Sautéed Mushrooms are a quick and easy way to elevate just about any dish. Whether you prefer them whole or sliced, a pan full of these juicy, buttery, golden brown mushrooms will steal the spotlight as a side dish, appetizer, or incorporated into a main dish recipe such as Pan-Seared Steak, pasta, or a Juicy Burger.
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Sautéed Mushrooms Recipe
Mushrooms are perfect for everyday simplicity – loaded onto a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, served over Pork Chops with a mound of mashed potatoes and Mushroom Gravy. These versatile beauties are robust enough to shine as a stand-alone side dish or sautéed whole, as an appetizer for a holiday meal. They’re so delicious, with an earthy, savory flavor sealed in by the buttery, garlic and herb coating.
If you love mushrooms, you are going to be so glad you found this recipe. I’m so happy that my children now love mushrooms, though that wasn’t always the case! If your family is picky about mushrooms, give them another chance with these delicious sauteed mushrooms. My kids now eagerly sneak them right from the pan with a fork. Since mushrooms are so nutritious and healthy (more on that below), we regularly include this dish in our meals.
Ingredients
The key to making the best sautéed mushrooms is to choose the best mushroom variety (see our suggestions below).
- Mushrooms – 1 1/2 lbs. (24 ounces), rinsed, dried, and thickly sliced. You can also sautee them whole (see instructions below).
- Butter and Oil – I like to sauté in both unsalted butter and light olive oil, providing both flavor and a higher smoke point. This prevents the butter from burning while still giving its rich flavor.
- Garlic – Minced
- Garlic Salt and Pepper – For seasoning. If you don’t have garlic salt on hand, you can substitute with equal parts of salt and garlic powder, or substitute with salt and season to taste.
- Lemon Juice – Adds acidity and vibrant flavor but you could substitute with red or white wine for a different flavor profile.
- Fresh Herbs – Finely chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, or sage.
Can I Substitute the Lemon Juice?
The easiest way to change the flavor profile of these mushrooms and keep them interesting is to substitute the lemon juice with any of these options:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Teriyaki sauce
- Soy sauce
- Red or white wine
- Balsamic vinegar
What are the Best Mushrooms to Sauté?
You can use any grocery store or farmer’s market mushrooms, but my favorites include:
- Cremini Mushrooms – Young portobellos, also known as Brown or Baby Bella mushrooms
- Portobello Mushrooms – Large and meaty, they can also be used as a meat substitute for vegetarians due to their meaty texture.
- Shiitake Mushrooms – Have a savory, umami-rich taste that adds depth to sautéed dishes (remove stems completely).
While white button mushrooms work great for sauteeing, I prefer brown mushrooms because of their rich flavor. You can use pre-cut, but if you buy them whole you can cut them to your desired thickness.
How to Clean Mushrooms
According to the FDA, you should rinse all produce before consuming. Quickly rinse the mushrooms in a collander under running water being careful not to soak them. Quickly pat dry with a paper towel.
Some worry that the mushrooms will absorb too much water while washing. It’s perfectly ok to rinse and pat mushrooms dry when sautéing, the excess moisture will be released while cooking. The only time you really shouldn’t is when making Stuffed Mushrooms and in that case, just wipe them with damp paper towels.
Pro Tip:
Salt will draw out the mushrooms’ liquid and cause them to steam cook instead of sauté. Season the mushrooms towards the end of cooking to prevent them from releasing too much moisture early on.
How to Sauté Mushrooms
- Clean – Rinse and pat dry mushrooms with paper towels then thickly slice.
- Sauté – Set a large heavy, non-reactive pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and olive oil and swirl as it melts to reduce splatter. Once the oil is hot, add mushrooms and sauté until the liquid is released and evaporated and the mushrooms are slightly browned, 5-7 minutes (See instructions below to sautee whole mushrooms).
- Season– Season with garlic salt and pepper, and add minced garlic. Stir for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant.
- Garnish – Add lemon juice and parsley and sauté another 1-2 minutes, adding more seasoning to taste then remove from heat and serve garnished with more parsley if desired.
How to Sauté Whole Mushrooms
Cut the stems flush with the base so that they will sit flat in the skillet. Sauté for 5 minutes per side or until browned on both sides, then season and dress per the recipe. Sautéed whole mushrooms make a delicious appetizer or side dish.
Pro Tip:
Your pan will look full to start but the mushrooms will release excess water and shrink down as they cook. To avoid soggy sautéed mushrooms, use a large skillet to avoid overcrowding, and cook until the liquid evaporates (or pour out the excess) letting those mushrooms get beautifully browned.
Are Mushrooms Good for You?
Mushrooms have many health benefits so it’s a good idea to include mushrooms in a balanced diet. According to UCLA Health mushrooms may:
- Lower the risk of cancer
- Help lower cholesterol
- Protect brain health
- Improve gut health since mushrooms are considered prebiotics
Make-Ahead
- To Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Sauteed mushrooms are freezer-friendly. Allow the cooked mushrooms to cool completely and then spread them onto a baking sheet. Flash freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container.
- To Reheat: If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight. Gently warm in a pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Whether these golden-brown Sautéed Mushrooms grace your plate as a savory side or steal the spotlight over Cooked White Rice, Baked Chicken Breast, or Grilled Steak, you are going to love how they effortlessly elevate every dish.
More Mushroom Recipes
If you love these Sautéed Mushrooms, then you won’t want to miss these other incredible mushroom recipes:
- Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Sauce
- Marinated Mushrooms
- Mushroom Marinara
- Chicken Marsala
- Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
- Chicken Stir Fry
Sautéed Mushrooms Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp light olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs 24 oz baby bella (cremini) mushrooms
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt, to taste (or use salt and garlic powder)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice form 1 small or 1/2 large lemon
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry mushrooms with paper towels then thickly slice.
