At a glance

What stands out: Roasted mushrooms are so straightforward to mix and boast a complex flavor, enhanced by tangy balsamic vinegar and fragrant thyme. Roasted mushrooms are a straightforward way to dress up a meal and they are nutritious, too.

How long it takes: 5 minutes to prep, 20 minutes to roast
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, rimmed baking sheet, oven
Servings: 4

Mushroom Love

We're on a roasted vegetable kick. (Actually, that “kick” has been going on for quite awhile now.) Roasted mushrooms are our favorite of all roasted vegetables. We could eat an embarrassing amount of them, and don’t get us going on roasted mushroom risotto!

Once you master roasting mushrooms, sautéed mushrooms should be next on your list. We'll teach you how to sauté mushrooms evenly every single time. There’s a specific method that will give you a standby, most flavorful mushrooms. Dress up sautéed mushrooms with Marsala; they are out-of-this-world good! Marinated mushrooms are memorable, too, and make a great side or appetizer.

Flavorful Roasted Mushrooms

tasty. These roasted mushrooms boast deep earthy flavors, thanks to the fresh thyme and a nice bit of tang from balsamic vinegar.

Straightforward to mix. With only five ingredients, you can have these mushrooms in the oven in ten minutes. Most of that time is spent cleaning the mushrooms.

What goes in

Mushrooms: Any meaty variety will work. White button mushrooms are the most common type found in supermarkets. Baby bellas or cremini mushrooms are a good choice, too, and we think they have a bit more flavor than white mushrooms.
Olive oil: Olive oil adds great flavor and keeps the mushrooms from sticking to the pan. If you prefer grapeseed or avocado oil, that’s fine.
Balsamic vinegar: You’ll love the rich flavor and color that dark balsamic adds to this dish. White balsamic vinegar (as pictured) works well, too.
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh thyme: If you happen to be out of fresh thyme, use dried thyme but use less, about ¼ teaspoon. Incidentally, thyme is one of the easiest herbs to grow. Our thyme plant comes back year after year so we don’t even need to plant it anymore.

Cleaning Mushrooms

Mushrooms are like sponges – they absorb water. To clean mushrooms, lightly brush off the specks of dirt with a soft brush or damp paper towel. A speedy rinse is okay as long as you dry them quickly on paper towels or a clean lint-free dish towel.

How it comes together

Begin by preheating your oven. Whenever you roast anything, the oven should be good and hot before you stick the pan in. Sometimes we even preheat the oven with the empty sheet pan so it’s sizzling hot when we add the mushrooms.

Season the mushrooms. Blend together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add the clean mushrooms, and toss until the mushrooms are well-coated.

Put them on a sheet pan. Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Don’t overcrowd the mushrooms because they need air to roast properly and not steam.

Bake for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring once. The mushrooms should be golden brown and tender. Sprinkle with the thyme and salt to taste. That’s all there is to it!

Roasted mushrooms are good served hot out of the oven or at room temperature.

Tips For Success

Don’t soak the mushrooms when you wash them. They are absorbent. Simply brush the dirt off with a brush or damp paper towel.
Make sure your oven is good and hot. A preheated oven is essential so the roasting process begins immediately.
Don’t overcrowd the mushrooms on the pan. Good air circulation is crucial so you don’t steam the mushrooms.

How To Serve Roasted Mushrooms

As a side dish: Roasted mushrooms are a reliable with any great meal: pork, chicken, steak, tofu, you name it. Try mushrooms with roasted salmon. You can roast them both at the same time.

On a salad: Roasted mushrooms are fantastic tossed on a green salad. Double the amount of the oil/vinegar mixture that you use to roast the mushrooms and use half as a vinaigrette for your salad. Straightforward!

In a wrap: Try our roasted vegetable wrap with creamy pesto mayo.

In bowls and grain salads: Roasted mushrooms add so much to bowls and grain salads, like this farro salad with butternut squash, bacon and cranberries. Add them to pizza, tacos or nachos. Make memorable appetizers like wild mushroom crostini with goat cheese.

As a snack: We like to just munch on these roasted gems like candy. It’s almost the same, right?

Ways to change it

Substitute a different variety of mushroom. We'd love to try this recipe with morels if we can only get our hands on some!
Tweak the seasoning. Add ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, or more if you love garlic. Fresh garlic tends to burn when you roast vegetables. Dried herbs such as Italian seasoning, rosemary, oregano, or basil are good. Really, the seasoning is totally up to you. Be creative!
Don’t like mushrooms? Okay, this recipe may not be the one for you but guess what? You can substitute a different vegetable for the mushrooms. Try broccoli, green beans, carrots, asparagus, parsnips, and so on. The balsamic and thyme combo is good on everything! A mixture of vegetables is good, too, as long as you combine vegetables that cook in about the same amount of time.
Don’t want to turn the oven on? This recipe can be made in a skillet or air fryer. Try air fryer mushrooms with garlic and shallots; they turn out much like roasted mushrooms. Another choice is sautéed mushrooms with wine and garlic or creamy Tuscan mushrooms.

Make-Ahead & Storage Tips

Roasted mushrooms can be made ahead. They’ll keep in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container for up to five days. While fresh mushrooms can’t be successfully frozen, roasted mushrooms can be frozen for up to three months.

Make a double or triple batch while you’ve got everything out and the oven is on, and store some for future use.

To reheat: Thaw frozen mushrooms overnight in the fridge if you can. Gently reheat them in a skillet on the stove until heated through. If necessary, add a drop or two of water, broth, or balsamic vinegar to rehydrate.

Yield: 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients

16 ounces white, baby bella, or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and halved
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, optional
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt, more if desired
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, more if desired (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, toss mushrooms with oil, balsamic vinegar (if using), and pepper. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 10 minutes, toss with a spatula or spoon, and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until mushrooms are tender and golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and thyme, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Mushrooms: Most types of mushrooms can be roasted such as baby bella, cremini, morel, shitake, and so on.

Make ahead: Mushrooms can be roasted a day or two ahead and refrigerated. Warm gently in small skillet or oven.

To freeze: Make a double batch and freeze the extra roasted mushrooms for up to 3 months. If you can, thaw them overnight in the fridge, and reheat gently in a skillet or the oven. If necessary, add a splash of balsamic or broth to rehydrate them.