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Easy Sautéed Mushrooms are one of my favorite side dishes to serve all year long with steak, chicken or turkey. And they make a great topping for a burger or avocado toast even. I’m going to show you how to make this sautéed mushroom recipe so you’ll always have them as a great side dish back-up plan you can make in less than 10 minutes!
It’s so easy to sauté mushrooms, and they are about to become your favorite side dish! The key to a deep rich flavor and making the best sautéed mushrooms is to give them time to caramelize. And don’t forget to add aromatics like garlic, onions and/or herbs, along with salt and pepper to allow the mushrooms to absorb those flavors.
What are the best mushrooms to sauté?
You can use any kind of fresh mushrooms in this recipe, they all have slightly different flavors:
- White button mushroom: Mild in flavor and widely available.
- Cremini: A young portobello mushroom. Firmer with a slightly stronger flavor than the white mushroom. (what I use for this sauteed mushroom recipe)
- Portobello: A dense and rich mushroom with a deep flavor.
- Shitake: These mushrooms have a light and woody flavor profile.
- Maitake: Maitakes have a flavorful earthy taste to them.
- Oyster Mushroom: Oyster mushrooms have a very delicate flavor.
Ingredients
- Mushrooms: This recipe is great with everyday brown or white mushrooms, but will work well with all varieties.
- Butter and oil: Saute the mushrooms in a mix of butter and oil for a rich flavor. To make this side dish vegan, you can just use oil.
- Thyme: The earthy flavors of thyme work wonderfully with mushrooms. You can use other fresh herbs like rosemary, sage or parsley.
- Garlic: Mince fresh garlic for the best flavor.
How to sautée mushrooms:
Start by wiping mushrooms with a damp paper towel. It’s best not to rinse them as they can absorb the moisture and dilute the flavor. You’ll find that rubbing them is the best way to clean them.
Next, slice the mushrooms as wide as you’d like. I usually slice them in thirds, but you can slice in half for small mushroom or in quarters for larger mushrooms. Keep in mind that they will shrink considerably when you cook them, so keep them on the larger side.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan. Then, add the mushrooms and stir to combine. Leave the mushrooms to brown on one side without stirring for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, and then continue cooking an additional 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until cooked through. You want to make sure the mushrooms are golden brown and tender.
Tips for making this recipe
- Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. It’s best never to rinse your mushrooms. If you rinse them, their spongy texture will soak up too much water, which can lead to soggy, instead of sautéed mushrooms.
- Do not marinade the mushrooms ahead of time. There is not much of a marinade here, but if you wanted to add soy sauce or balsamic vinegar for example, just add it to the pan and not in advance. Otherwise, it will remove too much moisture from the mushrooms.
- Use a pan larger than your quantity of mushrooms. This will help ensure that you don’t crowd the pan with the mushrooms on top of each other. If they’re crowded, the juices from nearby mushrooms will affect the caramelizing process.
- Don’t stir too often. Allowing the mushrooms to sit on the hot pan untouched for a few minutes will really help them brown on the bottom before you stir them.
Frequently asked questions
Yes you can freeze sautéed mushrooms. Yet they may absorb some liquid so the texture may be affected slightly. You can freeze them all together in a freezer safe bag. Or you can freeze them individually by laying them flat on a baking sheet to freeze and then transferring them to a bag. This allows you to portion control the mushrooms to use them in the future.
Store the sautéed mushrooms in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. You can reheat the cooked mushrooms in the microwave, but do it on low power so that the texture isn’t affected. You can also reheat them gently in a pan or in a pre-heated oven until they are cooked through. It’s advisable not to keep cooked mushrooms for more than 24 hours.
These easy sautéed mushrooms are so flavorful, so if you have any leftover they are great to use in other recipes. Try them in Vegan Mushroom Gravy, Vegetable Frittata, Cast Iron Pizza or add them to some grain bowl recipes. These mushrooms are so tasty, so be sure not to let them go to waste!
I’m a huge mushroom fan and I hope you are too and learn how to caramelize them for the best color and flavor. Mushrooms can really liven up any main dish. They’re versatile enough to be used for a casual weeknight meal but also great for holiday dinners or festive gatherings!
This sautéed mushroom recipe is such a simple side dish but it’s packed full of flavor. Ready to serve in less than 10 minutes, they are a great last minute accompaniment to any meal. Just a few simple ingredients, and you have one tasty bite on your hands!
More recipes with mushrooms:
- Mushroom Tartlets
- Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms
- Vegan Mushroom Gravy
- Portobello Mushroom Pizzas
- Mushroom Avocado Toast
More delicious side dishes:
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Sautéed Mushroom recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 pound white or brown mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Clean mushrooms by wiping with a paper towel. Cut int slices ½ -inch in thickness
- In a large pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and toss with the olive oil. Then, leave the mushrooms to brown on one side without stirring for 4-5 minutes.
- Add garlic and thyme. Continue cooking an additional 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally until cooked.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh thyme before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
BEST EVER, AND I’M OLD😂
Aww, thank you so much!
Yummy & delicious mushroom..
Thank you!
So simple, so yummy! Made this with just regular old white mushrooms, cloves of garlic and thyme from my garden… Seems like letting the mushrooms brown/crisp a bit is the key to the great flavor! I’m the only one in my family who likes mushrooms, but honestly, that just means more of this great side dish for me! Thanks!
I’m obsessed with sauteed mushrooms and I agree that letting them crisp is so key to their flavor! Glad you liked it!
Love your tips , substitutes, storage and cooking instructions.
Thank you so much!