Garlic Mushrooms
Updated Oct 07, 2024
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These creamy sautéed garlic mushrooms take about 20 minutes on the stovetop, and they’re extra rich and satisfying with smoky spices, a little heavy cream, and crumbled bacon. They make an easy, flavorful side dish that doubles as an appetizer!
Creamy Garlic Mushrooms Recipe
Mushrooms can be controversial for some, but I happen to LOVE them, and I cook with them often, from crab stuffed mushrooms to roasted mushrooms and creamy mushroom soup. This creamy garlic mushrooms recipe is ready in 20 minutes and features juicy sautéed button mushrooms finished with a rich, garlicky cream sauce. I like to add bacon; similar to Brussels sprouts with bacon, the smokiness complements the earthy mushroom flavors so well!
These one-pan garlic mushrooms are versatile enough to serve as an appetizer or a side. I pair them with creamy garlic shrimp or baked chicken breasts for weeknight dinners, and they even make an unexpected, tasty holiday side dish at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a look at the simple ingredients in this easy mushroom side dish recipe. For the full recipe amounts and instructions, please scroll to the recipe card below.
- Bacon – Use streaky bacon, thick-cut bacon, or an alternative, like pancetta.
- Butter and Olive Oil – I use both to sauté the mushrooms. Butter adds flavor, while olive oil raises the smoke point to avoid burning.
- Garlic – Freshly minced garlic is best! Otherwise, substitute 1 tablespoon of jarlic (jarred garlic) for each fresh clove.
- Mushrooms – Cremini, portobello, shiitake, porcini, oyster mushrooms… all are excellent for cooking. However, small button mushrooms are my favorite for this recipe. Choose baby Portobello or simple white button mushrooms for the perfect bite.
- Spices – Chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder add depth and a hint of heat. You can substitute chili powder with cayenne or red chili flakes. Use a mild chili powder or omit it if you’re sensitive to spice.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth – Swap with vegetable broth if you’d prefer, or if you’re making the dish vegetarian without the bacon.
- Heavy Cream – Use half-and-half for a lighter sauce.
How to Make Garlic Mushrooms
Heat a skillet and follow the overview below to make your garlic mushrooms. Everything cooks in the same pan:
- Cook the bacon. Fry the chopped bacon until crispy, then set it aside. In the same skillet, melt the butter and heat the olive oil, then sauté your garlic for about 30 seconds, making sure it doesn’t burn.
- Sauté the mushrooms. Next, add the mushrooms, coating them generously in the butter-garlic mixture. Season with the spices, and let the mushrooms cook until tender and well-browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Finish the sauce and serve. To finish, pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, let the sauce thicken, and stir in the bacon. Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme, and your garlic mushrooms are ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Always start with fresh, firm mushrooms. The caps should be intact and shouldn’t be slimy or have a foul smell. This ensures they have a good texture and flavor.
- Clean the mushrooms. Since mushrooms grow in soil, they can have a bit of grit on them. Use a damp paper towel or a soft brush to clean each mushroom gently.
- Adjust the sauce. To thin out the cream sauce, add a splash of broth. You can thicken the sauce by adding a little more heavy cream.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding can lead to mushrooms steaming instead of browning because it lowers the pan’s temperature. If necessary, cook them in batches to ensure each one has enough space.
- Make it vegetarian. Leave out the bacon to make this vegetarian, or substitute the bacon with another vegetable, like my zucchini and mushrooms.
What to Serve With Garlic Mushrooms
These creamy garlic mushrooms truly shine when served alongside a juicy oven-grilled steak. There’s something about the combination of steak and mushrooms that’s so satisfying! Here are more serving suggestions:
- Mains: Pair this dish with juicy chicken or honey-garlic baked pork chops for a casual dinner, or serve garlic mushrooms with roast turkey at the holidays.
- Pasta: Spoon these creamy mushrooms over egg noodles or garlic butter noodles and add steak bites for a Beef Stroganoff-style meal.
- Sides: Serve with roasted green beans, cranberry sauce, and stuffing or dinner rolls to soak up the cream sauce. Don’t miss a slice of apple pie cake for dessert.
Or, savor these garlic mushrooms straight from the pan. You won’t be disappointed!
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Garlic Mushrooms
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Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound small button mushrooms, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped bacon; cook until crispy, then remove from the skillet. Set aside.
- Sauté the garlic. Add butter and olive oil to the skillet; once melted, lower the heat to medium and stir in the garlic. Continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not burn the garlic.
- Cook the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and coat them all around with the butter sauce. Season with chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender and nicely browned.
- Make the sauce. Add chicken broth and cook for 10 seconds. Stir in the heavy cream and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Serve. Remove from heat; stir in the bacon, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Notes
- Don’t Crowd the Pan: When sautéing the mushrooms, make sure not to crowd the pan. Overcrowding can lead to the mushrooms steaming rather than browning.
- Browning the Mushrooms: The flavor of the mushrooms comes out when they are properly browned. Let them sit and sear in the pan without stirring for a couple of minutes before you toss them.
- Use Quality Bacon: A smoky, thick-cut bacon will impart the most flavor.
- Adjust Cream to Your Preference: The recipe calls for adding heavy cream to make it creamy. If you prefer a lighter dish, you can use half-and-half or even whole milk instead.
- Sauce Consistency: If the sauce is too thick, stir in a tablespoon or two of chicken broth. If the sauce is too thin, add a little more heavy cream.
- Garnish: Garnish with freshly chopped herbs like parsley or thyme to add a splash of color and a boost of fresh flavor.
- Storing Leftovers: Refrigerate the mushrooms in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storage: Store cooked mushrooms in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
- Reheat: Warm leftover garlic mushrooms in a skillet on the stove, or reheat smaller portions in the microwave. Take care not to overheat the cream sauce while reheating, or the dairy can split.
- Can I freeze them? I don’t recommend freezing cream-based mushrooms, as the sauce can separate when thawed. Without the sauce, the cooked mushrooms can be frozen in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
I plan to make these tomorrow with a pork.loin. should I peel the ski off the caps? Another recipe I looked at said the mushrooms can become rubbery if sauteed with the skin on?? Thats a new one for me.
Hi!
That’s a new one for me, too! I have never peeled the skin off the caps. 🙂
These mushrooms are amazing. They are always a fan favorite at Thanksgiving dinner.
That’s great! I’m so glad they’re a hit at Thanksgiving! Thank YOU! 😊
Tried this recipe on my husband, and he loved it. I’ll serve this recipe up with steak as well.
That’s great to hear it was a hit with your husband! Serving it with steak sounds like a delicious plan. Thank YOU! 🙂
I just made this for Easter and everyone loved it. Great side dish with our steak.