When you crave an honest, creamy, and incredibly tender lunch that will warm the hearts of your whole family, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, complicated recipes just won’t do. Forget about dry meat – this turkey in cream sauce made from juicy breast or thigh meat, sautéed with onion, fragrant mushrooms, sweet paprika, and finished with rich cream is an absolute winner that will disappear from the table in no time. The secret to success lies in quickly searing the meat, simmering it with mushrooms, and gently thickening it into a smooth sauce.
What you’ll need for 4 generous servings:
Main ingredients and meat:
- Turkey meat: 500 to 700 g (turkey breast or boneless thighs, cut into smaller pieces)
- Onion: 1 large piece (finely chopped)
- Oil: 2 tablespoons (for sautéing the base)
- Spices: salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon sweet ground paprika
For the mushroom and cream sauce:
- Mushrooms: 150 to 200 g (cleaned and sliced)
- Broth (or water): 150 to 200 ml
- Cream for cooking (min. 30%): 250 ml
- For thickening: homemade roux or a bit of cornstarch mixed with cold water (as needed)
Step-by-step preparation:
1. Sautéing the onion until golden: In a deep pot or wide saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until beautifully golden.
2. Searing the turkey with paprika: Add the turkey pieces to the sautéed onion and brown them on all sides until the meat is seared and turns white. Then season with salt and pepper, and stir in a tablespoon of sweet paprika, letting it release its color for a moment.
3. Adding broth and simmering with mushrooms: Pour in 150 to 200 ml of broth (or hot water), add the sliced mushrooms, cover with a lid, and simmer over low heat for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the turkey is perfectly tender.
4. Mixing in the cream: Once the meat is soft, pour in 250 ml of cooking cream. Mix everything thoroughly and let it gently bubble on low heat for about 5 minutes so the flavors of the mushrooms, meat, and cream blend perfectly.
5. Thickening and final seasoning: If the sauce is too thin, gently thicken it with a bit of roux or cornstarch mixed in cold water and let it cook briefly. Finally, season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.
Proven tips for the best result:
- Choosing turkey meat: For extra juiciness, you can use boneless turkey thighs, which are a bit fattier than breast and simply melt in the sauce.
- Mushroom aroma: Adding mushrooms directly to the meat while simmering gives the sauce a wonderful depth of flavor.
- Perfect side dish: Turkey in cream sauce with mushrooms tastes absolutely fantastic with steamed rice, bread dumplings, or fresh pasta.
