Sautéed mushrooms are a kitchen classic, and for good reason—they’re easy to make, easy to flavor, and downright delicious! This recipe is perfect whether you’re a pro looking for a reliable base or just dipping your toes into cooking. You’ll have beautifully browned mushrooms that you can use as a side, a topping, or even mix into other dishes in no time.
Why Our Recipe
- Perfect beginner-friendly recipe to master the art of cooking mushrooms in a skillet.
- Make the base recipe or experiment with one of the suggested flavor variations.
- Quick, simple, and works with any variety of mushrooms.
Keep it basic with salt, pepper, and olive oil, or dress it up with garlic, fresh herbs, or even a splash of balsamic vinegar. This is your blank canvas to experiment and make it your own to enjoy the earthy flavors of perfectly cooked mushrooms.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin is great for flavor, but feel free to swap half with unsalted butter for a richer taste.
- Mushrooms: Use your favorites—white, cremini, shiitake, or portobello all work. Slice, halve, or quarter depending on their size and your preference.
- Salt: Season at the end of cooking to avoid drawing out too much moisture too early.
- Black Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper is always best.
- Garlic (optional): Sauté 1-2 cloves of minced garlic for 30 seconds before adding mushrooms if you’re feeling fancy.
- Herbs (optional): Add fresh parsley, thyme, or rosemary or use dried.
Mushrooms Options
This recipe works with a wide variety of mushrooms. Take your pick!
White Button: These cook quickly and brown beautifully, making them perfect for this recipe.
Cremini (Baby Bellas) These can handle a few extra minutes of cooking so plan on adding 2-3.
Portobello: Remove the gills with a spoon for a cleaner flavor. Slice into strips or chunks before cooking. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally after the initial sear.
Shiitake: Remove the woody stems before cooking, as they are tough and inedible. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes to develop a delicious caramelized flavor.
Oyster: Tear larger pieces into smaller strips for even cooking. These cook very quickly, requiring just 4-6 minutes.
Chanterelles: Cook over lower heat for 6-8 minutes to preserve their delicate flavor. Avoid overcrowding the pan to keep them from steaming.
Flavor Variations
One of the best things about sautéed mushrooms is how easily you can customize their flavor to match your meal or mood.
For garlic lovers, toss in some minced garlic during the last minute of cooking to coat the mushrooms with that garlicky flavor that goes with almost anything.
For an herby touch, sprinkle fresh thyme, parsley, or rosemary right before serving or add dried herbs.
For a little tang, stir in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar or soy sauce during the final minute of cooking for a slightly sweet glaze that clings to every bite.
To bring the heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes is all you need to bring a subtle but spicy kick to the table.
The Science to Golden Brown
To get that irresistible golden brown on your mushrooms, the key is science! Browning happens through the Maillard reaction, a chemical process that occurs when proteins and sugars are exposed to high heat, creating those rich, savory flavors and that irresistible crust. For this reaction to happen, mushrooms need dry heat and plenty of surface area.
Using a wide skillet ensures the mushrooms have room to spread out and cook evenly. Overcrowding traps moisture, causing the mushrooms to steam instead of brown.
Let them sit undisturbed for a few minutes once they are in the pan. This allows the heat to concentrate on one side, kickstarting the Maillard reaction. Stirring too soon disrupts this process and prevents the crust from forming.
Serving Ideas
Side Dish: Serve them as a simple side dish alongside meats like roasted chicken, grilled steak, or pork chops, or alongside fish like salmon or cod.
Topping: They’re also a fantastic topping—spoon them over creamy mashed potatoes, buttery polenta, or even a baked potato.
Pasta: For pasta lovers, toss them into your favorite pasta dishes, like fettuccine Alfredo, or layer them into lasagna.
Light Options: Mix them into a fresh salad, serve them on top of grilled vegetables, or use them as a filling for wraps or grain bowls.
Breakfast: These mushrooms are delicious when folded into an omelet, layered on avocado toast, or as a topping for a hearty breakfast hash.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat in the microwave, cover with a damp paper towel to help retain moisture and prevent them from drying out. Heat on high in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until warmed through.
Hi Rachel I love these mushrooms so much I’d cook them all the time if I could. But do you have the calories and carbs and protein count on the fried mushrooms. I am on a calorie count diet (Mediterranean diet)on what I eat so I was just wondering if you knew the numbers on this delicious recipe. Thanks Rachel I appreciate you sharing all your recipes with us that’s why I have followed you for so long. I’ve been here all the time but I am just usually in the background these days. Thanks again Rachel I appreciate you so much you helped to get me to the cook I am today.
This shows that I’ve been doing it all wrong. No wonder they never tasted like they do at a restaurant. Can’t wait to try this next time I cook a steak at home!
When I first started out on my own, I used to salt my mushrooms at the beginning. I found out quickly, that doesn’t work very well. Since then, I’ve been doing them with a higher heat, just like this, and they’re wonderful. I don’t salt them until they’re done. thanks for sharing this Rachel.
Made this last night as side dish with steak and baked potatoes! Absolutely delicious! Got trace reviews!
I thought tomatoes and meat also had umami? How are mushrooms the only food?
Best way to do it in my opinion. When on my own for dinner, Ive been known to cook up a pan of mushrooms to enjoy with a nice glass of wine and maybe a slice of crusty bread. Heavenly!
Two thumbs up!
Nice to know that you cook them the same way as I do, but being Indian I add salt, garlic and red chillies and coriander leaves at the end. Finely chopped!!!!!!
I don’t add salt until finished…too much liquid.
Hi Rachel,
With high heat when the water in mushroom will be realesed? and how to drain it.
To cut down on that I clean them with a wet paper towel instead of rinsing with water. Hope that helps.
High heat is certainly the key to the best mushrooms possible! Thanks for sharing this great post…
-Shannon
By trimming do you mean cut off the stems? Do you need to cut them off? I always wondered about that.
Yes, cutting off the stems. In this particular method it is best done with the stems cut off so that you can flip them over easily, cooking one side and then the other. Pan roasting them with long stems is a bit harder and you would more likely end up with unevenly cooked mushrooms.
Stems are completely edible. Sometimes I cut off just the very end of it if it looks dried, shriveled, or anything else unappetizing.