Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions is an easy and simple side dish with grilled steak or as a topping for pizza, burgers, soups and sandwiches.
This easy dish is versatile and made with few ingredients, it is also an excellent vegan-friendly and low carb side dish packed with delicious flavor and irresistible texture.
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Best Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms Recipe
This homemade Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions not only boasts a wonderful taste, it is also a versatile side dish that you may include with your typical burger, steak, and even your plain loaves of bread can be improved by sandwiching this dish between them.
Cook this recipe for only a few minutes, and you will be rewarded with a sweet and earthy flavor that will enhance the taste of whatever food you pair it with.
The decadent fusion of butter, mushrooms, and onions in this recipe will make you want to cook this at any given opportunity you can. It is your decision to make whether you will use this food as a side dish or as a topping for just about anything you choose.
This recipe is indeed a simple one that will result in a dish that makes use of a cooking technique to emphasize and enhance the natural flavor of two of your favorite vegetables. Serve your family with this dish at dinnertime and watch them devour it quickly alongside your other perfectly cooked meal.
A person either loves mushrooms or hates them, there is no in-between, but this recipe will surely make you fall in love with mushrooms if you haven't yet. The process of caramelizing the mushrooms and onions in this recipe enhanced all of their flavors, they become soft, naturally sweet with a hint of earthy flavor that will make your mouth water.
Onions already contain a tender sweetness that people often overlook, but in this recipe, that sweetness will be brought out. You will enjoy a dish made from healthy ingredients, making it an equally healthy meal for all.
Why Does This Recipe Work?
Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms prove to be a worthwhile recipe to try making at home as it is equally delicious and effortlessly easy to cook.
Here are some of the reasons why you should gather all the ingredients of this recipe and try making it in the comfort of your kitchen:
- Anyone who is on a strict diet can easily cook this recipe at home and not feel conscious about it because this recipe is completely keto-friendly, meaning to say that it is made with low-carb ingredients.
- A versatile dish, one that you can serve as stand-alone or a side dish to other main dishes for a meal.
- This recipe is made from pantry-staple ingredients; onions, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, salt? You have them in your pantry for sure!
- You can serve this recipe any time of the day; for light breakfast, for heavy breakfast paired with steak, for a quick dinner on top of a pizza, whichever.
- This recipe is freezer-friendly. You can keep your leftover Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions without spoiling it, and only reheat it if you want to delve into it once more.
- This recipe is very simple, an easy dish you can make for yourself at times when you are lazy to cook something fancy.
- Perfect side dish for the holiday season and all special occasions.
What's in This Recipe?
Onion. The onion in this recipe is the one responsible for caramelization as it contains sugar that allows for the said process to take place. The natural sugar in the onion will caramelize, which will make this recipe intensely and wonderfully flavorful. You may use red or yellow onions.
Mushroom. This recipe does not contain any meat, but with the presence of mushrooms, chewing it will feel like eating a tender part of the meat.
Olive Oil. It helps in sauteing your main ingredients and enhances their flavor. You can use avocado oil instead if you like.
Garlic. Finely minced or crushed garlic is the best flavoring agent for this recipe.
Salt and Ground Black Pepper. Season this homemade dish with a pinch of kosher salt to bring out the flavor of onion and ground black pepper for a little bit of spice.
Fresh Thyme: For adding layers of flavor and distinct aroma.
Butter. It helps in texturing the recipe.
Soy Sauce. Soy sauce has a rich umami flavoring that will go well with the rest of the ingredients in this recipe and consequently give the dish a deeper hue.
How To Make Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions?
One: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Two: Add the sliced onions to the hot pan, and saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Three: Add the sliced mushrooms, sprinkle ground black pepper on top, cook for 3-4 minutes.
Four: When mushrooms are tender, lower the heat and add butter and minced garlic; cook until caramelized.
Five: Add soy sauce and water (scrub any brown bits stuck in the bottom of the pan).
