Red wine mushrooms with garlic

These garlicky, red wine mushrooms are loaded with umami. Just 6 ingredients & 25 minutes, and this dish could be yours. It’s a vegan & gluten-free side dish that is sure to impress.

There’s a reason wine has maintained its popularity since 7000 B.C. when people started drinking it. It’s delicious and relaxing.

And while a glass of wine with dinner is nothing to sneeze at, a glass of wine IN dinner is awfully good too.

Wine gives so much depth and flavor to everything it touches. I add wine to my vegan French dip sandwiches and jackfruit carnitas tacos for extra richness.

And whenever I am making a mushroom side dish, wine is an absolute must.

Wine and earthy mushrooms go together like bottles and corks.

‘Shrooms already have a meaty taste and texture with plenty of umami on their own. Then you add in the boldness of red wine & some sautéed garlic, and you have a side dish that really stands out.

It takes little time and effort to make, but lacks nothing in flavor.

How to choose mushrooms

It all starts with finding fresh, plump mushrooms.

(Obviously that means canned is out. Canned mushrooms are a crime against mushrooms everywhere.)

Grocery stores often sell mushrooms in cellophane-covered packages or loose, where you can pick your own. Either option is fine.

But if they are looking wilty, have spots of browning, or are sticky, pass them over. They are past their prime.

Obviously there are loads of varieties out there.

My personal favorite is the oyster mushroom. Oyster mushrooms are so delicate to the tooth, and when cooked they take on an almost fatty quality that I love.

However, they are at least double the price of cremini or white button. So I put them in the indulgence category.

For today’s red wine mushrooms, I’m opting for simple and inexpensive. However, if you get a chance, make the recipe with oyster mushrooms at some point.

(Just remove the rough bottoms on the oyster mushrooms and don’t bother quartering them.)

How to make this easy side dish

Start by cutting your clean cremini or button mushrooms into quarters.

Bring a large, non-stick skillet to a medium heat with oil or non-dairy butter. Wait until the oil is glistening or the butter is melted.

Then add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Scatter them evenly across the skillet, so that they have plenty of room.

The key to perfect browning is not moving them too much. To get toasty brown, they need time to get tan against the hot pan.

Wait until there’s deep color on one side before using a spatula to toss them.

While they cook, they will start to soften & release their liquid. Allow all of the liquid to leave the mushrooms and cook off before adding any other liquid to the skillet. You want the ‘shrooms to be an open vessel, ready for the flavors of red wine & garlic.

Once they have softened, move them to one side of the skillet. Add a little more oil or non-dairy butter to the other side of the skillet. Sauté garlic there for a minute or two, until fragrant. Then incorporate it with the mushrooms.

Now it’s time to add a few splashes of wine. Not too much liquid is required. You don’t want them swimming in liquid.

You need just enough to deglaze the pan of any tasty bits sticking to it and to refresh the mushrooms. 

Let the mushrooms absorb all of the wine and for any extra to cook off. Add salt to taste or a little more non-dairy butter to amp up the richness.

Garnish with chives for color and serve.

What to serve with them

• Put them on top of vegan buttered noodles.
• Serve them alongside Mediterranean pasta, roasted gnocchi,or easy baked tofu.
• Have them with vegan lentil burgers.
• Make a meal of side dishes with red wine mushrooms, an air fryer baked potato, and sautéed broccolini.

Red wine mushrooms with garlic

Garlicky, red wine-infused mushrooms are a wonderful side dish or pasta topper. They have a decadent & full-bodied taste, but they are a breeze to make.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian, Vegan

Keyword: gluten free, holidays, vegetable, wine

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 59kcal

Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 teaspoons non-dairy butter divided (Plus more if desired)
• ▢ 8 ounces cremini mushrooms or white button, quartered
• ▢ Pinch salt
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons dry red wine*
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives garnish

Instructions

• ▢
  Bring a large skillet to a medium-high heat. Add one teaspoon of non-dairy butter to the skillet. Once the butter is melty and glistening, add mushrooms to the pan and a pinch of salt. Allow them to brown and release their liquid, being careful not to move them too much. Continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes until they have a deep brown even color.
• ▢
  Lower the heat to medium-low. Move the mushrooms to one side of the pan and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of non-dairy butter to a small section of the pan. Once it melts, add the garlic to that area and sauté it for a minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant.
• ▢
  Incorporate the garlic and mushrooms. Then deglaze the pan with the red wine, loosening any bits that are sticking to the pan. Allow them to cook for a couple of minutes longer and soak up all of the wine.
• ▢
  If desired, add another small dollop of non-dairy butter, and incorporate it with the mushrooms. Add salt to taste, garnish with chopped fresh chives, and serve.

Notes

*I recommend Malbec, Tempranillo, or Garnacha

Nutrition

Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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Originally posted April 2015. Content, photos, and recipe updated April 2019.