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A source for recipes you can make at home - Chef Devan Cameron

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How to Cook Chestnut Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) with Butter, Garlic, Parsley and Lemon

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In my opinion, there’s no better way to cook chestnut mushrooms than with tons of hot foamy butter, a bit of fresh garlic, chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

It’s exactly what I want to eat when the weather starts to get a little colder around the start of fall.

But as these mushrooms are usually grown indoors they’re available all year around.

If you’ve never cooked them before, don’t worry because they’re really easy to cook. Below you’ll find all my tips for getting the best flavour out of these incredible mushrooms.

*Update* – Chestnut mushrooms can be confused with two different types of mushrooms. To clarify, this is a recipe using the Agaricus bisporus mushroom a.k.a the farmed brown button mushroom whereas Pholiota adiposa is a wild mushroom that’s much different in taste and texture. The good news is that this same recipe can still be applied to Pholiota adiposa. The only difference is that the bottom part of their long stems will need to be removed as they can be a bit tough.

Sauteed chestnut mushrooms with butter, parsley, garlic and lemon. this …

What’s the Difference Between Cremini, Button and Chestnut Mushrooms?

Technically, they’re all the same variety of mushrooms but with different names. The only real difference is with Portobello mushrooms which are left to grow a little bigger.

In my experience, chestnut mushrooms are a little denser and better flavoured than cremini mushrooms. Although, If I couldn’t find the chestnut variety, I wouldn’t lose sleep over it as they’re both delicious.

They’re one of the easiest mushrooms to cook because they’re quite dense and difficult to burn or overcook.

A close up picture of a chestnut mushroom on a wooden board.

How to Clean Chestnut Mushrooms

Cleaning mushrooms is actually a heated debate in the culinary world.

Some chefs will tell you that it’s okay to wash them in water as long as you dry them properly.

I find that washing them prevents them from browning nicely so instead I prefer to brush them.

I clean chestnut mushrooms the same way I would clean wild mushrooms like chanterelle, porcini or truffles.

I prefer to use a little dry brush to brush off any dirt and if they’re really dirty I’ll use a wet paper towel to clean them without soaking them in water.

You don’t need to buy a brush just for mushroom cleaning but it does make things a little easier. Just be sure that if you do buy a brush get one with soft bristles and not hard bristles which may damage the mushrooms.

You can also use a little clean paper towel to brush them clean instead of a brush.

If that’s too time-consuming for you, you can soak them in water although be sure to dry them well after.

Cook Chestnut Mushrooms on High Heat

The simple fact is that mushrooms need to be properly browned to be tasty and this requires high heat.

This browning process, also called the Maillard reaction gives the mushrooms a deeper, sweeter and better flavour.

High heat is paramount to achieving beautiful, golden mushrooms and prevents them from steaming in the pan.

Cooking mushroom in a cast iron pan.

Give the Chestnut Mushrooms Room to Breathe

If the pan is overcrowded and too many mushrooms are cooking at the same time the mushrooms will start to steam.

The key is to fry in batches so that all the mushrooms brown nicely.

Lots and Lots of Butter

Olive oil is just not the same!

Butter is really the star ingredient here because when it browns it adds the most amazing, nutty flavour.

The trick is to *almost* brown the butter before you add the mushrooms, that way you know the butter is hot and ready to go.

If you’re interested in keeping this vegan there are some pretty decent vegan kinds of butter on the market these days that will be the next best thing. Although I don’t recommend browning the vegan butter as it’s not the same.

What about Other Types of Mushrooms?

You can use this same recipe to cook almost any type of mushroom because the flavours are pretty neutral.

Porcini, lobster, oyster, chanterelle, yellow foot and black trumpet mushrooms will all work with this method.

Try my other mushroom recipes:

  • These Sauteed Black Trumpet Mushrooms with a Tarragon Cream
  • These Delicious Sauteed Hedgehog Mushrooms with Butter and Chives
  • This Bacon Wrapped Chicken Leg Stuffed with Porcini, Walnuts + Herbs
Raw mushrooms on a white wooden board with a blue towel beside.

How to Store Raw Mushrooms

Because mushrooms are essentially edible sponges, they need to “breathe” while being stored.

The best way to store raw mushrooms is in the basket they came in covered with a damp towel. If you cover them completely they may soak up excess moisture from the air and become soggy.

All of the ingredients ready to go for cooking the mushrooms.

Mushroom Fun Fact

Did you know that fungi are actually more closely related to humans than plants? And the largest living organism, Armillaria Ostoyae, is actually a mushroom that exists in Oregon, US and is over 9651753m2!

If you would like to know more about mushrooms, I highly recommend this book: Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora.

Tools Needed For Cooking Chestnut Mushrooms

Cast Iron Skillet – A cast iron is great for searing mushrooms because of its even heat distribution.

Microplane – A great tool for a quick garlic purée.

