Steak Diane: a family-table method

A plate of Steak Diane topped with mushroom sauce and served with green beans.

This Steak Diane recipe is beef tenderloin medallions that are seared and coated in a savory mushroom sauce. A classic recipe that’s quick enough to make on a busy weeknight, yet elegant enough for company.

When I’m looking for a recipe that I know will impress my family and friends, I turn to grilled churrasco, Peruvian lomo saltado, tender Cuban ropa vieja, elegant broiled lobster tail, slow roasted prime rib and this straightforward and tasty Steak Diane.

Every time I go to a nice restaurant, I order Steak Diane if I see it on the menu. This combination of ultra tender steak in a rich and complex sauce is the finest! I first tried this meal at The Cheesecake Factory and it’s included in my memorable list of 25 Cheesecake Factory Recipes!

Steak Diane Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need beef tenderloin, kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil, butter, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, cognac, beef broth, Dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, heavy cream and chives.

Bowls of ingredients including sliced mushrooms, shallots, garlic and seasonings.

How Do You Make Steak Diane?

Start by cutting beef tenderloin into medallions about 3/4 inch thick. You can do this by slicing the medallions from a whole tenderloin, or by cutting filet mignon steaks in half cross wise. Sear the beef on both sides in a skillet until it is golden brown. Remove the meat from the pan, then make the sauce by cooking mushrooms, shallots and garlic until they’re tender. Add a splash of cognac and let it reduce by half. Stir in the beef broth, Dijon mustard and heavy cream, then bring the sauce to a simmer. Pour the sauce over the steak, then garnish with chives and serve.

Tips For The Reliable Meal

This traditionally calls for beef tenderloin steaks. That being said, tenderloin is a very expensive cut of meat. If you don’t want to splurge on tenderloin, you could try using top sirloin or New York strip instead.
I recommend serving Steak Diane immediately. Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I like to serve this dish with garlic mashed potatoes and a green vegetable such as grilled asparagus or roasted green beans.
If you don’t have Cognac or don’t want to purchase it, you can use an equal amount of a different type of brandy, white wine or beef broth.
No chives on hand? Try a different fresh herb such as parsley, thyme or green onions.

Quick Tip

I use white button mushrooms for the sauce, but you could use cremini mushrooms, or go fancy with some oyster or chanterelle mushrooms.

Sauteed mushrooms and shallots in a skillet.

Recipe FAQs

Why do they call it Steak Diane?

This dish is thought to be named after Diana, who was a Roman goddess of hunting and animals. In the 19th century a Diane sauce was created that was named for the goddess, which consisted of cream, truffle mushrooms and black pepper. It is believed that this dish actually originated in America, with the steak paired alongside a sauce similar to the Diane sauce of olden times.

What can you substitute for brandy in Steak Diane?

This recipe calls for Cognac, which is a distilled brandy from the Cognac region of France. Cognac is available in the liquor department of many grocery stores or at beverage shops. If you don’t have Cognac or don’t want to purchase it, you can use an equal amount of a different type of brandy, white wine or beef broth. The flavor will be a little different without the brandy, but it will still be tasty.

What is Steak Diane sauce made of?

The sauce for this dish is made with butter, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, salt, black pepper, cognac, beef broth, Dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce and heavy cream.

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Steak Temperatures

It is important not to overcook your steak. Use a digital thermometer to gauge when your steak is ready. You can insert the thermometer into the thickest part of your meat. Monitor the progress while the meat cooks so that you know when to take it off the heat. I prefer to cook my steaks to a medium doneness level. I don’t recommend cooking your meat over 150 degrees F as it will can get tough or dry.

Rare: 130 degrees F
Medium Rare: 135 degrees F
For Medium: 145 degrees F
Medium Well: 150 degrees F
Well Done: 160 degrees F

Sliced Steak Diane served with mashed potatoes and green beans.

This Steak Diane always gets rave reviews in my house. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does! If you’re a steak lover, be sure to check out my air fryer steak recipe for your next meal.

More Steak Recipes You’ll Enjoy

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Steak Diane Video

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Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen A plate of Steak Diane topped with mushroom sauce and served with green beans.

This Steak Diane recipe is beef tenderloin medallions that are seared and coated in a savory mushroom sauce. A classic recipe that's quick enough to make on a busy weeknight, yet elegant enough for company. Time Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes

Course Main
Cuisine American
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin or filet mignon cut crosswise into 3/4 inch thick medallions
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces mushrooms sliced
2 tablespoons shallots minced
2 teaspoons garlic minced
1/4 cup cognac
1/2 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chives thinly sliced

Instructions

Pat the steak dry and season both sides with salt and pepper to taste.
Place the oil in a large pan over high heat. Arrange the steaks in a single layer in the pan; if they don't all fit you might need to work in batches.
Cook the steak for 3-4 minutes per side or until desired level of doneness is reached. You can use a thermometer if needed to gauge the proper temperature of the meat.
Remove the steak from the pan. Place on a plate and cover to keep warm.
Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter in the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and tender.
Add the shallots and garlic and cook for one more minute. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the cognac into the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until liquid has reduced in half.
Add the beef broth, Dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce and heavy cream to the pan. Whisk until well combined.
Bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until sauce has just thickened.
Return the steaks to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the meat. Sprinkle with chives, then serve.

Notes

If you don’t want to use cognac, you can substitute more beef broth in its place.
I prefer to cook my steaks to medium, which is 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer.