Add Sautéed Mushrooms to your go-to side dish list. They cook quickly, taste buttery, herby, and garlicky (a.k.a. DELISH), and have total steakhouse vibes that will make you feel fancy when you serve them.

Sauteed mushrooms piled into a white bowl

I spent the first 3/4 of my life despising mushrooms and have been making up for lost time ever since I saw the light (for that story, check out the video in this Mushroom Soup post).

From Grilled Portobello Mushrooms to Mushroom Tacos to Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff, mushrooms have become one of my favorite ingredients to make healthy, satisfying dishes.

When it comes to fast sides you can pair with just about any protein-centric main (Baked Pork Tenderloin; Baked Chicken Breast; Baked Salmon in Foil), sautéed vegetables are the answer, especially if your oven is busy.

Sautéed Cabbage, Sautéed Zucchini, and Sautéed Carrots are all yummy, but there is something about sautéed mushrooms that feels extra special.

Maybe it’s because Ben and I share them family-style on the rare occasions we go out for steak (always with Crockpot Mashed Potatoes or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes), but to me sautéed mushrooms have an old school vibe that classes up a dinner plate.
Sautéed mushrooms are healthy, versatile, and cook pretty much unattended while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Try these garlic sautéed mushrooms for dinner tonight, then make them again for your next dinner party.

Sauteed mushrooms in a white bowl with herbs

How to Make Sautéed Mushrooms

To make sautéed mushrooms, you’ll need a large pan and some patience.

Mushrooms have a high water content, so they will cook down substantially.
When you start this recipe, it will look like a ridiculous amount of mushrooms, but you’ll end up with a much smaller amount in the end.
To make sure your mushrooms are not soggy, when the mushrooms release liquid, you want that liquid to cook all the way off (drain excess liquid away if needed). Until it does, the mushrooms won’t be able to brown.

Your sauté time will vary, based upon the amount of liquid and the size of your pan.

If the mushrooms have space in the pan, sauté mushrooms for 8 to 10 minutes.
If your pan is very crowded (as when you are making a big batch like this one), you’ll need to cook them for longer.

The Ingredients

Mushrooms. Earthy and savory, mushrooms pair nicely with just about any type of main dish. In addition to being truly delicious, sautéed mushrooms are healthy too. Mushrooms are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and potassium.

Market Swap

For ultimate ease, make this recipe with presliced cremini (also called baby bella) mushrooms that are widely available at grocery stores.

For a more elevated take, use a mix of mushrooms, such as trumpet, oyster, and shitake.

DO NOT use plain white button mushrooms. These lack flavor, especially when compared to other readily available varieties like cremini.

Olive Oil + Butter. This dynamic duo pairs searing (oil) with rich, satisfying flavor (butter).
Soy Sauce. For a background touch of umami complexity.
Balsamic Vinegar. Adds a lightly sweet acidity that balances the butteriness and gives depth to the mushrooms.
Garlic. Garlic and mushrooms are besties. The garlic plays especially nicely with the butter.
Fresh Thyme. For beautiful presentation and a tasty touch of fresh herb flavor.

Substitution Tip

You can use fresh parsley instead if you prefer.

The Directions

Vegetables being cut on a wooden cutting board

Clean and cut the mushrooms.

Tip!

To clean mushrooms, wipe them with a paper towel or lightly damp sponge. Do not run the mushrooms underwater, or they will absorb too much liquid and will end up soggy.

Saute with butter and oil.

Sauté until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid cooks away. Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic.

Add the fresh herbs. ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

Red Wine Mushrooms. Omit the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar, swapping in 2 tablespoons of red wine. You don’t need to use anything special, but select a wine that you like to drink.
Balsamic Mushrooms. Increase the amount of balsamic vinegar in this recipe to 2 to 3 teaspoons.
Parmesan Mushrooms. Finish your sautéed mushrooms with a shower of freshly grated Parmesan cheese just before serving.
Sauteed Mushrooms with Rosemary. Swap the fresh thyme or parsley called for in this recipe for fresh rosemary.
Extra Garlic Mushrooms. As written, these sautéed mushrooms are quite garlicky. That said, if you’d like to up the garlic factor further, feel free to add 1 to 2 additional cloves.

Storage Tips

To Store. Refrigerate mushrooms in an airtight storage container for up to 5 days.
To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
To Freeze. Freeze mushrooms in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Storage Tip

If you have lots of leftovers and need to freeze your mushrooms, you can certainly do so. Frozen and thawed sautéed mushrooms make an excellent addition to casseroles (like Turkey Tetrazzini or Chicken Alfredo Bake), egg dishes (like Egg White Frittata and Egg Muffins), and soups (like Crockpot Lasagna Soup).

How to Serve Sautéed Mushrooms

These simple sautéed mushrooms are great for pairing with just about any main dish, from Stuffed Pork Tenderloin to Air Fryer Salmon.
You also can use them as a filling for a yummy Air Fryer Grilled Cheese or add them to the Roasted Cauli Broccoli Grilled Cheese in my cookbook.
Use sautéed mushrooms for burgers, like Blue Cheese Burgers or this black bean Vegan Burger.
Take your pasta dishes up a notch by adding sautéed mushrooms. They’re delicious on Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Kale or Turkey Bolognese.
Upgrade pizza night with scrumptious sautéed mushrooms. Add them to your homemade pizzas made with Broccoli Pizza Crust or Whole Wheat Pizza Dough.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Dutch Oven. A large skillet will also work for this recipe.
Non-Slip Cutting Board. Make sure your cutting board doesn’t slip away from you.
Spatula. A kitchen tool I use almost everyday.

The Best Dutch Oven

From soups to sautéed veggies, this versatile Dutch oven can do it all. It’s an investment, but you’ll use it for a lifetime.

Get on AMazon

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Garlicky sautéed perfection right here!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Sauté Mushrooms That are Not Soggy?

To keep sautéed mushrooms from becoming soggy, use a large pan that will hold them without crowding (mushrooms let off a lot of liquid, and it needs room to evaporate). If crowding is inevitable, once the mushrooms are soft, drain off the extra liquid then continue browning until they are slightly crisped.

What’s the Healthiest Way to Cook Mushrooms?

While the healthiest way to cook mushrooms may be microwaving or grilling them (Grilled Portobello Mushrooms are delish!), the flavor and texture of these sautéed musrooms is unbeatable. Although this recipe does use some butter and oil, it is still a relatively healthy way to cook mushrooms.

Can I Omit the Garlic?

While I think the garlic adds wonderful flavor the mushrooms, you can omit it if needed.

Sautéed Mushrooms Video

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Sautéed Mushrooms

Sautéed mushrooms with garlic, herbs and butter are a fast, versatile side for steak, chicken, fish, or any main! Or try them on a burger.

Course Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 87kcal

Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

2 pounds baby bella (cremini) mushrooms or a mix of baby bella, shiitake, oyster, and/or other wild mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar plus additional to taste
2 tablespoons chopped garlic 6 cloves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus additional for serving

Instructions

Clean the mushrooms by wiping off any dirt with a paper towel or brush it away with a clean sponge. Cut into ½-inch-thick slices.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, add the oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot and simmering, add the butter, mushrooms, salt, and pepper.
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. Let cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley or thyme. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Serve hot, with a sprinkle of extra herbs.

Video

Notes

TO STORE: Refrigerate mushrooms in an airtight storage container for up to 5 days.
TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
TO FREEZE: Freeze mushrooms in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.