Steak with Sauce Bordelaise is one of those wonderful French-inspired dinners that looks elegant on the table yet is surprisingly easy to prepare. A beautifully seared steak is finished with a rich, silky sauce that turns a simple dinner into something quite special.
My Bordelaise combines shallots, Dijon mustard, wine, butter, and cream into a rich, silky sauce made right in the same skillet. If you enjoy French-inspired steak dinners, try my New York Steaks with Wine Sauce or Pan-Seared New York Steak with Whiskey Cream.
Recipe Overview: Steak with Sauce Bordelaise
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Cook Method: Pan-seared in a skillet
- Flavor & Texture: Tender, juicy steak with a rich, silky wine, shallot, Dijon, and cream sauce.
- Difficulty:Easy. The steak and sauce are prepared in the same skillet with simple, straightforward steps.
- Why this Recipe? An elegant French-inspired steak dinner that feels restaurant-worthy but is surprisingly easy to prepare at home. The rich Bordelaise sauce transforms a simple steak into something truly special
Serve it with crispy rosemary roasted potatoes and a simple green salad for an effortless dinner that feels straight out of a little French bistro. This is exactly the kind of meal I love: uncomplicated ingredients, classic flavors, and something delicious enough to make an ordinary evening feel special.
In this Article
A Note From Giangi
Key Ingredients
Steaks – Use your favorite cut, about 1 inch thick. New York strip, ribeye, or filet mignon are all excellent choices. Allow the steaks to come to room temperature before cooking so they cook more evenly.
Unsalted butter – Used to sear the steaks and create the rich base for the Bordelaise sauce. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the seasoning.
Shallots – Finely chopped shallots add a delicate sweetness and mild onion flavor without overpowering the sauce.
Italian parsley – Adds freshness and a subtle herbal note that balances the richness of the butter and cream.
Dijon mustard – Gives the sauce a little tang and helps bring all the flavors together.
Wine – Red wine gives the sauce a deeper, richer flavor, while white wine creates a slightly lighter sauce. Use a wine that you would enjoy drinking.
Heavy cream – Adds richness and creates that wonderfully smooth, velvety consistency.
Sugar – Just a small amount balances the acidity of the wine and mustard.
Salt and pepper – Season the steaks and finish the sauce to your taste.
How to Make Steak with Sauce Bordelaise
Step 1: Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter begins to foam and the foam starts to subside, add the steaks.
Step 2: Cook the steaks to your preferred doneness. Transfer them to a serving platter and loosely cover with foil to keep them warm while you prepare the sauce.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining butter, shallots, parsley, and Dijon mustard to the same skillet. Stir everything together until well combined and smooth.
Step 4: Pour in the wine and bring the sauce to a gentle boil, scraping up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Step 5: Add the sugar and heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper and allow the sauce to simmer gently until it reduces and becomes rich and slightly thickened.
Step 6: Return the steaks and any juices that have accumulated on the platter to the skillet. Spoon the Bordelaise sauce over the steaks and warm everything together for a couple of minutes.
Serve immediately with plenty of sauce spooned over each steak.
Giangi’s Pro Tips
Bring the steaks to room temperature before cooking. This helps them cook more evenly from edge to center.
Use a heavy-bottomed skillet. It holds the heat well and gives the steaks that beautiful golden sear.
Do not overcrowd the pan. Give each steak enough room to brown properly rather than steam.
Keep all those browned bits in the skillet. They are full of flavor and become the foundation of your Bordelaise sauce.
Use a wine you enjoy drinking. Since the wine reduces and becomes concentrated, its flavor will come through in the finished sauce.
Let the sauce simmer gently. A hard boil can reduce it too quickly and affect the smooth texture of the cream.
Taste before adding more salt. The sauce becomes more concentrated as it reduces, so season toward the end.
Let the steaks rest while you prepare the sauce. This keeps all those wonderful juices inside the meat.
Return the steak juices to the pan. Never let them go to waste. They add another layer of richness to the sauce.
Serve immediately. This dish is at its best when the steak is warm, and the Bordelaise sauce is silky and freshly made.
What to Serve with Steak and Sauce Bordelaise
With a rich and flavorful Bordelaise sauce, I like to keep the side dishes simple and let the steak be the star of the meal.
Roasted rosemary potatoes are a natural choice. Crispy on the outside and tender inside, they are perfect for soaking up every last bit of the sauce.
For something a little more decadent, Gratin Dauphinois is pure French comfort food and makes this steak dinner feel extra special.
Add something green to balance all that richness. Green beans gremolata, Petits Pois à la Française, or roasted asparagus are all wonderful choices.
For a lighter dinner, serve the steak with a simple butter lettuce salad with shallot vinaigrette. The freshness and acidity of the salad are a beautiful contrast to the creamy, savory sauce.
Storage and Reheating
Store: leftover steak and Bordelaise sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If possible, keep the sauce separate from the steak so both retain their best texture.
Reheat: warm the steak gently in a skillet over low heat until just heated through. Reheat the sauce separately over low heat, stirring often. If it becomes too thick, add a small splash of cream or water to loosen it.
Avoid overheating the steak, as it can quickly become dry and tough.
More Steak Recipes You Will Love
If you tried this Steak with Sauce Bordelaise or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.
Steak with Sauce Bordelaise
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Steaks 4 6-ounces Steaks of your choice 1 inch Thick
- 6 tbsps unsalted butter 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tbsps shallots 3 tablespoons of finely sliced shallots
- 3 tbsps chopped Italian parsley 3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- 1.5 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 0.33333333333333 cup wine white red ¼ to ½ cup wine (white or red)
- 0.25 cup heavy cream ¼ cup heavy cream
- 0.25 tsp sugar ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 4 russet potatoes 4 medium russet potatoes peeled and cut Into 1″ cubes
- 4 tbsps olive oil 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- rosemary fresh or dried rosemary cut in small pieces
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat melt 3 Tbs of butter. When the butter foam begins to subside, sauté the steaks. When the steaks are cooked to your liking, remove from pan, place them on a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Lower the heat under the pan to medium and add the rest of the butter, shallots, parsley and mustard. Mix well to form a smooth paste, add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Add the sugar, the heavy cream. Salt and pepper to taste.
- When reduced to a thick consistency, add the steaks and any of the juices on the platter. Reheat for a few minutes and serve.
ROASTED ROSEMARY POTATOES
- Pre-heat oven at 375 degrees. Spread 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on a cookie sheet. In a bowl add the potatoes, rosemary and the remaining olive oil. Mix well to coat all the potatoes cubes.
- Place the potatoes on the cookie sheet and sprinkle generously with the salt.
- Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the potatoes have formed a nice crust on the bottom and are golden on top.
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Sauces, Beef, Veal & Lamb, Dinners
- Cuisine: French
- Type: Under 45 minutes
Did you make this?
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Art
The Bordelaise sauce is incredibly good. This steak and sauce recipe is perfect. I will have this at least once a month. Thank you.
Giangi Townsend
One of our favorites as well. I am glad you enjoy it.
Bon Appétit!
Giangi Townsend
Simple and so delicious, this is one of the most-loved recipes in our home and is always requested.