How to Nail this Recipe Summary

  • Don’t wash the mushrooms in too much water. Instead, use a brush.
  • Make sure the butter gets hot and foamy before adding the mushrooms.
  • Don’t overcrowd the pan while cooking the chestnut mushrooms otherwise, they won’t brown nicely.
  • Use lots and lots of butter!
Sauteed chestnut mushrooms with butter, parsley, garlic and lemon.
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5 from 19 votes

How to Cook Chestnut Mushrooms with Butter, Garlic, Parsley and Lemon

These chestnut mushrooms are cooked in loads of foamy butter and finished with fresh garlic, lemon and parsley.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 16 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 146kcal
Cost $10/ 7€

Equipment

  • Heavy bottomed pan (cast iron or french iron preferably)
  • Microplane/Rasp

Ingredients

  • 320 g chestnut mushrooms (1 small box)
  • 30 g butter (about 2 tbsp)
  • 1 clove garlic peeled
  • 7 g fresh flat-leaf parsley (about ½ a bunch)
  • ¼ pc lemon, juiced
  • salt to taste
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Instructions

  • Rasp the garlic with a Microplane into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice together and mix.
    Lemon juice and garlic mixed together.
  • Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel or brush to get rid of any dirt. Cut the mushrooms into quarters.
    Cutting the mushrooms in to 4 pieces.
  • Before you begin have all of your ingredients ready to go as shown. Slice the parsley thinly and reserve in a bowl.
    All of the ingredients ready to go for cooking the mushrooms.
  • Put a big, heavy-bottomed sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add ¾ of the butter to the pan and get it hot and foamy.
    Melting the butter in the pan.
  • Once the butter is just about to turn brown, add your mushrooms. Turn them so they are all lying on a cut side and don't toss the pan just yet.
    Continue cooking the mushrooms over medium-high heat.
    *If cooking in batches, reserve the cooked mushrooms in a bowl and continue cooking more mushrooms in more butter.* Add them all together and get them hot again before continuing to the next stage.
    Mushrooms cooking in hot butter.
  • Once the mushrooms are browned nicely, add the rest of the butter and turn off the heat.
    Immediately add the garlic-lemon mixture and toss well. Season with salt to your liking.
    The mushrooms almost finished cooking in the pan.
  • Serve on a plate and enjoy alongside a main course.
    Sauteed chestnut mushrooms with butter, parsley, garlic and lemon.

Nutrition

Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 746mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
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Recipe Pairings

This mushroom recipe works really well with pasta. Prepare them the same way and add some cooked pasta with a little pasta water for awesome mushroom pasta. 

Go here for my homemade pasta recipe.

Also, these mushrooms make a great side dish to this elegant braised beef dish from Chef Etienne at Between 2 Kitchens.

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Previous Post: « How to Cook the Hedgehog Mushroom – The Cheaper Chanterelle
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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Simon Jester says

    November 27, 2021 at 5:37 am

    Pholiota adiposa is the chestnut….Agaricus bisporus is common button. Completely different mushrooms with completely different growing conditions with completely different flavor profiles.

    Reply
    • Devan says

      November 27, 2021 at 6:58 am

      Dear Simon,

      I’ll be honest, I didn’t realize that chestnut mushrooms were actually also called Pholiota adiposa. I’ve cooked with Pholiota adiposa before but we called them cinnamon cap mushrooms.

      I’ve commonly seen Agaricus bisporus (the brown button mushroom) being called chestnut mushroom in a few restaurants I’ve worked. It even says here on Wikipedia:

      “When immature and white, this mushroom may be known as common mushroom, white mushroom,[3] button mushroom,[3] cultivated mushroom, table mushroom, and champignon mushroom (or simply champignon). When immature and brown, it may be known variously as Swiss brown mushroom, Roman brown mushroom, Italian brown mushroom, cremini/crimini mushroom,[4][5] chestnut mushroom (not to be confused with Pholiota adiposa)”

      Whatsmore, the Dutch translation is even more confusing as they’re called Kastanje Champignons and a little different in texture and shape compared to the cremini mushrooms I’ve used in Canada.

      Still, I understand that this must be frustrating so I’ll be adding a note at the top of this post for others to clarify.

      The good news is that this same recipe can still be applied to Pholiota adiposa (cinnamon cap mushrooms). The only difference is that the bottom part of their long stems will need to be removed as they can be a bit tough.

      If you do try the recipe and are happy with the results, I’d appreciate a new rating.

      Thanks for your help and have an awesome day, fellow mushroom lover!

      Reply
  2. Edita says

    January 27, 2022 at 9:10 pm

    5 stars
    Great dish! Very quick and good if you want to use up mushroom leftovers

    Reply
    • Devan says

      January 28, 2022 at 6:04 am

      Thanks Edita!

      Reply
      • kenny says

        March 1, 2022 at 5:31 am

        5 stars
        Thank you for the good picture. I’d like to post a picture of your recipe on our website, so can I use it?

