The Best Way to Cook Mushrooms Is Also the Easiest (2024)

Not only do these simple roasted mushrooms make a great side dish, but they're also the perfect thing to add to pasta, omelets, and more.

Serves4Makesabout 2 cupsPrep10 minutesCook18 minutes to 20 minutes

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Roasting is my very favorite way to prepare vegetables. Not only is it one of the most hands-off approaches, but it also always yields deeply flavored results. That’s exactly the case with mushrooms. While you can sauté, grill, and even fry mushrooms, roasting them is perhaps the simplest way to draw out their savory, umami-rich flavor. Toss quartered mushrooms on a sheet pan with garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper, roast it at 450°F, and in just about 20 minutes you have a tender, caramelized side dish that’s fit for any occasion.

How Do You Roast Mushrooms Without Them Getting Soggy?

The secret to roasted mushrooms that aren’t soggy and squishy is high heat. Cranking up the oven to a fiery 450°F ensures the mushrooms truly roast rather than steam, which helps them become golden-brown and caramelized on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside.

How Long Should You Roast Mushrooms For?

Since you’re roasting these mushrooms at such high heat, they cook quite fast. It will only take 18 to 20 minutes for the mushrooms to fully cook in the oven. This means you can roast them on even the busiest of nights.

What Should I Serve with Roasted Mushrooms?

Meaty roasted mushrooms are a simple and satisfying side dish to pair with a number of easy dinners. Here are a few of our favorites.

Or make these roasted mushrooms part of the main affair. Toss them with pasta, tuck them into omelettes, or pile them onto thickly sliced toast that’s been slathered with creamy ricotta.

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Roasted Mushrooms

Not only do these simple roasted mushrooms make a great side dish, but they're also the perfect thing to add to pasta, omelets, and more.

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 18 minutes to 20 minutes

Makes about 2 cups

Serves 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds

    cremini mushrooms

  • 4 cloves

    garlic

  • 3 tablespoons

    olive oil

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons

    kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon

    balsamic vinegar

  • Chopped fresh chives or parsley, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

  2. Trim and quarter 1 1/2 pounds cremini mushrooms and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Smash and peel 4 garlic cloves and add them to the baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat and spread out in a single layer.

  3. Roast, tossing halfway through, until the mushrooms are tender and caramelized, 18 to 20 minutes total. Remove from the oven, drizzle with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped fresh chives or parsley, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

The Best Way to Cook Mushrooms Is Also the Easiest (2024)

FAQs

Which is the best way to cook mushrooms? ›

For the Best Mushrooms, Give Them a Good Sear

The high heat browns the mushrooms while instantly driving off excess moisture. You also want to hear a gentle sizzling the whole time you're cooking mushrooms. This means that the pan is hot enough to quickly evaporate the moisture and caramelize the mushrooms.

Is it better to cook mushrooms in butter or oil? ›

Butter is great because it adds lots of flavor and produces a nice golden brown exterior, while adding oil allows the mushrooms to cook a little more quickly at slightly higher heat.

How to cook mushrooms like a pro? ›

How to Sauté Mushrooms Like a Pro
  1. Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of your Smart Cooker. ...
  2. Add the mushrooms, sliced, quartered, or whole, in a single layer. ...
  3. Do not stir the mushrooms. ...
  4. Cook off any excess liquid. ...
  5. Season your sautéed mushrooms with a pinch of salt, as it brings out the meaty, umami flavor.

What is the healthiest way to cook a mushroom? ›

The researchers concluded that the best way to cook mushrooms while still preserving their nutritional properties is to grill or microwave them, as the fried and boiled mushrooms showed significantly less antioxidant activity.

How do you cook mushrooms so they are not chewy? ›

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.

Are mushrooms better fried or boiled? ›

Nothing beats chopped up mushrooms pan fried in a little bit of butter (and even garlic and herbs if you're feeling fancy) - but a top chef says mushrooms should be boiled, not fried.

What should we not do before cooking mushrooms? ›

"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.

Should you wash mushrooms? ›

The key is timing, according to Tiess. He recommends that mushrooms grown in compost should be quickly rinsed in cold water, drained, sliced immediately, and fully cooked to develop the flavor and reduce the chance of a food-borne illness. Mushrooms should only be cleaned when you are ready to use them.

Is it better to fry or grill mushrooms? ›

"Frying and boiling treatments produced more severe losses in proteins and antioxidants compounds," wrote researcher Irene Roncero, "probably due to the leaching of soluble substances in the water or in the oil, which may significantly influence the nutritional value of the final product." But, "when mushrooms were ...

What is the proper way to sauté mushrooms? ›

Sauté the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, release their juices, and most of the juices cook away, about 8 to 10 minutes (if you have a lot of water in the pan, feel free to drain it off to speed up the process). Stir in soy sauce and vinegar, then stir in the garlic.

Should mushrooms be soaked before cooking? ›

We grant you permission to lightly rinse the mushrooms with cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Don't soak the mushrooms. Because they absorb water like little sponges, mushrooms won't brown nicely when cooked if they are full of water.

Why boil mushrooms before eating? ›

Just like soaking tofu in boiling salt water, boiling mushrooms “dries them out” a little. Boiled mushrooms brown faster and more evenly than raw; you don't have to wait for them to cook down, so you don't have to worry too much about crowding the pan.

What is the tastiest mushroom to eat? ›

Maitake. Also called Hen-of-the-wood, this is pound-for-pound the most flavorful mushroom around. You could definitely say we're maitake fans. It's extremely versatile, just as good sautéed with butter as it is on pizza.

What is the number one healthiest mushroom? ›

Some of the mushrooms considered best for human health include chaga, lion's mane, reishi, turkey tail, shiitake, cordyceps and maitake. Often considered vegetables, mushrooms are neither plants nor animals.

Do you have to Remove mushroom stems? ›

Most mushrooms need to be trimmed before cutting them, but some do not. Trim off any woody or dried out pieces of the stems of button/white mushrooms, cremini/baby bella mushrooms, king trumpet/oyster mushrooms, and Lion's mane mushrooms. For shiitake, chanterelle, and portobello mushrooms, remove the stems entirely.

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

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.

Why do you need to soak mushrooms before cooking? ›

This will ensure that any little critters living in the mushroom find their way out. Add salt to the water you plan to wash the mushrooms with, making sure the salt dissolves in the water. Add the mushrooms to the water, and allow them to soak for 20 minutes.

Why should mushrooms be cooked in water before oil? ›

Sautéing them in oil first is a crucial mistake when cooking with mushrooms, as the oil will disappear, so you'll add more but then be left with soggy, oil-logged mushrooms. Cooking the mushrooms in water -- although counterintuitive and unconventional -- solves the problem of soggy mushrooms.

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