This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
Juicy sauteed mushrooms and onions are the best side dish! They take minutes to cook, taste irresistible, and pair with just about anything.
Here’s a pretty darn perfect side dish…if we may say so ourselves. Try these insanely delicious Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions! Mushrooms aren’t always top of mind for pairing with meals (for us more often, it’s broccoli). But this recipe is truly exceptional. The amount of savory umami flavor you get from cooking mushrooms and onions with a little butter and Worcestershire sauce…it’s out of this world. Pair it with almost anything for an outstanding meal. They’re just as good in a vegan rice bowl as with steak! Here’s all you need to know about how to saute mushrooms and onions.
Ingredients for sauteed mushrooms and onions
These sauteed mushrooms and onions are quick and easy to make: there’s just a small handful of ingredients you’ll need to get huge flavor. Here are a few tips on the best ingredients to find when you’re shopping:
- The best mushrooms to use? Baby bella mushrooms, aka cremini. This variety is a mature version of a white button mushroom, so it has a more robust flavor. It’s also a less mature version (baby!) of a portobello mushroom.
- Alternatives: white mushrooms or portobello mushrooms! If you can’t find baby bellas, white mushrooms work too! You can also use portobellos and chop them into small pieces.
- Worcestershire and fresh lemon the best savory and bright flavors. Use vegan Worcestershire as necessary. Don’t use bottled lemon juice: it’s not a good flavor comp.
Best way to clean mushrooms!
Here’s a little tip about prepping your mushrooms. Have you ever heard the adage, “never wash mushrooms”? There’s a little contention about the best way to clean the dirt off of mushrooms, which can be very dirty when you buy them. Old wisdom was to brush off the dirt with a brush, but that can take quite a long time. Here’s the how to clean mushrooms…the right way:
- Remember: “Give mushrooms a show, not a bath”. You don’t want to soak the mushrooms, but you can definitely rinse them off!
- Place them in a colander and spray off the dirt in the sink. This is the quickest and easiest way: and don’t worry, the mushrooms won’t get waterlogged! Read more here.
How to saute mushrooms and onions
Can you throw mushrooms and onions into a pan and sauté them? Almost. This recipe is very intuitive. We like to throw in the onion first so it can brown. Remember: sauté comes from the French word that means “to jump” so you’ll want to keep the ingredients constantly moving (or jumping!) in the pan. Here’s what to know about how to saute mushrooms and onions:
- Saute the onion first for 2 minutes. Add sliced onion to a pan and cook for just 2 minutes, stirring often. This allows the onion to brown before adding the mushrooms.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook another 7 minutes. The mushrooms will release lots of liquid during this process. You’ll add the salt and Worcestershire a few minutes in.
- Add lemon juice and cook 1 minute. Fresh lemon juice adds just the right brightness to the ark and savory flavors.
Ways to serve sauteed mushrooms and onions
There’s really nothing that’s not better with sauteed mushrooms and onions! They’re a well-known side for steak, but they’re actually even more perfect with vegetarian and vegan dishes! Why? They add a savory, meaty flavor that’s sometimes lacking from plant based recipes. Here are some dishes that pair well and other serving suggestions:
- Pasta: Serve with or in Vegetarian Lasagna with Ricotta, or in Creamy White Sauce Pasta.
- Shrimp: Add next to Perfect Sauteed Shrimp or Creamy Shrimp Pasta.
- Salmon: Try with Blackened Salmon or Quick Broiled Salmon.
- Grain bowl: Add to an Easy Grain Bowl or Easy Rice Bowl.
- Pizza or burger topping: Throw them on a Homemade Cheese Pizza or a Veggie Burger…wow.
More mushroom recipes
Are you a mushroom fan like we are? Mushrooms are great for all sorts of recipes…pizza, pasta and more! Here are some of our favorite mushroom recipes:
- Try fan favorite Mushroom Pasta with Goat Cheese or Mushroom Pasta with Parmesan
- Bake up a Mushroom Pizza with Fresh Herbs
- Sauté up some unique Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
- Try whole grain side dish Farro with Mushrooms & Parmesan
- Fire up your oven for Roasted Mushrooms
This sauteed mushrooms and onions recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, use olive oil and vegan Worcestershire or this Worcestershire substitute.
Easy Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions
Juicy sauteed mushrooms and onions are the best side dish! They take minutes to cook, taste irresistible, and pair with just about anything.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 16 ounces baby bella (aka cremini) mushrooms*
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or use vegan or this substitute)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Clean the mushrooms, then slice them. Slice the onion.
- In a saute pan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion for 2 minutes, then mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often (the mushrooms will start to release their liquid). Add the kosher salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is cooked out and the mushrooms are tender (taste to assess doneness).
- Add the lemon juice and stir, cooking another 30 seconds to 1 minute until evaporated. Taste and add a few pinches or salt until the flavor pops. Leftovers store up to 3 days refrigerated; reheat over medium heat in a skillet.
Notes
*Substitute button mushrooms if you can’t find cremini.
Followed the recipe exactly. Loved it except for the lemon. Will leave out next time.
Thanks for the recipe.
In your recipe list can you please start adding if the recipe is good to freeze and / or refrigerate and how to reheat? or if the recipe is only a heat while its hot.
Thank you!
Absolutely! We’ve updated the recipe. For this recipe, leftovers store up to 3 days refrigerated; reheat over medium heat in a skillet.
Yum! I was checking the internet for how to saute mushrooms and onions and came across this. It was a little more than I was planning on doing but I thought I’d give it a try. It’s simple but those couple of additions of the Worcestershire and lemon really brought it to life. Next time I think I’ll have some pasta and Parmesan ready and top it with this.
Same here. Yummy!
I thought the recipe was too simple. Boy was I wrong!! The Worcestershire and lemon are perfect together. I’m going to use these in your Mushroom Brie Quesadilla recipe!
Made the mushrooms for an omelette this morning and they were great! I’ll try with the onions next time. I had been using Soy Sauce to add flavor (from a different recipe) but like the Worcestershire Sauce much better! The lemon juice was a great touch! Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Thanks for all the great tips about mushrooms. I love them in dishes, but always hate how long it takes to clean them. What type of onion works best for this recipe?
We used a yellow onion in this recipe. A sweet vidalia or white onion would be good as well.