Mains Turkish home cooking
Sautéed oyster mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms sautéed in butter with onion, garlic and thyme; ready in half an hour to go with pilaf, bulgur or pasta.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
Oyster mushrooms release less water than button mushrooms and brown faster in the pan, which makes them one of the easiest mushrooms to sauté.
Serve with pilaf or bulgur as a main, pile onto toast as a meze, or fold into an omelette or pasta.
Ingredients
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Sauté
Method
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-
Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth, trim the tough stem ends and chop roughly. Slice the onion.
~5 min -
Heat the olive oil and butter in a wide pan. Cook the onion for 4–5 minutes, adding the garlic for the last minute, until lightly golden.
~6 min -
Turn up the heat, add the mushrooms and leave them untouched for 3–4 minutes so they brown underneath. Then cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until they release their liquid and it evaporates.
~12 min -
Add the thyme, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Salting at the end stops the mushrooms releasing water too early. Serve hot.
~2 min
Enjoy!
The mushroom in this recipe
Mushroom swaps
King oyster mushroom Pleurotus eryngiiCut into thick rounds for a meatier sauté.
Tips
- Don't crowd the pan; use at least a 28 cm pan for 500 g or cook in two batches.
- Don't turn the heat down when the mushrooms release liquid; browning starts once it has evaporated.
- For a saucier version add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and half a cup of hot water at the end.
- For the classic version with button mushrooms, see our mushroom sauté recipe.
Storage
Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days; reheat briefly in a pan.
Frequently asked questions
How do you sauté oyster mushrooms?
Tear them into large pieces and add them to a hot pan after softening onion and garlic in olive oil and butter. Leave them for 3–4 minutes to brown, then sauté for 8–10 minutes until dry; salt at the end.
How long do oyster mushrooms take to sauté?
About 12 minutes once they hit the pan: 3–4 minutes undisturbed, then 8–10 minutes until their water has gone.
Should you wash oyster mushrooms?
Usually not; cultivated oyster mushrooms are clean. Wipe them with a damp cloth, or rinse briefly and pat dry straight away.
Can you eat oyster mushroom stems?
The tender part, yes. Cut off only the tough, fibrous base of the cluster.
What goes with sautéed oyster mushrooms?
Rice or bulgur pilaf, pasta, toast or garlic yoghurt; they also make a good side for meat.
Can I use only olive oil?
Yes; the flavour is a little lighter. You can also start with olive oil over a high heat and add the butter at the end so it doesn't burn.
Comparable recipe: yemek.com — İstiridye Mantar Sote
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Kitchen guides
Before you cook: clean, store, dry
How to clean mushroomsPractical ways to clean everything from button mushrooms to morels without waterlogging them or ruining their texture.
How to store mushroomsHow to keep fresh, cooked, frozen and dried mushrooms at their best — and how to tell when they’ve gone bad.
How to dry mushroomsA step-by-step guide to drying mushrooms at home in the oven, in a dehydrator or on a string — and how to store and rehydrate them.