Steak Diane (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

The steak Diane at Cheesecake Factory is a bestselling menu item for a reason. The pan-seared medallion steaks are tender and juicy, and the robust, wine-infused mushroom sauce is vibrant and tangy. While going out for a fancy steak dinner is fun, you may be surprised to learn how easy it is to make copycat Cheesecake factory recipes at home. This steak Diane Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe creates an elegant yet hearty meal you can prepare in under an hour.

Our copycat Cheesecake Factory steak Diane recipe tastes just as good as the original but for a fraction of the price. Served over mashed red potatoes, these steaks will look exactly like the restaurant’s signature dish. Seriously: Your dinner guests may think you ordered takeout!

What is steak Diane?

Steak Diane is an easy steak recipe that pairs thinly sliced or pounded steak with a luxurious sauce made with the steak’s pan juices. The sauce was originally prepared tableside and flambéed (or lit on fire like bananas Foster), a popular restaurant trend in the 1930s and 40s. Most steak Diane recipes use beef tenderloin steaks (aka filet mignon). The Diane sauce usually contains cream, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and cognac or wine like sherry or Madeira.

The original steak Diane sauce didn’t have mushrooms, but modern recipes include them (including steak Diane at Cheesecake Factory). Our steak Diane Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe also departs from traditional steak Diane recipes by skipping the heavy cream. Instead, a healthy pat of butter is swirled into the sauce at the end to create the sauce’s characteristic richness.

Ingredients for Steak Diane (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

• Beef tenderloin steaks: Look for 6-ounce beef tenderloin steaks, a super-tender type of steak that may be labeled as “filet mignon steak.” If the steaks are thick, pound them to 3/4 inch thick to help them cook quickly and evenly.
• Salt and pepper: The sauce is extremely flavorful, so we keep the steak seasoning simple with salt and pepper.
• Mushrooms: Steak Diane at Cheesecake Factory is made with a mushroom wine sauce. You could use button mushrooms, but we chose to use the more flavorful baby portobello mushrooms (aka crimini mushrooms).
• Onion and garlic: These aromatic vegetables are essential to building layers of flavor in the rich mushroom sauce.
• Steak Diane sauce: We make the sauce for our copycat Cheesecake Factory steak Diane recipe with Worcestershire, Dijon mustard, honey, Madeira wine, beef broth, butter, dried parsley flakes and thyme. The Madeira gives the sauce its signature flavor, but you could use sherry wine instead.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the steaks

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Using kitchen string, tie a loop around each tenderloin steak. Pull it tight, and tie it to secure. Sprinkle the steaks with 1/2 teaspoon each pepper and salt.

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In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the steaks, and cook until the meat reaches the desired doneness, three to four minutes on each side. Remove the steaks from the pan.

Editor’s Tip: When cooking cast-iron steak, preheat the pan for several minutes before adding the steaks to guarantee a good sear. Then, use a meat thermometer to register the steak’s doneness. Beef tenderloin is very lean, so we think it tastes best when cooked to medium-rare, or 135°F when probed with a meat thermometer.

Step 2: Saute the onion and mushrooms

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Add the mushrooms and onion to the skillet. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender. Add the garlic, and cook one to two minutes longer.

Step 3: Simmer the sauce

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Stir in the Worcestershire, Dijon and honey.

Editor’s Tip: If substituting fresh parsley and thyme, add them to the pan with the Worcestershire sauce.

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Add the wine and broth, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the pan.

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Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook and stir until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. The sauce is finished simmering when it has reduced by half.

Step 4: Finish cooking the steaks

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Remove the kitchen string from the steaks. Return the steaks to the pan. Add the butter, parsley, thyme and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the steaks are heated through.

Editor’s Tip: To serve the copycat Cheesecake Factory steak Diane recipe, mound a large serving of mashed potatoes beside each steak and spoon a generous amount of the mushroom wine sauce over the steak and potatoes. Serve immediately.

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Recipe Variations

• Add steak seasoning: For a flavor boost, season the steaks with homemade steak seasoning.
• Make it with chicken: The Cheesecake Factory uses the same steak Diane sauce to make their equally popular chicken Madeira. To turn this into a Cheesecake Factory chicken Madeira copycat recipe, use chicken instead of steak. Sear flour-coated chicken breasts in the skillet until cooked through and make the sauce as directed. Return the chicken to the skillet, and top with cooked asparagus and mozzarella cheese. Bake in a 350° oven until bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

How to Store Steak Diane (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

Store leftover steak Diane in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Store the steak and sauce in the same container to make it easier to reheat steak. The sauce could break and separate if heated too fast, giving it a curdled look.

Can you make steak Diane ahead of time?

We don’t recommend making steak dishes ahead of time. The meat tastes best when it’s fresh off the skillet, and the sauce can break when it’s reheated.

Steak Diane (Cheesecake Factory Copycat) Tips

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Do you have to use Madeira wine to make this Cheesecake Factory steak Diane recipe?

Madeira wine creates a sauce with the closest flavor to Cheesecake Factory’s steak Diane sauce, but there are a few substitution options if you have trouble finding the wine. Sherry, cognac, brandy or Marsala wine are all suitable options. We also had good results with affordable dry white wines under $20, like Pinot Grigio. If you avoid cooking with alcohol, try swapping in an equal amount of high-quality chicken stock. The sauce will lose some of its depth, body and richness, but it will still taste delicious.

How do you serve this copycat Cheesecake Factory steak Diane?

The Cheesecake Factory serves steak Diane with grilled onions and horseradish mashed potatoes made with red potatoes. Feel free to branch out from the restaurant menu and pair steak Diane with other steak sides like scalloped potatoes, mashed cauliflower, roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon or grilled asparagus. It’s not a bad idea to include a side of crusty bread to sop up all the delicious sauce too!