A Better Way to Cook Mushrooms (No Butter or Oil Required!) (2024)

Do you know the easiest way to cook mushrooms? There's a method I've been using for years. It's called "dry sautéing." It's the technique I use with our fabulous Marsala Mushrooms.

Perfectly Cooked Mushrooms, Less Fat

You cook sliced or chopped mushrooms in a hot pan without adding any fat, liquid, or sauce. As the mushrooms heat up in the pan, they release their juices and cook in their own liquid, concentrating the flavor of the mushrooms.

Towards the end of cooking (after about 5 to 10 minutes), once the mushrooms have released much of their moisture, you can swirl in some butter for added flavor if you want. But the cooking of the mushrooms themselves doesn't require anything but heat.

Even if you do add butter in at the end, you'll need less than you would have if you started out cooking the mushrooms in butter at the beginning.

VIDEO! How to Dry Sauté Mushrooms

Here's a quick video of the process:

The Best Mushrooms for This Method

You can cook many mushroom varieties using this technique, from white button mushrooms to wild mushrooms. Fleshy mushrooms that naturally have a high moisture content — cremini, button, portobello, chanterelles, porcini, and oyster mushrooms — work best.

Work with the freshest mushrooms. Mushrooms that are a bit dried out won't have enough moisture for this method.

The Best Pan for This Method

I find a relatively stick-free pan like cast iron or hard anodized aluminum works well. If you have a non-stick-free pan, you'll need to stir more frequently to keep the mushrooms from sticking to the pan in the beginning.

Ways to Use Dry Sautéed Mushrooms

This is an excellent way to prepare mushrooms for use in a recipe that already has sufficient fat, but needs cooked mushrooms, like for a stew or casserole. Try them in these recipes:

• Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Grilled Beef and Mushroom Burger
• Quick Beef Stew with Mushrooms and White Beans
• Mushroom Risotto
• Creamy Green Beans and Mushrooms