Public Service Announcement - Roasted Mushrooms

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Roast your mushrooms people.  Roast your mushrooms.  Do it now.  This is a public service announcement. 

I don't know about you, but roasting mushrooms had never really occurred to me.  But, apparently some people already know about it.  Like this post or this one. 

Now that I know, I can't seem to stop making them and telling people about them.  Roasting mushrooms brings out this amazingly earthly and nutty flavor, even from the little button mushrooms.  Add to the enhanced flavor the slight crispiness that comes from roasting and it becomes a revolution.

I haven't even told you the best part yet.  It is easier than sauteing.  EASIER than sauteing, people.  You just throw them in the oven and mix them up once and soon they are done.  Plus, you can make much more than you can in a saute pan since you aren't supposed to crowd your mushrooms (thank you Julia- now that I know I can't stand crowded mushrooms and will even go so far as to saute in batches).  By roasting them you are only limited by the size of your roasting pan. 

I have been tossing the roasted mushrooms on top of salads, polenta, or just on my plate in general.  Most recently, I tossed them with some roasted cauliflower, olives, shallots, and fresh mozzarella for a warm salad.  Really, you can't go wrong here. 

They are immaculate, which is why I tricked them out in that picture of the warm salad up above with faded edges and other sorts of extraneous nonsense.  Either that, or it was one of only three horrible pictures I took (and most of my pics are bad - so you know these must of been really bad) and I had to do something to make it look presentable because I would rather have a bad picture than none.

ANYWAY.  Immaculate warm mushroom salad picture or not, you should stop whatever you are doing for a few moments and go roast some shrooms.

And while they are in the oven check out some mushroom humor.  Makes me laugh EVERY TIME.  Delicious and hilarious.  Take notes Mr. Man.

Roasted Mushrooms

serves as few or as many as you would like

Like I said before, these are great mixed in with other roasted vegetables (just make sure to roast the mushrooms on a separate pan since they do not take nearly as long), on top of a regular salad, or all by themselves.  Get creative here.  So far, the warm salad with roasted mushrooms, roasted cauliflower, shallots, olives, and fresh mozzarella has been my favorite.

any kind, any quantity of mushrooms, sliced thick or broken apart 

olive oil (about 2-3 Tbs. per pound mushrooms)

salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees F.  While your oven heats up, get out your roasting pan (make sure it has sides) and line the entire bottom with either parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Slice or break apart the mushrooms.  Slice them thicker than you normally would (at least 1/4 inch).  

Put the mushrooms on the lined roasting pan and drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the salt and pepper and mix it all together.  Spread the mushrooms out so they are in a single layer and place it in the oven. The same rule applies here in regards to not crowding the mushrooms.  These guys really like their personal space.

In about 6-7 minutes turn the mushrooms over and continue to cook.  They will take another 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the mushrooms.  They should be nice and brown.  Dare I say, the first time you make them keep them in the oven for a minute or two longer than you think you should.  


Remove them from the oven and come back here and shower me with praise.  These little guys are also best eaten as soon as they are cool enough to eat.  They are still even up to the next day, but have lost their crispiness.