- Set a large heavy, non-reactive pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and olive oil and swirl as it melts to reduce splatter. Once the oil is hot, add mushrooms and sauté until the liquid is released and evaporated and mushrooms are slightly browned, 5-7 minutes.
- Season with garlic salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Stir for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add lemon juice and parsley and sauté another 1-2 minutes, adding more seasoning to taste. Then remove from heat, garnish with more parsley (if desired), and serve.
Nutrition Per Serving
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I used sliced mushrooms because that’s what I had on hand. These are so delicious! Will make many more times.
Sounds great! Great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Kathie.
Next time I’ll do garlic powder then add salt….with the garlic salt it was a little too salty. I added onion powder to the bottoms. Even tho it was too salty, it was still delicious.
Thank you for sharing that with me, John! I’m happy you enjoeyd this recipe!
do you have receipe for mushrooms and barley and barley and sauercraut.
my mother ws from ukraine,galitcia region. and used to have this at christmas eve. any help?
Hi Dennis, unfortunately I don’t have a recipe for that yet but that’s a good suggestion for possibly a future video.
I have already sliced mushrooms, would that work as well?
Hi Jennifer, I haven’t tested this with sliced mushromos but I bet that would work! Here’s what one of our readers wrote: “OMG! This is so delicious! I had only sliced ones and dried parsley flakes and even so, they turned out superb! I used garlic powder and salt as advised and lemon juice. They tasted heavenly! We had them on toast for breakfast.”
Hey! I love mushrooms and I usually slice them and macerate them in olive oil (for pasta) I uasaully buy a box and have some left over which i don’t want to waste so I tried your recipe, escellent!! Thanks for sharing. i did cut them in half 2 minutes before removing them (to get them suck more juice) was beautiful! Thanks again!!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
I made these today with portobello mushrooms. Very good flavor. Will definitely make again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Stacy!
This recipe looks delish, however, I don’t have parsley, but I do have plenty of Rosemary growing out my back door. Seeing as Rosemary is a bit more tough than parsley, do you think it would taste good with the mushrooms?
I am a recent convert to mushrooms when I discovered how yummy they are when fresh.
Also, I always have lemon juice because I squeeze a lot of lemons and pour the juice into ice cube trays, then store it in ziploc bags in the freezer.
Will parsley taste fresh when blanched and stored in frozen ice cubes, do you know? I love the flavor, but it’s hard to have on hand.
Ho Manon, Here’s an article on how to store parsley (we use these tips to refrigerate fresh parsley). I hope that helps!
Another way to store parsley for quite a long time is to cut the stems and place the parsley in a cup of water with a lid on it. I use a venti or trenti cold drink cup from a popular coffee store. The opening for the straw allows a bit of air flow and I change the water weekly; I have had parsley last for a month or more stored this way.
After 58 years of married life, I have a new favorite way to store parsley and cilantro. I break the stems off and remove the band. A quick rinse in cold water and wrap loosely in a paper towel. Store in a zip lock bag but DO NOT seal. Keep in the crisper in the refrigerator. Lasts a very long time.
Excellent!!
love the recipe,i cooked the mushroom stems and used the broth for a oansauce
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I made these mushrooms to go with our prime rib dinner. They turned out great. Only change I made was to add a couple cloves of minced garlic to the oil instead of using garlic salt.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
We love this recipe and have made it several times now since finding it. Thanks Natasha – love your recipes and videos.
I’m so glad you discovered our blog! Thank you for that great review!
I’ve just found this website and i am super excited to try all the recipes
I’m so happy you discovered our blog, Maitha. Welcome!
Yum! Such an easy and tasty side dish!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha,
Could I do this recipe in the oven?
Hi Katie, I have not tested that to advise. If you experiment, please let me know how you like that.
I just wanna say thank you for getting right to the recipe, which is fantastic. You didn’t write a 3,000-word trope about how your great aunt used to cook mushrooms in her kitchen and how the smell of mushrooms makes you long to go camping or how mushrooms have existed for millennia as a source of food. THANK YOU.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this post Jefferson! Thank you for that awesome feedback!
I like the recipe. I was wondering what do you do with the cut out part of the mushroom leg? Do you throw them away?
Hi Anna, yes unless there is another dish planned with mushrooms in it.
Rinse them off, dry them and freeze in a zippered bag to use in soups! Don’t waste anything if you can help it!
Hey natasha sweetie hope that you are doing well and that the start to summer has been treating you right I made this recipe last week not the exact same way but close enough I had some mushrooms that were really starting to go so I thought rather than toss them why not cook with them and wow mmmmm they were really so very good and seriously oh so yumm definitely gonna make these again thanx so much for sharing be well enjoy your summer cheers
That’s just awesome!! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
These came out so good! I cooked them a little longer and used fresh grated garlic towards the end but they came out great!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Easy and perfectly flavorful! So pretty, too.
SO happy you enjoyed that Susan!!
Hi Natasha,
Can I substitute the lemon juice with lime juice instead?
Thank you.
Hi Lilian! I haven’t tested that but one of our readers has and enjoyed it! Here’s what they wrote “Little caveat for the mushrooms, used small Shiitake, still cut the stems off at the cap, used lime juice instead of lemon juice (lemon juice is very hard to get here!), and spring onion for the parsley. I will post a photo on fb tomorrow, not as bright as yours but wow are they good! Well received by the Thai family, once again, thank you for the great recipe, Natasha” I hope that helps!
Thank you so much Natasha! ☺️