Italian-Style Sautéed Mushrooms: Super Simple Side Dish
An incredibly easy Italian-style mushroom sauté, perfect as a banchan!
Today, I’m excited to introduce a fantastic Korean side dish: sautéed King Oyster mushrooms with an Italian twist! While mushrooms are wonderfully versatile – great boiled and seasoned, pan-fried, or added to stews – this recipe elevates them by sautéing them with olive oil and garlic for a sophisticated Italian flavor. It’s incredibly simple to make, comes together in a flash, and is guaranteed to make you devour your rice. Give this ‘rice thief’ recipe a try! ^^
Ingredients
- 2 King Oyster Mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- 1/2 Green Onion (scallion), finely chopped
- 5 Dried Red Chilies (like Peperoncino or Vietnamese chilies), seeds shaken out and roughly crushed
- 1 Tbsp Salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your King Oyster mushrooms. Wash them thoroughly, then cut each mushroom in half lengthwise. Following that, slice them into approximately 0.5 cm thick pieces, as shown in the picture. Cutting them into uniform thicknesses ensures they cook evenly, leading to a better texture and taste.
Step 2
Now, let’s start cooking! Grab a wide skillet and pour in 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn the heat to medium-low. It’s important to keep the oil from getting too hot, so medium-low heat is ideal.
Step 3
Prepare the aromatics that will add wonderful flavor. If using minced garlic, measure out 1 tablespoon. If using whole garlic cloves, slice about 2 cloves thinly. For the dried chilies, roughly crush them with your hands and shake out some of the seeds to control the heat level. (If you enjoy spicy food, you can leave the seeds in).
Step 4
Add the minced garlic (or sliced garlic) and the crushed dried chilies to the heated skillet. Sauté them gently over medium-low heat, being careful not to burn the garlic. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant and turns a light golden brown. This step infuses the olive oil with the delicious flavors of garlic and chili.
Step 5
Once the garlic is nicely golden brown, add all the sliced King Oyster mushrooms to the pan. After adding the mushrooms, it’s best to maintain a medium-low heat rather than high heat.
Step 6
This is a crucial tip for perfectly sautéed mushrooms! Initially, the mushrooms might seem to soak up all the olive oil. Don’t worry – keep sautéing them. They will release their own moisture, becoming tender and moist. Then, as this moisture evaporates, the mushrooms will start to absorb the oil, developing a beautiful sheen. This process is key to achieving a chewy texture and deep flavor.
Step 7
When most of the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are glistening with oil, it’s time to season with salt. Add 1 tablespoon of salt first, taste, and adjust according to your preference. Be mindful not to oversalt, as it can mask the natural sweetness of the mushrooms.
Step 8
Lastly, to add color and a fresh aroma, toss in the finely chopped green onions. Stir-fry them for about 10 seconds, just enough to slightly wilt them. The goal is to keep the green onions crisp and fragrant.
Step 9
We’re almost done! Finish by sprinkling a pinch of black pepper for an extra layer of aroma. You can adjust the amount of pepper to your liking.
Step 10
The secret to perfectly glossy and flavorful Italian-style sautéed mushrooms is to cook them until the liquid released by the mushrooms has completely evaporated and the mushrooms themselves are coated in shimmering oil. Remember this key step: ‘cook until the oil glistens’! This ensures you enjoy delicious mushrooms bursting with flavor. Enjoy your meal! ^^
