Crispy Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic & Thyme

Making perfectly crispy roasted mushrooms is all about using the right technique. This step by step recipe will show you exactly how to get crispy mushrooms every time.

Perfectly crispy roasted mushrooms with garlic and thyme are so good you don't feel like you're eating a vegetable at all.

They're also very easy to execute. The key thing to keep in mind is that water needs to reduce out, and then there needs to be enough fat for the mushrooms to brown evenly.

Ingredients

Mushrooms

There are a lot of varieties of edible mushrooms out there. Using a few different types adds more complex layers of flavor.

The mushrooms shown in the photos here are (from top left) oyster mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms (also known as brown button mushrooms, cremini or baby portabellas), and finally shiitake on the bottom.

Different varieties of mushrooms will reduce in water volume and brown at roughly the same rate when roasted together. Slice them thin to help the water reduce more effectively.

It's okay if you have some thinner or smaller pieces, as these will brown very nicely and add caramelized flavor notes. I personally like to slice some a bit thinner and some thicker since it adds textural nuance - crispy bits intermingled with chewier bits. Yum. If you want them all crispy, then slice them thin.

Oil or clarified butter

Butter is a perfect flavor pairing with mushrooms but regular butter has a low smoke point and can burn when roasted at high temperatures. Clarified butter or vegetable / olive oil are better options.

Fresh thyme

Fresh thyme adds a fresh, peppery and herbaceous note which complements the buttery and umami base of the mushrooms.

Fresh garlic clove

Garlic goes so well with roasted mushrooms. My preference is to add thinly sliced fresh garlic after roasting the mushrooms (but while they're still hot) to bring a brighter garlic flavor.

You can also enhance the garlic flavor by layering it in - add some at the halfway point and some at the end for maximum garlic flavor. This way you'll get the sweet and nutty roast garlic flavor along with the bright and spicy fresh garlic flavor.

I recommend not adding the garlic at the start of roasting since it has much less water than the mushrooms and can get very brown to the point of tasting a bit burnt and acrid. That's just my preference but if you like the flavor of very browned garlic then have at it.

Seasoning: Salt and black pepper

There's so much flavor in this dish that you really don't need a lot of additional seasoning besides salt and black pepper. If you prefer things on the more seasoned side then other nice combinations that would work are red chili flakes, dried oregano, or (my favorite) dried summer savory.

Equipment

I generally roast mushrooms on a large metal baking sheet / sheet pan lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper also makes for quicker cleanup.

If you are used to roasting on a bare sheet pan then you can also roast mushrooms that way.

Instructions

Thoroughly wash the mushrooms. I like to do this by soaking them in lukewarm water for a few minutes while rubbing gently to remove any caked on soil.

Allow them to fully drain in a colander and then slice them roughly into relatively even pieces.

Lay out the mushrooms in one layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle on the oil and sprinkle on the black pepper and salt.

Roast for an initial 20 minutes. the mushrooms should release a lot of water, and then that water will evaporate off leaving just the oil coating the mushrooms and helping them to brown.

If a lot of water comes out of your mushrooms, you can also drain it off to speed up the roasting.

If you do so, then be sure to drizzle with a bit more oil to make up for any oil lost through draining.

After 20 minutes check them and flip each one using a fork, then roast another 10 minutes - if your oven has hotspots be sure to rotate the pan.

The garlic and thyme will go in after the mushrooms are nicely browned and crispy, when they need about 5 more minutes of roasting to be done.

The thyme and garlic are only roasted long enough to bring our their aromas and introduce a sweet note to the garlic.

In general the garlic and thyme shouldn't brown or darken too much or they can introduce an acrid burnt flavor that most people will not enjoy but if you do then feel free to roast to your heart's content.

Pro tip: You can layer on a bit more fresh garlic after roasting to add brighter fresh garlic flavor notes.

Serving Suggestion

Crispy roasted mushrooms are a really nice accompaniment to roasts, for example they would go really nicely with a whole roast poussin spatchcock style, prosciutto wrapped meatloaf, or crispy pork belly porchetta.

Fortunately roast mushrooms can do more than act as a side dish to roasts.

They make a great topping for garlicky white bean dip or hummus.

You can also serve them as part of an appetizer spread or charcuterie board, maybe with a bit of roast garlic and parmesan aioli for maximum indulgence.

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