Gluten-Free Garlic Sautéed Mushroom Dish
Denise Vasi
A great sautéed mushroom dish goes a long way. The holidays are soon approaching and mushrooms make a great addition to mac and cheese and mashed potato recipes. You can use them to top a salad or top a burger. Add them to a grain dish like risotto, add them to spaghetti pasta or rice pilaf. You can also use them to create an easy party appetizer, a quick snack or you can simply serve them as a savory side dish all on their own.
The key to sautéing mushrooms is using high heat and avoiding an overcrowded pan. Mushrooms contain a ton of water and when you cook them that water releases. Using high heat to cook your mushrooms will help the released water evaporate, this way you avoid steaming your mushrooms. They should brown nicely within minutes without burning. An overcrowded pan is also a no-no for your ‘shrooms. They need space for the excess liquid to evaporate so it’s best to cook them in batches. Cover your skillet with a nice single layer of mushrooms and make sure they have some space between them.
Ingredients
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs sliced mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup tamari sauce
- garlic powder to taste
- black pepper to taste
Storing and Cleaning Mushrooms
When it comes to mushrooms, there are a few best practices for storage and washing.
To avoid spoilage do not keep your mushrooms in the plastic bags we get from the market, they only contribute to mushroom’s losing their firmness. Instead, keep loose mushrooms in a brown paper bag and store in the refrigerator. It is recommended to keep pre-packaged mushrooms in their original packaging until you’re ready to cook them.
Clean mushrooms right before you are ready to use them. You want to remove extra dirt but because mushrooms naturally contain so much liquid you don’t want to soak them nor run them under a heavy stream of faucet water. You can lightly rinse them in a colander but immediately dry them, gently with a paper towel to remove the excess water.
The best way to clean your mushrooms is to wipe each one with a damp paper towel.
Step 1:
Clean and trim stems of mushrooms if the stems are too dry or too wet and slimy. If neither of those issues is present, then keep the stems attached. Use a sharp knife to cut your mushrooms into slices about ¼-inch thick.
Step 2:
Place a skillet over high heat, once hot enough add in olive oil. Stir the olive oil around so that it thoroughly covers the bottom of the pan, then add your sliced mushrooms. Mushrooms should sizzle when they hit the skillet.
Step 3:
Cook your mushrooms for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want your mushrooms to brown and soften.
Step 4:
Add fresh minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tamari sauce. Cook the mushrooms for another 5 minutes in the tamari or until all of the liquid has evaporated.
Step 5:
Add the garlic powder and black pepper to taste.
I love taking this dish and turning it into an easy party appetizer or snack. Just spread some guacamole on a healthy gluten-free cracker and top with a mushroom or two.
