Is there any better side dish at a steakhouse than sautéd mushrooms? They’re absolutely packed full of flavor, with a texture that sits perfectly alongside a delicious cut of steak. Rich and juicy, we’ve found that sometimes the mushrooms can even outshine the steak.
One of the best things about sautéd mushrooms is that this is an easy dish to cook at home that tastes luxurious, but is quick to make and cheap to shop for. It really shows that the best foods aren’t necessarily about the fanciest ingredients, but about knowing how to combine tastes to get an incredible hit of flavor.
Steakhouse mushrooms combine the nutty creaminess of garlic with the freshness of thyme, the sweetness of the wine, salty stock, and that umami hit of mushrooms. And you can pull the entire dish together in less than 15 minutes. This dish is a crowd-pleaser for dinner parties, and a chance to show off for date night. Not to mention, it’s simple enough for a decadent dinner for one!
What Are Steakhouse Sauté Mushrooms?
Mushrooms are a classic side dish for steak. They have that meaty texture that perfectly complements a wonderfully cooked steak, with enough flavor to stand on their own. The umami depth of the mushroom brings out the complexity of the beef and adds weight to a meal without heaviness. So, if that’s why you order sautéd mushrooms at a steakhouse, why should you cook them at home?
For a start, this is an excellent side dish to your home-cooked steak, particularly if you can’t find the best cuts of meat. The complementary flavors and textures of mushrooms can help lift a lesser cut. If you’re looking for a date night meal that will taste expensive without costing too much, these sautéd mushrooms are ideal.
And this is another advantage: price. The ingredients for sautéd mushrooms bring a big punch of flavor without a great cost. By making these mushrooms your chosen side dish for steak, you can save money to spend on an impressive cut.
They’re also versatile dishes. The recipe below is our favorite, but there’s some real room for experimentation. Try some different herbs that you have on hand, and create a dish with your own unique spin.
Thanks to this versatility, they also work as a side dish for a range of dinners. Of course, steak is the classic. But the simple flavors of this sautéd dish will go wonderfully with a roast chicken dinner. For a vegetarian take, pair these mushrooms with a broiled cauliflower steak. Or simply serve them with mashed potatoes!
If you want something filling and quick, you can even eat these mushrooms on toast! Prep takes almost no time at all, and the cooking time is minimal. Let the juices from the pan soak into a fresh hunk of bread, and enjoy on cold days.
How To Make Steakhouse Sauté Mushrooms?
You require just a handful of ingredients to put together this incredible side dish, and very little equipment. All you need is butter, olive oil, shallots, garlic, fresh thyme, red wine or sherry, beef stock, salt and pepper, mushrooms, and a large skillet.
Begin by heating butter and olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. You want the pan to be really hot, so you can get that golden brown coating on your vegetables.
Thinly slice the garlic and shallot. If you can’t find shallot, other types of sweet onions will work in their place, or you can leave them out.
Brush the mushrooms clean. Don’t wash them, as this can affect the final flavor. We recommend cremini mushrooms, but use whichever type you have available. As we mentioned above, this is an adaptable dish.
Either pop out the stem or give it a trim. We don’t recommend slicing the mushrooms, but if you have some oversized ones, you may wish to cut them in half. Use your best judgment.
When the butter has melted, swirl so that it covers the base of the pan. Add the onions, and sauté for around 3 minutes, until they’re starting to get some color. Add the garlic and sauté for around 30 seconds, until they become lovely and fragrant.
At this point, the smells should be lifted from the pan. Add the mushrooms, and give them a good toss to ensure that they’re thoroughly coated in the oil and butter mixture. Sprinkle with salt and cook for around 5 minutes, until they’re beginning to release their liquid and turning golden. Cook until the liquid has nearly all evaporated, and then add the fresh thyme.
Now, add a splash of beef stock, and a larger splash of wine or sherry. Lower the heat until just simmering, and leave to simmer for around 5 minutes, when the liquid should have reduced by half.
Add a healthy pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Make sure to try the dish. You may need more or less salt depending on the stock, wine, and mushrooms used.
Remove from the heat and serve straight away. You don’t need to watch the mushrooms much, so you can perfect your steak while the mushrooms are browning.
Tips And Tricks
Our favorite mushrooms to use are cremini, but the good thing about these adaptable flavors is that they work with whatever mushrooms you might have. White button mushrooms can be left whole, while a few large portobello mushrooms are exceptional with beef. You can even use a combination of mushrooms, but make sure they’re all cooking at the same time.
You can pop the stem away from the mushroom cap easily, don’t worry if the cap breaks, or leave it in and trim the ends. Mushrooms without the stem have a more streamlined finish, but with the stem are juicier. In our opinion, this is a matter of personal preference.
We really recommend using fresh thyme for this dish, but we understand not everyone has access to it. Dried thyme will work, it just won’t have quite the same depth of flavor as the fresh stuff. If you have any leftover fresh thyme, freeze it in olive oil. Then, defrost before you plan on making this dish. When you’d normally add fresh thyme, use this mix instead.
The pan has to be hot before you start. Otherwise, the mushrooms won’t turn golden. Mushrooms release liquid as they cook, and if the pan isn’t hot, they’ll end up steaming rather than browning. Don’t wash the mushrooms, either. Wipe away any dirt with a mushroom brush, or use a damp cloth.
When you serve, make sure to pour all the juices left in the pan on top of the mushrooms. You’ll leave so much flavor behind if you don’t serve it.
We don’t recommend freezing this dish. If you have any leftovers, reheat them the next day and enjoy them with toast. They taste at their best fresh from the skillet, but they’re still pretty good the next day.
Steakhouse Sautéd Mushrooms Recipe
Steakhouse sautéd mushrooms are a classic side dish that delivers a heavy hit of flavor with just a few ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 large shallot
- 1 lb mushroom
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2/3 cup sweet red wine (or 1/2 cup dry sherry)
- 3 tbsp beef stock
Directions
1. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the butter so that it coats the base of the pan.
2. Add the shallots, and sauté for 3 minutes, until starting to soften.
3. Add the garlic, and cook for roughly 30 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Add the mushrooms, toss to coat in the oil and butter, and sprinkle with salt. Sauté until the mushrooms start to release liquid, roughly 5 minutes. Continue to cook until the liquid has nearly all evaporated.
5. Season with the chopped thyme, and gently stir the mushrooms to coat.
6. Add the beef stock and red wine or sherry.
7. Reduce the heat until the liquid is just simmering, and continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced by roughly half.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve immediately with the juices from the pan.
For an extra flourish, serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Conclusion
This recipe is great for those who want to impress guests without having to spend hours in the kitchen. It comes together quickly, with a limited ingredients list that manages to pack in a huge amount of flavor. This is a dish with some real versatility.
Yes, it makes a wonderful side for steaks, but it can also be enjoyed with whatever protein you prefer. And although we recommend thyme, consider what fresh herbs you have on hand. The end result is a side dish that just might end up overshadowing the entrée!
