Tender steak medallions, fluffy mashed potatoes and a robust wine-infused mushroom sauce. There’s a reason the steak Diane that The Cheesecake Factory makes is a best-selling menu item. It’s downright delicious!
While it’s fun to go out for a fancy steak dinner, you might be surprised to learn how easy it is to make steak Diane at home (and for a fraction of the price). Keep reading to unlock the copycat recipe for this divine dish.
Don’t miss the secrets The Cheesecake Factory isn’t telling you.
What Is Steak Diane?
Steak Diane isn’t unique to The Cheesecake Factory. It’s a popular steak recipe with a much-disputed history that can be traced back to restaurants in Australia, London and New York City in the 1930s.
While the true origin isn’t clear, all of the vintage recipes involve thinly sliced or pounded steak seasoned with peppercorns, seared and then served with a rich cognac, sherry or wine-based sauce made with the steak’s pan juices. Most recipes include some combination of mushrooms, shallots, chives, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and parsley, along with butter, to flavor the sauce.
Additionally, some original recipes report that the dish was often prepared tableside and flambeed (similar to bananas Foster) which was a popular restaurant trend in the ’30s and ’40s.
How to Make Steak Diane Like The Cheesecake Factory
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home
This steak Diane recipe is a modern take on the classic steak dinner. Opt for thin medallions of beef tenderloin (a super tender cut of steak), button mushrooms and Madeira wine to create the sauce. It’s an elegant yet hearty meal you can prepare in under an hour.
Yield: 2 Servings
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut into 1-inch thick medallions
- 1 teaspoon cracked or coarsely ground black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup white or yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1-1/2 cups Madeira wine (see below for substitution options)
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Mashed potatoes, for serving
Editor’s Tip: The sauce used for this steak Diane is the same sauce The Cheesecake Factory uses for their equally popular chicken Madeira. Just use chicken instead of steak and add melty mozzarella and asparagus!
Directions
Step 1: Season and sear the steak
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, rub both sides of the tenderloin medallions with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then season the meat liberally with salt and cracked peppercorns.
When the skillet is preheated, sear the steak medallions for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 2-4 minutes, depending on your desired level of doneness. Remove the steaks, cover with foil and let rest while preparing the sauce. (Don’t make these steak mistakes)
Step 2: Saute onions and mushrooms
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home
Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the diced onions to the skillet. Saute until softened, 3-4 minutes, and then add the garlic and mushrooms. Saute until the garlic is fragrant and mushrooms have softened; about 4-5 minutes.
Step 3: Season and deglaze
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home
Add the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, honey, thyme and parsley to the pan and stir. Deglaze the pan with the Madeira wine and chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any stuck-on bits. Bring the sauce to a strong simmer (not quite boiling) and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Step 4: Simmer and reduce
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home
The key to making this sauce great is patience. Let it simmer until the wine reduces by half, about 20 minutes. (While you wait, here are more of our go-to recipes with wine.) In this time, the sauce will thicken and the flavors will become concentrated. When the sauce has reached the desired consistency, stir in the butter until melted and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Step 5: Serve
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home
To serve, divide the steak medallions between two plates. Mound a large serving of mashed potatoes beside the steak and spoon a generous amount of the mushroom wine sauce over the steak and potatoes. Serve immediately.
Substitutions for Madeira Wine
Madeira wine will yield results with the closest flavor to The Cheesecake Factory’s mushroom wine sauce for steak Diane, but there are a few great substitution options if you’re having trouble locating it.
Sherry, cognac, brandy or Marsala wine are all suitable options. We also had good results with an affordable bottle of pinot grigio, but any semi-dry white wine will probably work in a pinch.
If you prefer to not cook with alcohol, you may also swap for an equal amount of high-quality chicken stock. Note that the sauce will lose a bit of its depth, body and richness, but will still taste delicious.
Looking for more great restaurant-style recipes? Don’t forget to check out the Cheesecake Factory’s Crispy Brussels Sprouts!
Serve a Contest-Winning Cheesecake for Dessert
Red Velvet Cheesecake
Festive and oh, so good, this cheesecake will become a fixture on your party dessert menu. The red velvet filling is spiked with cocoa, topped with cream cheese frosting and baked in a chocolate cookie crumb crust. —Karen Dively, Chapin, South Carolina
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