I’m always looking for tasty new ways to prepare side dishes and vegetables. It’s about mixing different cooking techniques and different supporting flavors to get new subtle variation out of old familiar favorites. For too long I overlooked the humble mushroom as a great candidate.
There seems to be about a billion different kinds of mushrooms out there these days. Each has its own flavor and texture – not to mention size and color! But this recipe uses button mushrooms or crimini mushrooms, which are probably the two most readily available kinds of mushrooms and they are certainly two of the most affordable mushrooms.
You’ll probably want to clean your mushrooms before doing anything else with them because they often come with specks of dirt still on them. Whatever you do, don’t soak your mushrooms! Mushrooms are like little sponges and they will soak up the water. This will cause them to get mushy when you cook them, and they won’t turn a lovely shade of roasted brown, either.
To clean them, just wet a paper towel and gently wipe off the surface of each mushroom. Now you’re ready to cook!
You may wonder why this recipe calls specifically for shaved garlic. When you very thinly slice garlic, more of its flavor is released and it will get nice and crispy when it is roasted. Trust me – it’s a great way to prepare your garlic, even if it takes a little more time. To slice my garlic, I take the skin off and VERY carefully slice them on the thinnest setting on my mandolin. But you can always use a sharp knife if you don’t have a mandolin.
Also, depending on the size of your mushrooms, you may want to cut them in half. If they’re small, keep them whole. I slice the big ones in half to make them bite sized. But don’t cut them too small – you’ll lose the great texture that comes with roasting and you’ll just have weak little mushroom slices instead.
Roasting is a great way to bring out flavors in many foods, from meats to nuts to vegetables, and these mushrooms are no different. I love preparing these mushrooms when I’m having a family style dinner. I serve them in a large bowl, so everyone can take as many as they like.
I usually pair them with another savory vegetable so maybe I’ll serve another big bowl full of roasted Brussels sprouts or asparagus. That way every plate gets a mélange of seasonal vegetables.
I find this recipe for garlic and thyme flavored roasted mushrooms pairs well with roasted pork or beef. The hearty, meaty flavors really complement each other and pair up to make a filling, satisfying meal.
So crank that oven up, toss your mushrooms in some spices, and get roasting!
Ingredients
- 1 pound button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, halved or quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, shaved
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a bowl toss the mushrooms with melted coconut oil, thyme, salt, black pepper and garlic.
- Transfer to a baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- Roast, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown and tender, about 35-40 minutes.
- Serve warm.