Roasted Italian Mushrooms Recipe | Easy Mushroom Side Dish (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to crispy mushrooms? ›

First, make sure the mushrooms are completely dry, then cook them in a hot skillet with some oil or butter as you normally would. Wait until you take them off the heat to shower them with a sprinkle of salt. This seems like a really small thing, but it actually makes a big difference.

While you can sauté, grill, and even fry mushrooms, roasting them is perhaps the simplest way to draw out their savory, umami-rich flavor.

Mushrooms are a low-calorie food and pack a nutritional punch. Loaded with many health-boosting vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, they've long been recognized as an important part of any diet. Mushrooms exposed to ultraviolet light are a good source of vitamin D, an important component for bone and immune health.

For the Best Mushrooms, Give Them a Good Sear

Cooking mushrooms concentrates their flavor and brings out notes of sweet earthiness from the Maillard reaction taking place. The best way to do this is to sear the mushrooms first in a dry pan. The high heat browns the mushrooms while instantly driving off excess moisture.

The study demonstrated that cooking methods have an effect on the flavor profile of white 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.

Prep! For our roasted mushrooms recipe, we use cremini mushrooms but you can make it your own and roast portobello, shiitake, or button mushrooms – whatever you have available! Cut into quarters and drizzle with olive oil and salt! Pro tip: place them cut-side down in a single layer to get that crispy bottom!

Do I need to wash the mushrooms before I cook them? Never wash mushrooms. Instead, Wipe off any dirt with a damp paper towel. You can wash them but they won't be as good in texture/color.

Salt draws out moisture from ingredients, and if you're drawing out moisture from your mushrooms, you're ultimately going to be steaming them. And we know what happens when we steam mushrooms, don't we? (See point no. 1). Wait until the 'shrooms are completely cooked before seasoning them.

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. They belong to a unique kingdom of fungi.

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.

Which mushroom is a superfood? ›

Revered in Traditional Medicine as the "mushroom of immortality," Reishi is one of the most popular whole food functional mushrooms because of its wide range of health benefits. Reishi contains powerful, natural beta glucans that support immune system functionality.

When the oil or melted butter is hot, add the mushrooms. 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.

ADD WATER FIRST; ADD OIL LATER

Steam cooks the mushrooms quickly, so they collapse and release liquid. After the mushroom jus evaporates, we add just ½ teaspoon of oil to brown the mushrooms.

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.

Choose a pan that is wide enough to hold the mushrooms in a single layer. Once the pan is hot, add just enough oil to coat the bottom. Add the mushrooms to the hot pan and cook, keeping the heat high and stirring frequently to help quickly evaporate any liquid the mushrooms give off.

The myth that mushrooms will soak up all the water has been busted by other chefs and food scientists. Boiling mushrooms before sautéing works because mushrooms are neither plant nor animal. This comes down to the mushroom itself -- its internal structure is such that you literally cannot overcook a mushroom.

"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.

Use a dry coating like flour, cornflour, or breadcrumbs. This will absorb the natural moisture coming from the mushrooms and keep them crispy.