Superb Sautéed Mushrooms (2024)

FAQs

How do you get the most flavor out of sautéed mushrooms? ›

Oil and butter: For the best and richest flavor, cook the mushrooms in a mixture of olive oil and butter. Mushrooms: A pound of sliced button mushrooms should comfortably serve about four people. Wine: A tablespoon of red cooking wine enhances the flavor of the sautéed mushrooms.

Heat the Pan: Place the skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté and Evaporate: Add the mushrooms and let them brown briefly. They will release moisture; allow it to evaporate completely. Achieve Golden Perfection: Continue to cook and stir the mushrooms until they turn golden brown, adjusting the heat as needed.

2Heat the olive oil in a large, wide skillet over medium heat. 3Add the mushrooms and spread into one layer. Then cook, without moving, until browned on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. 4Stir then cook another 3 to 5 minutes or until mostly golden brown on all sides.

Make sure the pan is throughly heated and greased.

Cooking mushrooms in a pan that isn't properly heated will cause them to boil and steam in their own released moisture rather than brown. That's why Susan suggests preheating the skillet over a medium to medium-high heat for around 2 to 3 minutes beforehand.

Olive Oil + Butter.

Sautéed mushrooms with butter have their benefits, but so do sautéed mushrooms with olive oil. I use both oil and butter for a dynamic duo that pairs searing (oil) with rich, satisfying flavor (butter). (I also use both in my Sauteed Spinach.)

Sear mushrooms for a more intense roasted, charred and smoky flavor and overall aroma. Roast mushrooms to get more sweet, salty and umami tastes with caramelized, nutty and buttery flavors. When cooked properly, mushrooms can take on the texture and consistency of meat.

"Adding salt before throwing mushrooms in the pan or immediately after will draw out the water from them, making them simmer in their own liquids," says Sofia Norton, RD. This can result in rubbery and tough mushrooms with little flavor.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and butter. Add mushrooms and season with salt, pepper and thyme then cook 15 minutes until evenly browned and tender. Add wine and deglaze the pan.

Do You Sauté the Onions First? To keep the onions from cooking in the mushroom juices, wait to add the onions until the mushrooms have released their excess liquid and almost all of that liquid has evaporated. Once you get there, add the onions and let them sauté and brown in the fat alongside the mushrooms.

Why are my sautéed mushrooms rubbery? ›

Constantly sautéeing and stirring the mushrooms means that they won't have the opportunity to become golden-brown. Without proper caramelization, mushrooms are nothing but rubbery gray nubbins.

You should hear a sizzle. (If the fat isn't hot enough, the mushrooms will start to water out and steam instead of sautéing.) Cook the mushrooms 4 to 5 minutes or until they're tender and lightly browned.

Cooking with dry heat—and yes, cooking directly in fat is actually a "dry" cooking method—allows them to release their natural moisture. It caramelizes their sugars, making them tender, not spongey.

According to Epicurious, salting your mushrooms before you start cooking will lead to rubbery mushrooms that will resist browning, which means less delicious mushroom flavor.

Extraction: Place your mushrooms in a jar, cover them with Culinary Solvent, and seal the jar tightly. Store it in a cool, dark place for about 4-6 weeks, shaking it occasionally. Straining: Once the extraction period is over, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, preserving the liquid.

Turn up the heat: Turn the heat up to medium-high and allow time for your oil/butter to get hot before adding the mushrooms. Keeping the heat up will help moisture evaporate quickly giving you a beautifully caramelized mushroom. If mushrooms are giving off lots of moisture keep the heat going until it's gone.

Workout: adding flavor

Sautéed mushrooms have a savory, earthy flavor but are otherwise relatively neutral. Here, we divide the sautéed mushrooms into bowls and then flavor each one with either fresh herbs, lemon zest, or crème fraîche, observing how each enhances the flavor of the mushrooms.

Soaked in a smoky, umami-rich sauce (think soy sauce, liquid smoke, smoked paprika) mushrooms mop up all the flavors of bacon. Then they can be sliced thinly and pan-fried or oven-roasted for a faux bacon to top salads, burgers, and breakfast sandwiches.