Button Mushroom Recipe

Prepare mushrooms

Wipe the button mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove dirt. Trim the stem ends if needed, leaving the mushrooms whole. If any are large, halve them so pieces are roughly uniform in size.

Heat pan

Place a large heavy skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter and let the butter foam but not brown (about 30–60 seconds).

Sear mushrooms

Add the mushrooms in a single layer without crowding. Let them cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until the undersides are nicely browned. Shake the pan or use tongs to turn mushrooms and continue cooking another 3 minutes so they brown on the other side.

Add aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Push mushrooms to one side and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the empty space. Add the chopped shallot and cook 1–2 minutes until translucent, then add the minced garlic and thyme and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring so garlic doesn’t burn.

Deglaze

Pour in the white wine (or vegetable stock) to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon. Allow the liquid to simmer and reduce by about half (1–2 minutes).

Season the mushrooms with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chili flakes if using. Stir to combine so seasoning coats the mushrooms and the reduced liquid forms a light glaze.

Optional cream finish: stir in the double cream and simmer gently for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Finish with fresh herbs and lemon: remove the pan from heat, stir in the chopped parsley and lemon zest. Toss to combine so the herbs wilt slightly from the residual heat.

Serve: transfer the mushrooms to a warm serving dish. Serve immediately as a side dish, on toasted bread as a bruschetta topping, or tossed through pasta. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.