How to Saute Mushrooms

There’s just one secret to perfectly caramelized mushrooms – screaming hot skillet!

If you’re serving it as a side dish, jazz them up with a splash of wine, or balsamic vinegar, butter, garlic, fresh herbs at the end to add more flavor and character.

Here’s how to saute mushrooms the right way to get restaurant-quality hearty mushrooms with deep caramelized sear!

This’s a simple and versatile way to prepare lots of mushrooms for the week and use it in different dishes throughout the week.

3 TIPS ON HOW TO SAUTE MUSHROOMS:

1. Heat the skillet screaming hot before you add mushrooms. More on this down below…
2. Be patient! Depending on how much mushrooms you have and how big is your skillet, it may take a little bit for all the moisture to evaporate and before mushrooms will start to brown. 
3. Add flavorings like garlic, wine, balsamic vinegar, at the end after all the moisture has evaporated.

What kind of mushrooms to use in everyday cooking?

White and cremini mushrooms are grocery store staples. And it’s on my weekly grocery list all the time. These mushrooms are mild yet add just enough mushroom flavor to any dish.

Now, the big question…

Should I wash mushrooms, or not?

Some people argue NEVER ever wash mushrooms. That because if mushrooms are like sponges, they soak up water real quick and get slimy when cooked.

BUT I always wash mushrooms and they turn out fine. Actually more than fine, they come out delicious! And smart folks over at Serious Eats back me up with their in-house test!

The trick is rinse them quickly under running water and you’ll be fine!

How to prepare mushrooms for sautéing:

Washing mushrooms

Now, when I’m washing mushroom, I don’t soak them in lots of water or anything. I quickly rinse them under cold running water and lay them out on a paper towel to remove excess water.

Cutting mushrooms

Depending on the recipe, you can cut mushrooms a few different ways: slices, quarters, or even halves.

I mostly slice mushrooms for meal preps, as it’s the most versatile. For slices, I suggest slicing them no thinner than ¼-inch using a sharp knife.

Cut mushrooms in halves or quarters from top to bottom for a heartier bite. These bigger and thicker pieces work beautifully for side dishes.

HOW TO SAUTE MUSHROOMS:

Properly sautéd mushrooms are hearty and add a ton of flavor to many dishes.

So what does it mean properly sautéd mushrooms, you may wonder? First of all, you want beautiful golden sear on your mushrooms. Mushroom loose most of its moisture and shrink during cooking, which is totally normal.

• Step 1. Rinse and trim the mushrooms.
• Step 2. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and then add bacon fat or olive oil.
• Step 3. Add mushrooms and spread them evenly. Stir occasionally until mushrooms are brown and have shrunk.
• Step 4. Add salt and seasoning at the very end.

TIP #1: Make sure your skillet is screaming hot when you add mushrooms to encourage nice sear right away.

TIP #2: Don’t add salt during cooking as salt draws excess water too quickly, causing the mushrooms to steam rather than sear.

Also, never cover the skillet while sauteing mushrooms, because it’ll prevent the excess moisture to evaporate. Again, we try to avoid creating any steam while sauteing mushrooms.

MEAL PREP TIPS

To save time during weeknight cooking, I like to sauté a whole box of mushrooms all at once and store them in an air-tight storage container. And because I’ll be using them in different recipes, I keep the flavors to a minimum.

Prepping the mushrooms in advance, you cut down a whole step in your cooking, which is a big deal on busy nights.

TIP: If you’re cooking lots of mushrooms, or you have a small skillet, cook the mushrooms in batches to avoid overcrowding. Or else you’ll end up boiling/steaming them instead of sautéing.

How to store sautéd mushrooms

Store sautéd mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

HOW TO SERVE SAUTED MUSHROOMS:

You can serve sautéd mushrooms as a side dish. I suggest adding a splash of wine, or balsamic vinegar, butter, garlic, fresh herbs at the end of cooking to add more flavor and character. 

TIP #1: When adding liquids like wine, let the mushrooms sauté for a few more minutes to allow liquids evaporate.

TIP #2: Add garlic at the end of cooking to prevent burnt bitter garlic in you mushrooms.

Also, you can add cooked mushrooms to your morning omelet, or any pasta dish or try them out with these delicious recipes: