Steak Diane

Try this classic recipe for steak Diane! "Diane" refers to the pan sauce made with mustard, Worcestershire, cream, and cognac. It's ready in under 30 minutes, making it a great choice for a date night in.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated November 02, 2022
Elise Bauer
Steak Diane
Elise Bauer

Steak Diane is traditionally made with a thinly pounded steak, and a cognac, butter, and shallot sauce that is flambéed right before serving to great dramatic effect.

What Is Steak Diane?

Doing some research into Steak Diane, I found that the "Diane" part refers to Diana, the Greco-Roman goddess of the hunt, and "a la Diane" sauces were typically served with venison and game meat in centuries past.

It was probably New York hotels that popularized the flambéed steak version.

Steak Diane
Elise Bauer

My Favorite Steak Diane Recipe

This Steak Diane recipe is based off of one I got years ago from my friend Heidi, who found a version in her local paper, the Carlisle Mosquito (great name for a newspaper, isn't it?).

The recipe calls for pan-frying the steak, using the pan juices as a base for the "Diane" sauce—a sauce made with mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cream—and then serving the steak with the sauce poured over it. No flames are involved.

Heidi's husband Vaughn is a master at the grill, so they often grill the steak instead of pan-frying it, and just make the sauce separately. The sauce can be used over chicken or pork as well, and if you have leftovers, you can even stir it in over some pasta.

Love Steak? Try These Other Recipes!

1:47

Watch How To Make Luscious Steak Diane

Steak Diane

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 servings

If cooking gluten-free, use gluten-free broth.

Ingredients

  • 4 (6-ounce) center cut beef tenderloin steaks or another cut of your choice

  • Salt

  • 1/2 cup beef broth 

  • 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1/2 cup finely minced shallots

  • 4 tablespoons cognac or brandy

  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

Method

  1. Salt the steak and let sit at room temp:

    Sprinkle salt on both sides of the steak and set aside at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.

  2. Mix the broth, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, tomato paste:

    Whisk together broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and tomato paste; set aside.

  3. Sear the steaks in butter:

    Melt the butter in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. Increase the heat to high and sear the meat for 1 to 4 minutes, depending on how thick the steak is. Turn and sear on the other side and cook until done.

    If your steak is thick enough to test with an instant-read thermometer, you can use it to check for your desired doneness—rare: 125°F; medium rare: 135°F; medium: 145°F; well done 160°F.

    If you do not have a thermometer, use the finger test to check the doneness of the meat.

    When the steaks are done, move to a cutting board and tent with foil.

    Simple Tip!

    You may need to cook the meat in batches. If you crowd the pan, the meat will steam and won't get the nice sear needed.

    steak-diane-method-1
    Elise Bauer
  4. Sauté the shallots:

    While the meat is resting, sauté the shallots in the pan, 2 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring once or twice.

  5. Deglaze the pan with cognac:

    Add the cognac to deglaze the pan. Increase the heat and cook until the cognac is almost evaporated.

  6. Add the broth mixture, then cream:

    Stir in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.

    Stir in the cream and cook for two more minutes.

    steak-diane-method-3
    Elise Bauer
    steak-diane-method-4
    Elise Bauer
  7. Serve the steak with sauce:

    If you want, thinly slice the steak to serve. Otherwise serve individual steaks. Drizzle warm Diane sauce over the steak and garnish with freshly ground black pepper and chives.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
720 Calories
55g Fat
6g Carbs
42g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 720
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 55g 70%
Saturated Fat 25g 124%
Cholesterol 182mg 61%
Sodium 532mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 42g
Vitamin C 4mg 20%
Calcium 52mg 4%
Iron 6mg 34%
Potassium 756mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.