You know how most recipes for sautéed mushrooms instruct you to sauté in batches? I don’t know about you, but I usually ignore that instruction and just dump them all in at once. Then, they absorb all the oil and stick to the pan, so
I add more oil. After that, they release a lot of water and steam in their own liquid. In the end, I have unevenly cooked, slightly greasy mushrooms. However, I still hesitate to cook them in batches because that takes so long and I have other parts of my meal to prepare.
I knew there had to be a better way. I came across this article, and thought it was worth a shot. Essentially, the mushrooms are boiled, then sautéed. While they boil, they release their excess liquid. Then when it’s time to sautée, they don’t absorb the oil, so only a small amount is needed. Since they are already cooked through at this point, it’s only a matter of browning them.
It took me several tries to get this recipe just the way I wanted it. Some things I learned along they way: It will work if you use more water, it will just take longer. It will work if you decrease the oil to 1 tbsp, but you might have a little sticking to the pan towards the end. It will work if you make a double batch, but the cooking time will also double and you don’t need to increase the amount of oil. It doesn’t make a difference if your mushrooms are quartered, thinly sliced, or thickly sliced.
This recipe works equally well as a simple side dish or as a way to prep mushrooms for another recipe, such as pizza or lasagna. If you are tired of unevenly cooked mushrooms, consider giving this method a try!
beginning to cook 
about halfway done
Single Batch Sautéed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms (white or cremini)
- 2 tbsp butter flavored coconut oil (or butter if you tolerate dairy)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 tsp minced fresh thyme (optional)
Instructions
- Wash your mushrooms and quarter or slice them. Place the mushrooms, water, and butter flavored coconut oil in a 12 inch skillet.
- Bring the water to boil over high heat. Add the salt and pepper to the pan and lower the heat slightly. Maintain a boil (not a simmer) until all the water evaporates, approximately 15 minutes. Stir once or twice during this time as you go about preparing the rest of your meal.
- You will hear the mushrooms start to sizzle when all the water has evaporated. When this happens, stir the mushrooms frequently until they are golden brown. Taste and add additional salt or pepper as needed.
- Stir in thyme (if using) and serve.