Balsamic Sautéed Mushrooms [an easy, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30 side dish!]
Back when I regularly shared recipes on the blog, I’d occasionally dabble in writing about life, faith, and motherhood. The detour into a different type of creative work was good for my brain and my soul.
Now, things have flip-flopped. I don’t post recipes quite as often as I used to, but I love regularly sharing stories and talking about theology in this little corner of the Internet. Yet every once in a while, I find I need that creative shift again. I need to do something a little different from what’s become the new norm. And so I go back to chopping, sautéing, and photographing.
Today, I’ve got the easiest side dish for you. If you don’t like mushrooms, I’m sorry to disappoint. (Maybe check some other side dish ideas?) But if you love fungi, you’ll enjoy this recipe. It brings out the rich, deep flavor of mushrooms in the best way. The sweetness of the balsamic complements the earthiness of the mushrooms. The recipe only takes a few minutes to make, so you can even whip it up at the last minute if you feel like whatever protein you're serving needs a little something extra.
Ingredients for Balsamic Sautéed Mushrooms
Olive oil
Cremini or white button mushrooms
Salt
Balsamic Vinegar
Fresh thyme (optional)
How to Make Sautéed Mushrooms
It doesn't take much effort to sauté mushrooms, but there are a few tricks to know. First, start with mushrooms that are clean and dry. Secondly, make sure to preheat your pan, and lastly, don't put too many mushrooms in the pan at once. Mushrooms have quite a bit of water in them. To make sure they're sautéed instead of soggy, you need to start with dry mushrooms (just wipe dirt off and then dry any moisture with a paper towel if needed). You also want plenty of heat, and they need room to breathe in the pan. If they're too close together, they'll steam instead of browning properly.
I like adding a bit of brightness to this rich dish, so I top the mushrooms with fresh thyme. You could also try using other herbs you have on hand, such as rosemary or sage.
What you end up with is a dish that's perfect for topping on a steak, baked chicken, or pork chops. These mushrooms can even work as a low carb, vegetarian entree if you serve a few spoonfuls over cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower. Enjoy!
These balsamic sautéed mushrooms require only a few ingredients and are the perfect addition to steak, chicken, pork, or your favorite vegetable.
Balsamic Sautéed Mushrooms
Serves 2 as a side dish
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced
Kosher salt
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Fresh thyme (optional)
Heat a cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat until the oil is shimmering.
Stir in the mushrooms (watch out for hot oil splattering!), being careful not to overcrowd them. Depending on the size of your pan, you may want to do this in two batches.
Add ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and caramelized, about 5-7 minutes. Add the last tablespoon of olive oil if the pan starts to look too dry.
Turn the heat to medium-low and add the balsamic vinegar. Cook for a couple minutes until the vinegar reduces and all the mushrooms are well coated.
Add additional salt to taste and fresh thyme leaves. Serve over cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, on top of a steak, over seared pork chops, or however else you like!
This recipe was originally featured at Joy Filled Eats.
