One of the best things about going to a classic steakhouse is the sides. Sure, the steak is the main attraction but my favorite part of the whole experience is when everyone at the table spends a few minutes negotiating the sides order.
I’m always the one pushing for sautéed mushrooms to make the cut. Steakhouses have mastered making beautifully golden brown, almost crispy sauteed mushrooms that are so good with a juicy ribeye or filet of beef tenderloin.
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Since a fancy steakhouse isn’t always in the budget, I figured out how to make perfectly sautéed mushrooms at home. The method’s simple, the flavor’s big—and they’re ready to devour in about 12 minutes. Cozied up to creamy macaroni and cheese (another must-have side) and a wedge salad with a ton of homemade blue cheese dressing, and you have the ultimate steakhouse dinner order.
Best mushrooms for sauteing
In my experience, button and portobello mushrooms are ideal for sauteing. Portobello bring the heavy dose of umami and button mushrooms are flavor sponges for the garlic, wine and herbs.
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Prep step
Ok first the mushrooms have to be cleaned. No need to rinse mushrooms under water—a quick wipe with a damp paper towel does the trick. While some say it’s fine to wash them, I find this method simpler and quicker since mushrooms need to be dried before cooking to avoid excess moisture (aka soggy mushrooms).
Simple method with crispy (never soggy) results
Top tips 🍄🟫
Cut them thick. Mushrooms shrink as they cook, so slicing them thick (or even quartering the big ones) keeps them from shrinking down to nothing. Smaller mushrooms? I usually cut them in thirds—enough to hold their shape.
Season like you mean it. Mushrooms are mostly water, and salt helps draw that moisture out so they can brown instead of steam. Don’t be shy.
Crank the heat. Medium-high heat gets that golden brown sear you want. Mushrooms hate a cold start so have the pan, oil and butter heated.
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Golden Brown Sauteed Mushrooms
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Ingredients
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 T butter , divided
- ½ shallot, optional, minced
- 8 oz button mushrooms, cleaned
- 8 oz portobello mushrooms, cleaned
- 1 tsp salt, more to taste
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- fresh chopped parsley, if desired for garnish
- 1 T fresh thyme
- splash white wine, or vinegar
Instructions
- Wipe each mushroom clean with a damp paper towel. Thickly slice them into quarters (larger mushrooms) or thirds (smaller).
- To a straight sided skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat, until melted and shimmering. Add in the shallot and sliced mushrooms and quickly stir so the mushrooms are coated with the butter and oil. Season with salt and pepper and cover with the lid.1 T olive oil, 1 T butter, 8 oz portobello mushrooms
- Cook for about 5 minutes until the water from the mushrooms is released. Remove the lid and continue to cook until any water in the pan evaporates (this will take about 5 more minutes).
- Remove the mushrooms from the pan to a paper towel lined plate (just in case) and set aside.
- Sprinkle in the fresh herbs if using and saute another 2-3 minutes or so until you're left with beautiful golden mushrooms. Add a splash of wine or vinegar to finish and a little more butter, if you like.
