re going back into the sauce for a few more minutes. Move them to a plate and leave everything behind in the skillet. - Step Three (make the sage cream sauce)
Turn the heat down to medium and whisk the flour into the drippings. Let it cook for about 1 minute, then slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking and scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen everything left from searing the pork. Once it’s smooth, whisk in the heavy cream, fresh sage, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper. Let the sauce simmer until it starts to thicken. We’re making cream sauce, not wallpaper paste, so it should still swirl easily around the pan. - Step Four (finish the pork in the sauce)
Return the pork chops and any juices on the plate to the skillet. Let them simmer in the sage cream sauce for 3–5 minutes, spooning some of the sauce over the top as they cook. Check the thickest part of each chop with an instant-read thermometer and take the skillet off the heat when they reach 145°F (63°C). This is one of the places to trust the thermometer more than the clock because even pork chops sold as the same thickness don’t necessarily cook at the same rate. - Step Five (add the roasted mushrooms)
Spoon the sage cream sauce over the pork chops, then place the roasted mushrooms over the top. I wait until the very end to add them because I didn’t just roast a full pound of mushrooms at 450°F only to turn around and simmer all the browning back out of them. Finish with the fresh parsley and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Use pork chops that are close to the same thickness. Even when the package says 1 inch, I still check them because pork chops like to lie.
- Give the mushrooms lots of room on the baking sheet. If they’re on top of each other, they spend more time sitting in their own liquid and less time browning.
- Stir the mushrooms about every 5 minutes so different surfaces get exposed to the hot pan and they brown more evenly.
- Whisk the flour into the fat before adding the broth. Give it about a minute in the skillet so you don’t have raw flour going straight into the liquid.
- Keep the cream sauce at a simmer; it doesn’t need a hard boil. A gentle simmer is enough to thicken the sauce and finish the pork without beating the heck out of the cream.
- Remember that the sauce keeps thickening after the heat is off. I stop when it still moves easily around the skillet because waiting until it looks extremely thick on the stove means it may be much thicker by the time everyone sits down.
- Don’t take the pork to 145°F during the initial sear. The chops still have another 3–5 minutes in the sauce. If they’re completely cooked before they go back into the skillet, those last few minutes can take them well past where you wanted them.
- Let the thermometer make the final call. Five minutes per side worked with the 1-inch chops I tested, but thickness and skillet temperature change cooking time. Check the thickest part and finish at 145°F.
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover pork chops with the sage cream sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keeping the pork with the sauce helps it retain more moisture when it’s reheated.
- For the best reheating, put the pork and sauce in a skillet over low heat and warm it slowly. If the sauce has thickened up in the refrigerator, add a small splash of chicken broth or heavy cream until it loosens back to the consistency you want.
- You can also use the microwave, but I would do it in short intervals and stop as soon as the pork is hot. Boneless pork chops can go from reheated to dry quickly.
- I wouldn’t make this one for the freezer on purpose. Cream sauces can separate after freezing and reheating, and the roasted mushrooms lose the texture we went to all the trouble to create in the first place.
FAQs
- Can I use bone-in pork chops?
Yes. Bone-in chops work, but they take longer to cook depending on their thickness. Sear them the same way, then use an instant-read thermometer to determine when they’re done rather than adding an arbitrary number of minutes. - Can I use a different kind of mushroom?
Yes. White button mushrooms are fine and can be prepared the same way. I prefer baby portobello, baby bella or cremini mushrooms because they have more mushroom flavor. - Can I use dried sage instead of fresh sage?
Yes. For 1 tablespoon of fresh sage, I would use about 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage. If you have finely ground sage instead, use less because it’s considerably more concentrated. - Can I use half-and-half instead of heavy cream?
You can, but it’s not an equal substitution. The sauce will be thinner and less stable, especially if it gets too hot. Heavy cream is the better choice for the texture this recipe is supposed to have. - Why did my mushrooms turn watery instead of brown?
Usually they either didn’t have enough room on the baking sheet or the oven wasn’t hot enough. Mushrooms release water first. They only begin to brown well after that moisture has had a chance to evaporate, which is why the 450°F oven and a roomy sheet pan matter. - What if my cream sauce is too thick?
Whisk in a small splash of chicken broth until it loosens. I prefer broth over adding more cream because it thins the sauce without making it even richer. - What should I serve with creamy mushroom pork chops?
Mashed potatoes are probably the most obvious answer because they make very good use of the sage cream sauce. Buttered noodles, rice or soft polenta all work too, and something green on the side keeps the plate from becoming fifty shades of taupe.
From My Kitchen Notes
Small observations from the margins.
- Some things need to lose a lot of water before you find out what they really are.
- Being taken out before you’re done is not always the same thing as being left behind.
- Remember that not everything belongs in the same pan just because it eventually ends up on the same plate.
- There are times when keeping yourself separate is the only way to keep what made you worth wanting in the first place.
- There’s a difference between being surrounded by something and vanishing into it.
- Leaving behind something useful doesn’t mean you were meant to stay.
- Maybe you should only return after things have changed enough to make it worthwhile.
- Sometimes loving two things means refusing to make them become each other.
What Else I Do with Boneless Pork Chops
- Pork Marsala – Dry Marsala and mushrooms.
- Pork Chops with Balsamic Fig Sauce – Shallots, dried figs, balsamic reduction.
- Peach Chutney Pork Chops – Fresh peaches, ginger, shallots.
- Orange Glazed Pork Chops – Tangy five-ingredient orange glaze.
- Pork Cutlets with Apples – Sweet and tart apple varieties.
- Sheet Pan Pork Chops – Potatoes and broccoli alongside.
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Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops
Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops pair seared boneless pork chops with a fresh sage cream pan sauce and a full pound of separately roasted baby portobello mushrooms added before serving.
Servings: 4
Calories: 547kcal
Equipment
- large rimmed baking sheet Gives the pound of sliced mushrooms enough surface area to roast without crowding.
- parchment paper Keeps the mushrooms from sticking to the baking sheet.
- large skillet Used to sear the pork chops and prepare the sage cream sauce from the drippings.
- whisk Helps incorporate the flour and liquids into a smooth cream sauce.
- instant-read thermometer The most reliable way to determine when the pork chops have reached 145°F (63°C).
Ingredients
Roasted Mushrooms:
- 16 oz (454 g) baby portobello mushrooms sliced
- 2-3 tbsps (30-45 ml) olive oil
- kosher salt lightly sprinkled, to taste
Pork Chops:
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
- 4 (24 oz / 680 g total) boneless pork chops 1-inch think
- ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sage Cream Sauce:
- 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tbsp (2 g) finely chopped fresh sage
- ¼ tsp (0.75 g) garlic powder
- ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp (0.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (4 g) finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the sliced mushrooms with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, adding the remaining tablespoon if needed to lightly coat them. Spread the mushrooms in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and season lightly with salt.16 oz (454 g) baby portobello mushrooms, 2-3 tbsps (30-45 ml) olive oil, kosher salt
- Roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have released their moisture, are tender and well browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the pork chops with garlic powder, salt and black pepper.1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, 4 (24 oz / 680 g total) boneless pork chops, ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
- Add the pork chops to the hot skillet and sear for about 5 minutes per side, or until well browned. Cooking time will vary with thickness. The pork does not need to reach 145°F (63°C) at this point because it will finish cooking in the sauce. Transfer the pork chops to a plate, leaving the drippings and browned bits in the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the flour into the skillet and whisk it into the drippings. Cook for 1 minute.1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Whisk until smooth, then add the heavy cream, sage, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper. Cook at a gentle simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken.½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream, 1 tbsp (2 g) finely chopped fresh sage, ¼ tsp (0.75 g) garlic powder, ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt, ¼ tsp (0.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer for 3–5 minutes, spooning the sauce over the pork, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) when checked in the thickest portion with an instant-read thermometer.
- Spoon the sage cream sauce over the pork chops. Top with the roasted mushrooms and fresh parsley before serving.1 tbsp (4 g) finely chopped fresh parsley
Notes
- Baby portobello mushrooms may also be labeled cremini or baby bella mushrooms. They are the same variety and can be used interchangeably in this recipe.
- The initial searing time is an estimate for 1-inch-thick boneless pork chops. Thickness can vary considerably, so use the internal temperature rather than cooking time alone to determine when the pork is finished.
- Do not cook the pork chops completely during the initial sear. They return to the skillet and finish cooking in the sage cream sauce.
- The mushrooms need room on the baking sheet for their released moisture to evaporate. A crowded pan can cause them to steam rather than brown.
- The cream sauce will continue to thicken somewhat after the skillet is removed from the heat. If it becomes thicker than desired, whisk in a small amount of chicken broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops
Amount Per Serving (290 g)
Calories 547
Calories from Fat 405
% Daily Value*
Fat 45g69%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 15g
Cholesterol 185mg62%
Sodium 525mg23%
Potassium 1025mg29%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 42g84%
Vitamin A 700IU14%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 50mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Have you made these Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.
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