White Wine Sautéed Oyster Mushrooms Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best white wine for cooking with mushrooms? ›

Simply put, light white wines like sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, semillon, or chardonnay generally go well with delicate, light foods (light cream sauces, simple sautés and other lightly seasoned mushroom dishes).

Like all mushrooms, they're full of umami, which means they don't need much seasoning. I think they're perfect to eat simply with just salt, pepper and garlic butter. They're also a natural pair with soy sauce in veggie stir-fries.

Some foods such as mushrooms have a lot of water in them, so sometimes the best method of cooking them is to dry sautée them. This keeps them from turning, well, mushy, and brings out their flavors and textures much more beautifully. It's very simple.

The Best Dry White Wines for Cooking

There are many stellar choices, but we tend to favor pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. These lighter-style wines will bring out the flavor of your dish without overwhelming it.

When it comes to cooking with wine, avoid bottles labeled "cooking wine." Cooking wine isn't anything you'd want to cook with — it's loaded with preservatives, sweeteners and salt, which can make your final dish taste overly sweet, salty or even metallic.

Rinse them just enough to wash off any dirt, if you need to use water to clean them, and never let them soak in water. Even rinsing mushrooms will cause them to absorb a little bit of water, but not enough to make any kind of a difference in cooking. Make sure they are completely dry before using them for cooking.

Get ready to relish the full mushroom experience! The stems of white button, crimini, portabella, oyster, and king oyster mushrooms are entirely edible and bursting with savoury goodness. These tasty stems add texture and depth to your dishes, allowing you to enjoy the whole mushroom with every delightful bite.

While you can eat oyster mushrooms raw and they can be quite pretty added to salads, they tend to have a slightly metallic flavor when uncooked. Cooking brings out their delicate flavor, turning their spongy texture into something uniquely velvety.

Sautéed mushrooms with butter have their benefits, but so do sautéed mushrooms with olive oil. I use both oil and butter for a dynamic duo that pairs searing (oil) with rich, satisfying flavor (butter). (I also use both in my Sauteed Spinach.)

Should you season mushrooms before sauteing? ›

Mushrooms can go from bland to inedibly salty quickly if you salt them too early, so hold off seasoning until they are just about ready. If they still need more salt, add slowly and continue to cook so the mushrooms absorb it evenly. Don't rush the browning. Color equals flavor.

Chop and trim properly: The stems can be rubbery, so make sure to trim them. Also, tear or chop into similar-sized pieces for even cooking. Use a pre-heated pan: This helps achieve more sear for the best flavor and texture. Don't overcrowd the pan: Otherwise, the mushrooms will steam rather than sear/brown.

Often, cooks may leave dirt or debris on their mushrooms since they don't need to be washed, risking grittiness in the final dish. Overcooking is another issue since it can lead to a slimy texture instead of the desired slight chewiness.

Mushrooms are a versatile ingredient to pair wine with because they're meaty enough to stand up to a red and pair wonderfully with a fuller-bodied white wine, like lightly oaked Chardonnay or Pinot Gris. Mushrooms are often more affordable than red meat, making this meal pairing approachable yet luxurious.

Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, and dry sparkling wines labeled "brut" are especially good choices. Fuller whites with strong, oaky flavors, like some Chardonnays, don't work as well for cooking because they are lower in acidity and don't provide as much punch as the crisper wines.

Best for mushroom risotto: Pinot Grigio

This zingy wine is light and super versatile, and will taste equally as good in a mushroom risotto as it does with seafood platters. To make a great mushroom risotto, stir a half a cup of Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio Riserva and five cups of chicken broth into your rice.

Wines that are notoriously good to drink with creamy sauces are rich white wines like white Burgundy, Semillon or a Chenin Blanc. Mustard is not always added to beef or mushroom stroganoff but it adds a bit of heat and spice and prevents the cream from taking over the dish.