Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions Recipe

Learn how to sauté mushrooms and onions that will compliment a burger, chicken, or steak.

I can tell you one of my favorite things to put these sauteed mushrooms and onions on is a good-quality burger. It adds some incredible flavor and depth to a burger.

They go great with all kinds of dishes like chicken, beef, and pork. One of the benefits is how healthy they are for you. This is the ultimate side dish with a ton of flavor!

When you saute mushrooms and onions you are bringing out the flavor when browning them.

Don’t get this confused with caramelizing we are not going to break down the sugars of the vegetables to that extent.

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How to saute mushrooms and onions

Follow these steps to get the best results. You do not want to end up with a soggy result.

1. Prepare the mushroom and onions

Clean and Cut the mushrooms

If the mushrooms have a ton of dirt on them go ahead and wipe as much off as possible. Do not wash the mushrooms, they are like sponges and will get soggy.

Use a paper towel or a dishrag to remove the dirt. You can also use a napkin.

Now if the mushrooms are slimy or have a smell there is a good chance the mushrooms have gone bad and you don’t want to use them.

Sometimes I pull the stems out, I call the stumps but this is completely optional. You can eat the stems with no problems.

Slice up your mushrooms to the thickness you want. I typically shoot for 1/8″ – 1/4″ for both.

Peel and Cut the onions

The first thing you want to do is peel the skin off the onion. This is the first layer that comes with all kinds of dirt on it. I try to get to the first layer that has no green to it.

Some people do not like it if the onions get too stringy so they chop them up instead of slicing them.

If you have a really big onion then I sometimes cut it again so the onion pieces are not so long.

2. Heat the pan with oil

Get yourself a frying pan and start it off with medium heat and good quality oil.

You’re looking for enough oil to barely coat the bottom of the pan. I choose to use good quality olive oil.

Typically I use avocado oil because it has a high smoke point so you don’t risk the chance of burning the oil.

Keep an eye on the oil for it to be ready. You are looking for legs on the oil typically like you see in wine in a glass. I sometimes will flick a bit of water on the pan to tell it’s ready.

3. Saute the mushrooms and onions

Go ahead and add the mushrooms and onions to the pan and start spreading them around. You want them all to have some surface contact with the bottom of the pan so they will brown up.

If your pan is too small you will overcrowd the mushrooms and onions and you will end up steaming them instead.

So make sure you have some room for them to be able to have the water in them come out and evaporate. The worse thing you can do is add a cover to the pan!

That will lock in the moisture and the mushrooms and onions will not brown and add a ton of flavor.

Season with salt and pepper

Season the mushrooms and onions with salt and pepper. Season them from above so you are able to get an even coat over all of it. Adding this salt will remove the access moisture.

When you do it too close you tend to overseason some of the mushrooms and onions and some get no seasoning.

Now go ahead flip them to get some caramelization on the other side as well.

4. Deglaze the pan

Now that you have browned the mushrooms and onions you want to incorporate all that flavor that now is stuck at the bottom of the pan.

There are so many things you can use to deglaze the pan.

In this recipe, I chose to use a chicken stock that I made myself. Wine, balsamic vinegar, and just plain old water are also popular.

You want to make sure that your chicken broth has not gone bad.

Serve the sauteed mushrooms and onions

The mushrooms and onions do not stay hot for long. They will keep for a while as you prepare what you’re going to put them on.

You can also reheat them really quickly if you need them hot. Simply toss them in a hot pan for a few minutes. Now don’t forget all the different types of mushrooms out there. I love to sauté cremini mushrooms.

Ingredients for Sauteed Mushrooms and Onion Recipe

• 1 white onion
• 1 pkg mushrooms
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 3 tbsp chicken stock

Equipment

• frying pan
• cutting board
• chef knife
• spatula

Sauteed Mushrooms Tips and Tricks

• You can also you frozen mushrooms that are ready to go if you’re not going to use fresh. You need to be careful cooking them because they are going to add a lot of water to the dish.
• Try different ways to deglaze the pan. One of my favorites is balsamic vinegar, it can add a ton of flavor. Wine is also a great way to de-glaze white and red wine, don’t use your best wine.

Sautéing vs Caramelizing mushrooms and onions

So, we are talking about sautéing and not caramelizing the mushrooms and onions. Caramelizing is a different process that tends to extract sugars and make them sweet.

We are looking to brown the mushrooms and onions and get the flavor that is created from the Maillard reaction.

What are the best mushrooms and onions to saute?

• The best mushrooms to use are cremini, shiitake, portobello, portabella, and white button mushrooms. Pretty much any mushrooms are going to work well!
• Onions I like to go with yellow onion and if you have them Vidalia onions. The Vidalia can add a lot more of the sweet flavor to the side dish. Red onions don’t work that well but they can be used.

What’s the Best Oil to Sauté Mushrooms In?

If you’re looking for an oil that will impart a lot of flavor to your mushrooms, extra-virgin olive oil is a great option. It has a fruity, peppery flavor that pairs well with mushrooms. Just be sure to use a light hand when cooking with it, as it can easily become overpowering.

Butter:

Butter is another good option for sautéing mushrooms. It gives them a rich, creamy flavor that works well in both savory and sweet dishes. Just be sure not to let the butter burn, or it will ruin the dish.

Grapeseed oil:

Grapeseed oil is a neutral-tasting oil that has a high smoke point, making it ideal for sautéing. It won’t impart any additional flavor to the mushrooms, but it will help them to brown nicely without burning.

Avocado oil:

Avocado oil is another neutral-tasting option with a high smoke point. It’s also packed with healthy fats and vitamins, making it an excellent choice for those looking for a nutritious option.

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