Six: Now, stir in thyme, cook for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat and serve.
Top Tips!
- Use yellow or sweet onions for this recipe since they caramelize the most; meaning they have more sugar to offer like Vidalia and Walla Walla. If you are planning to use this dish like a pizza topping, you may consider using red onions since they have deep purple colors and are great on pizzas for their distinct and deeper flavor.
- Cook at low heat if you are already cooking the mushrooms, as they easily get burned at high temperatures.
- You may add a pinch of salt if you like, but not too much salt, since adding much salt will only draw out additional moisture and leave you with too much liquid in the pan that will make the caramelization process longer than necessary.
- Use fresh white button mushroom since it provides a richer and earthy flavor, or use shiitake mushroom for a buttery flavor, perfect if you are planning to make this recipe as a side dish.
- To clean mushrooms, wipe them with a damp paper towel.
Recipe Variations
- Garnish this dish with fresh parsley for a peppery and clean after taste.
- Add a tablespoon of lemon juice for more flavor.
- Complement the earthy and subtle taste of this recipe by adding chili flakes to give it more spice and sharp flavor.
- Add some fresh herbs such as cilantro or rosemary or sage.
- Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce for extra flavor.
- Replace soy sauce with balsamic vinegar if you like.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this dish in various ways, and none of it you will be disappointed about. Thus dish is the perfect topping for your medium rare steak for a fancy dinner with your family, or a simple topping for your homemade pizza or flatbread.
This dish will also go well with chicken and vegetable salad. Stuff this dish within your juicy and meaty grilled hamburger for better taste too.
How to Store
This dish will keep in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you want to keep them longer than that, you may choose to freeze them to extend their shelf life for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
In order to avoid crowding the pan, you'll want to choose one with a large surface area. More space provides for a more even distribution of the caramelization process as well as for the evaporation of moisture. Use stainless steel pan, non-stick pan or cast iron skillet.
white button mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms will work fine.
This recipe uses red onions. However, you can use sweet onions or white onions; all work fine!
Long! It takes about 50 – 55 minutes to caramelize the onions and mushrooms. It is best to do it over low heat and stir occasionally, so they don't burn.
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Recipe
Caramelized Mushrooms And Onions
Ingredients
- 1 onion , sliced into half-moons
- 400 g mushrooms , cleaned and sliced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic , finely minced
- ¼ tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme , chopped
Instructions
- In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Add onions, saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.1 onion
- Add mushrooms, sprinkle ground black pepper on top, cook for 3-4 minutes.400 g mushrooms, ¼ tablespoon ground black pepper
- When mushrooms are tender, lower the heat and add butter and garlic; cook until caramelized.3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon butter
- Add soy sauce and water (scrub any bits stuck in the bottom of the pan).1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoon water
- Now, stir in thyme, cook for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat and serve.1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Notes
- Use yellow or sweet onions for this recipe since they caramelize the most; meaning they have more sugar to offer like Vidalia and Walla Walla. If you are planning to use this dish like a pizza topping, you may consider using red onions since they have deep purple colors and are great on pizzas for their distinct and deeper flavor.
- Cook at low heat if you are already cooking the mushrooms, as they easily get burned at high temperatures.
- You may add a pinch of salt if you like, but not too much salt, since adding much salt will only draw out additional moisture and leave you with too much liquid in the pan that will make the caramelization process longer than necessary.
- Use fresh white button mushroom since it provides a richer and earthy flavor, or use shiitake mushroom for a buttery flavor, perfect if you are planning to make this recipe as a side dish.
Recipe Variations
- Garnish this dish with parsley for a peppery and clean after taste.
- Add a tablespoon of lemon juice for more flavor.
- Complement the earthy and subtle taste of this recipe by adding chili flakes to give it more spice and sharp flavor.
Heather
Sauteed vs caramelized, which is the best?
Radwa
It depends on what you need them for.
Pam
Simple recipe, thanks!