Creamed Mushrooms

This Creamed Mushrooms recipe is full of satisfying flavors in caramelized onions, garlic, rich butter and cream, finished off with red wine reduction. Great over pasta, chicken or steak!

This simple yet elegant side dish is full of amazing flavor and texture. The caramelized onions, browned mushrooms and flavorful garlic all wrapped up in creamy red wine reduction sauce.

There are so many ways you can enjoy these Creamed Mushrooms.

Creamed Mushrooms

Full disclosure: Creamed Mushrooms is a labor of love (after all, it does require 40 minutes) but it is well worth it when you have major flavor factor.

I'll be honest, this isn't one of those quick recipes. It is fairly easy, even though the term easy is subjective.

But if you've ever cooked mushrooms before, you know that they are very rich in liquid and that liquid must evaporate in order to achieve amazing flavor.

Additionally, we're starting off with caramelizing onions. That too, can be time consuming although very much worth it.

Finally, cooking with wine requires a little extra time because the alcohol must evaporate to get to the richness of the flavor.

If you're still with me, (and I hope you are because these Creamed Mushrooms are absolutely amazing!) this recipe is neither hard nor complicated but does call for an extra bit of time and attention.

Creamy Garlic Mushrooms

Garlic just makes everything better and these Creamed Mushrooms is no exception.

Mushrooms and garlic go so well together. To reduce that garlicky bite and release the pungent flavor, I add the garlic after the mushrooms have browned well.

Simply scoop the mushrooms out to the side of the pan and add the minced garlic to the center. Stir and cook for about a minute before combining it with the rest of the ingredients.

creamed Mushrooms with Red Wine

These creamy mushrooms in red wine reduction are boldly satisfying. Cooking with wine transforms the dish and adds amazing flavor and boldness.

As the wine cooks, its sugars and acids become concentrated resulting in a bold and savory flavor. Dry red wines are best for making these Creamed Mushrooms in red wine reduction.

One of the most important things to remember when cooking with wine is choosing one that you would actually drink. Skip the "cooking wines" as they often have unnecessary added salt, sugar and preservatives.

Some great reds for these creamy mushrooms are Pinot Noir and Merlot.

As the mushrooms cook in the red wine, the alcohol evaporates, the sauce thickens and the liquid reduces to a creamy consistency. The result is a luxurious red wine mushroom sauce that is perfect for chicken, pasta, and over steak.

Helpful Tip: When cooking with wine, choose one you would actually drink and skip the "cooking wines" as they often contain added sugar and preservatives.

What can be used in place of alcohol?

If you don't want to use red wine in these creamed mushrooms, feel free to use beef broth instead. Alternatively, 100% cranberry juice can also be a great substitution for red wine without sacrificing flavor.

Creamy Mushrooms

It's probably obvious but worth noting that creamy mushrooms have lots of rich, luscious cream.

The beauty of this elegant side dish is you can adjust the "creaminess" according to preference. Add more or less cream if you want the mushrooms to be thinner or thicker, respectively.

This will also depend on what you are serving these mushrooms with. To go over regular pasta, you'd probably want the Creamy Mushrooms to be a little on the thinner side - more like a sauce.

However, if you are serving this over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash pasta, you would probably want these Creamed Mushrooms to be a little more set and thicker since veggie noodles already have large water content. 

How to clean Mushrooms

Creamed Mushroom starts with clean mushrooms. But how do you properly clean mushrooms?

Mushrooms are a porous and delicate fungus and as a result, will soak up water easily if you wash them like you would normally wash produce. No one wants a soggy mushroom. Especially, when the goal is to brown them.

So how can you avoid that rubbery and slimy texture that often results from waterlogged mushrooms? Don't wash them!

That's right! If mushrooms are not visibly dirty, you don't have to wash them. If there is a little dirt, use a dry or slightly damp paper towel to gently rub off any muddy bits. A small paring knife can also be used to cut off any crusty parts.

Because washing mushrooms is nearly impossible without sacrificing flavor and texture, I prefer purchasing organic mushrooms, to limit any residual exposure from pesticides and other chemicals.

However, because mushrooms require very little (if any) pesticide use, it is generally fine to purchase conventionally-grown variety. So if organic mushrooms are cost-prohibitive, go with regular and enjoy these Creamed Mushrooms guilt free.

Helpful Tip: Don't wash mushrooms! They are incredibly porous and delicate and will soak up water easily. Instead, gently wipe with a slightly damp paper towel to rub off any muddy bits.

How to Make Creamed Mushrooms

The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience.

Let's look at the ingredients needed for this Creamed Mushrooms recipe:

• healthy fats: I like a combination of butter and olive oil
• onions: yellow onions are best for this recipe
• mushrooms: baby bella or white mushrooms are inexpensive and work great for this recipe
• garlic: what's a good Creamed Mushrooms recipe without garlic?
• red wine: dry red wine such as Pinot Noir or Merlot is ideal
• cream: heavy whipping cream is what you want but half and half works too
• salt and pepper: salt as you go but always add as needed at the end

Step 1. Creamed mushrooms starts with caramelizing onions in healthy fats.

Step 2. Followed by adding cleaned mushrooms and cooking them over medium-high heat until tender and browned. Season with salt when mushrooms released their liquid.

Step 3. Add wine to mushrooms and onions and deglaze the pan, scraping off all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking to reduce and thicken wine.

Step 4. Add the cream and cook for a few more minutes as all the flavors meld and come together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Frequently Asked Questions and Helpful Tips

Helpful Tools for Creamed Mushrooms:

• Sharp Knife: this is always a must in every kitchen
• Bamboo Cutting Board: I always prefer bamboo cutting boards over plastic boards. They're inexpensive and come in different sizes to meet your needs.
• Cast Iron Skillet: best Creamed Mushrooms happen in a cast iron skillet, a basic 12-inch cast iron will work
• Real Salt: If you have not checked out my Real Food Salt Guide you can find it here. We love real, unrefined salt for all our recipes.
• Serving Bowls: these have such a modern, classy look while also being very functional

How to Serve Creamed Mushrooms

Creamed Mushrooms are so versatile. Enjoy them over healthy starch like mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. And next to a satiating protein like roasted chicken and steak.

Creamed Mushrooms are also great on toast as an appetizer. Here are some Creamed Mushrooms pairings that may work:

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Creamed Mushrooms

Anya @ Prepare & Nourish

Full of satisfying flavors in caramelized onions, garlic, rich butter and cream, finished off with red wine reduction. Great over pasta, chicken or steak!

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Sides

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 260 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion sliced
• 1 ½ pounds mushrooms white or baby bella, cleaned and quartered
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• ½ cup dry red wine
• ½ cup heavy cream or half and half
• 1 teaspoon real salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

 

• Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• Add onions and saute for about 10 minutes until translucent.
• Move onions to the sides of the pan to create a well. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 15 minutes or until browned and tender.
• Add garlic and stir for a minute, until fragrant.
• Pour in the wine (or broth) and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring heat to low and continue to reduce wine slowly over low heat for approximately 2 minutes.
• Add cream and gently simmer until sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
  
• Serve warm. Great over chicken, steak, pasta or mashed potatoes.
  

Notes

Substitution for wine: to make this Creamed Mushroom recipe alcohol free, use beef broth or cranberry juice instead of red wine.

Substitution for dairy: to make this dairy free, replace butter with ghee and use dairy free yogurt instead of heavy cream.

Storing leftovers: transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week.

Reheating Creamed Mushrooms: to reheat on stovetop, transfer Creamed Mushrooms to a small saucepan, add a few tablespoons of liquid (cream, milk, broth, or water) and gently warm on medium-low, stirring often.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 653mg | Potassium: 615mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 614IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Information

The information shown is an estimate provided for your convenience by an online calculator. It should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our complete Nutritional Information Disclaimer.

Keyword 5 ingredients, GAPS, keto, low-carb, primal

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This post was originally published April 2016 but has since been updated to include helpful information.