Pork Chops with Mushroom Soup have golden seared edges and a creamy onion gravy that makes them a comforting weeknight dinner. You cook everything in a skillet, so the sauce is ready to spoon over the chops as soon as they’ve rested.
How to make pork chops with mushroom soup: Sear the chops over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side, then finish them in the mushroom-soup sauce over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Check the thickest part for 145°F and let the pork rest at least 3 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- A weeknight timeline: The recipe lists 5 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, followed by a short rest for the pork.
- Gravy in the same skillet: You soften the onion, stir in the soup and broth, and finish the chops in that sauce.
- Two textures in every serving: The pork gets browned edges while the condensed soup turns into a smooth, creamy coating.
- Easy to serve: You can spoon the gravy over the chops and onto a side dish without making a separate sauce.
Ingredient Notes
Pork chops: Buy four chops for this recipe. Their thickness changes how long they need in the skillet: thinner chops take less time to sear than chops up to 1 inch thick, so keep your food thermometer nearby rather than relying on the browned surface.
I like to get the seasoning on the pork before I heat the skillet. Salt and black pepper are to taste, while the garlic powder has a measured amount; you can taste the finished gravy before deciding whether it needs more seasoning.
Olive oil and butter: The oil goes into the skillet with half the butter for searing. Save the remaining butter for the onion, rather than adding it all at the beginning. You’ll use the same skillet for the gravy.
Onion: Chop half a medium onion and cook it until softened and lightly browned. I give it a stir fairly often; I’m looking for soft onion in the sauce, not dark pieces that spent too long against the skillet.
Condensed cream of mushroom soup: Get the condensed cream soup in a 10.5-ounce can. Stir it with the broth in the skillet until the sauce looks smooth. This is the ingredient that gives the gravy its creamy texture.
Chicken broth: Measure 1/3 cup for the sauce and keep a little more available in case it becomes too thick. I’d rather loosen a thick gravy with a splash of broth than add more liquid before I’ve seen how it coats the pork.
Parsley: Chopped parsley is optional. I add it at the end if I want a fresh green finish, but you don’t need it to make the gravy or cook the chops.
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup chicken broth, plus a splash more if the sauce becomes too thick
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- Chopped parsley, optional, to taste
How to Make Pork Chops with Mushroom Soup
1. Season the chops. Season the pork chops with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Have a plate ready for them after searing; they’ll go back into the skillet once you’ve made the sauce.
2. Sear the chops. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chops until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes per side: allow about 3 minutes for thinner chops or 5 minutes for chops up to 1 inch thick. Transfer them to the plate.
3. Cook the onion. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the chopped onion. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring fairly often, until the onion is softened and lightly browned.
4. Make the sauce. Add the chicken broth and condensed cream of mushroom soup to the skillet. Stir until the soup and broth make a smooth sauce around the onion. Take a look across the skillet for any thick pockets of soup and stir them in.
5. Finish the pork in the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Return the chops and any juices from the plate to the skillet, then cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of a chop; it must read at least 145°F. If the sauce gets too thick, add another splash of chicken broth.
6. Rest and serve. Let the pork rest for at least 3 minutes before serving. Taste the gravy, add more salt and pepper if needed, and sprinkle the chops with chopped parsley if you’re using it. Spoon the creamy onion gravy over each chop.
Keep the Pork Tender, Not Tough
A golden sear gives these chops their browned edges, but color cannot tell you when the middle is done. The pork finishes cooking after it returns to the skillet with the creamy mushroom gravy, so check the thickest part with your thermometer instead of judging it by the surface.
That distinction matters when your chops aren’t all the same thickness. The searing time gives you a starting point; the thermometer tells you when each chop has reached 145°F. I keep the plate close to the skillet so the juices that collect there go back into the sauce with the pork.
Give the chops their full rest after they come out of the heat. You can use that pause to taste the gravy and decide whether it needs seasoning. When you serve, the sauce should be smooth enough to spoon over the pork, with soft pieces of onion throughout.
Tips for Success
Why is my gravy too salty?
Condensed soup and broth are already part of the sauce, and the pork has been seasoned before searing. If a taste of the finished gravy seems salty, leave out the extra salt at the end. Next time, season the chops with a lighter hand and make your final decision after tasting the sauce.
Why are my onions getting too dark?
If the onion is darkening instead of becoming soft and lightly browned, check that you reduced the heat after searing the chops. Stir it fairly often as it cooks. You want softened onion in the creamy gravy, not the deeply browned surface you were aiming for on the pork.
Why does the gravy still have thick patches?
Those patches are condensed soup that hasn’t been fully stirred into the broth. Keep stirring until the sauce looks smooth before returning the chops. It’s easier to see what needs mixing while the skillet contains sauce and onion, rather than pork covered in gravy.
Variations
- Use beef broth: Swap it for the chicken broth in the same amount if that’s what you have.
- Change the base: Spoon the mushroom gravy over white rice or egg noodles instead of serving it alongside potatoes.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers; keep them in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Cream sauces may separate after freezing. Thaw frozen leftovers in the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave, not on the counter. Reheat the pork to 165°F, checking with a thermometer, and bring leftover gravy to a rolling boil.
What to Serve With It
Mashed potatoes and green beans give you a familiar plate with somewhere for the gravy to go. If you’re planning another pork-chop dinner, try smothered baked pork chops or slow cooker smothered pork chops for a change of method. You could also choose French onion pork chops, Pork Chop Supreme with potatoes, crockpot ranch pork chops and potatoes, or honey garlic pork chops when you want a different dinner built around the same cut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use thin pork chops?
Yes. Use the shorter end of the searing range for thinner chops—about 3 minutes per side—then check their temperature as they finish in the sauce. Because thickness affects cooking time, don’t wait for a thicker chop’s timing if yours are thin.
Do I need to add water to the can of soup first?
No. Put the condensed cream of mushroom soup straight into the skillet with the measured broth, then stir until smooth. Keep the extra broth for a sauce that becomes too thick as the pork finishes cooking.
Final Notes
Keep a little broth beside the skillet so you can adjust the gravy right before serving. If you have a question or make these pork chops, tell me how they turned out in the comments.
Pork Chops with Mushroom Soup
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Ingredients
- 4 pork chops
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 1/2 onion medium, chopped
- 1/3 cup chicken broth plus a splash more if the sauce becomes too thick
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup 10.5 ounces
- parsley chopped, optional, to taste
Instructions
- Season the pork chops with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chops until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes per side: about 3 minutes for thinner chops or 5 minutes for chops up to 1 inch thick. Transfer them to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the chopped onion. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring fairly often, until softened and lightly browned.
- Add the chicken broth and condensed cream of mushroom soup. Stir until smooth.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Return the chops and any juices from the plate to the skillet. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until a food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chop reads at least 145°F. If the sauce gets too thick, add another splash of chicken broth.
- Let the pork rest for at least 3 minutes before serving. Taste the gravy, season with more salt and pepper if needed, and sprinkle with chopped parsley if using.