        Reply
        • Devan says

          March 1, 2022 at 6:54 am

          Of course – as long as you link back to me 🙂

          Reply
  3. Amanda Wren-Grimwood says

    April 12, 2022 at 7:28 am

    5 stars
    I love chestnut mushrooms and this is the perfect way to cook them. So golden and buttery!

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 13, 2022 at 7:00 am

      Thanks Amanda!

      Reply
  4. Ieva says

    April 12, 2022 at 8:08 am

    5 stars
    Never cooked mushrooms quite like this before, but wow, great tips and they turned out better than usually! Perfect texture and heaps of flavour too! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 13, 2022 at 7:00 am

      Thanks Leva!

      Reply
  5. Dannii says

    April 12, 2022 at 8:21 am

    5 stars
    What a delicious way to use mushrooms. The flavours sound amazing.

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 13, 2022 at 6:59 am

      Thanks Dannii!

      Reply
  6. Farah Maizar says

    April 12, 2022 at 9:19 am

    5 stars
    Butter, garlic and mushrooms are a match made in heaven, SO GOOD! Thanks for this amazing recipe!

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 12, 2022 at 11:50 am

      Cheers Farah!

      Reply
  7. Keri says

    April 12, 2022 at 9:49 am

    5 stars
    This recipe was so simple and cozy. And I really appreciated all the tips on working with chestnut mushrooms. Very helpful!

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 12, 2022 at 11:49 am

      Thanks Keri, that’s great to hear!

      Reply
  8. Shelley says

    April 12, 2022 at 2:46 pm

    5 stars
    I adore mushrooms (literally just had them with my breakfast this morning – no kidding)! But the real epiphany for me with this recipe was the squeeze of lemon. Just that little lift of brightness, which is a surprising game-changer! Great pics, too – thanks!!

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 13, 2022 at 6:59 am

      Thanks Shelley – As a fellow mushroom lover, I love how you had mushrooms for breakfast haha!

      Reply
  9. Silvia says

    April 12, 2022 at 9:11 pm

    5 stars
    Garlic and mushrooms are a match made in heaven. I just cannot resist them. Your recipe was so easy to prepare and delicious.

    Reply
  10. Tristin says

    April 13, 2022 at 7:31 pm

    5 stars
    Cooking mushrooms in garlic and butter is the best way to eat them! The squeeze of lemon juice just adds that little something extra.

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 14, 2022 at 5:37 am

      Thanks Tristin, I totally agree 🙂

      Reply
  11. Mikayla says

    April 13, 2022 at 10:57 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for the plethora of information on cleaning, cooking and eating. I look forward to using the information for quite some time.

    Reply
  12. Katie Crenshaw says

    April 14, 2022 at 12:58 pm

    5 stars
    I made these mushrooms to go along with some beautiful cuts of ribeye steaks. It made such an incredible pairing! The mushrooms came out fantastic.

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 15, 2022 at 5:56 am

      That sounds like a winning combination! Glad to hear.

      Reply
  13. Leslie says

    April 15, 2022 at 2:09 pm

    5 stars
    I’m really intrigued by this chestnut mushrooms recipe. I’ve not seen mushrooms prepared this well before. Looks very satisfying!

    Reply
  14. Rebecca Blackwell says

    April 15, 2022 at 3:23 pm

    5 stars
    I had never actually cooked chestnut mushrooms before but this recipe inspired me, so I gave it a shot. I was not disappointed. So good! I’ll be using this recipe many times in the future.

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 16, 2022 at 6:09 am

      So glad to hear it turned out. Thanks Rebecca!

      Reply
  15. Uma says

    April 15, 2022 at 11:49 pm

    5 stars
    I love these chestnut mushrooms with garlic and lemon. Thanks for the easy mushroom recipe.

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 16, 2022 at 6:09 am

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  16. Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says

    April 17, 2022 at 6:41 pm

    5 stars
    We used cremini and they were so buttery, juicy, and delicious! Thanks for the tips, too!

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 18, 2022 at 7:21 am

      So happy to hear this thanks, guys!

      Reply
  17. LaKita says

    April 18, 2022 at 1:18 pm

    5 stars
    Made these mushrooms this past weekend and they can out absolutely perfect! So buttery, flavorful, and delicious.

    Reply
    • Devan says

      April 19, 2022 at 6:11 am

      Thanks for the nice words!

      Reply
  18. Anna Marie says

    June 12, 2022 at 9:58 pm

    5 stars
    At the farmer’s market yesterday, I got a box of chestnut mushrooms to try, never had them before. I was looking for a recipe today & came upon yours. I made them & served them in a bed of fettuccine. Oh my goodness your recipe tasted fabulous. I’ve bookmarked it to make again. Thanks for posting!🍄😋👍

    Reply
    • Devan says

      June 13, 2022 at 5:35 am

      That is so nice to hear Anne. I LOVE adding these mushrooms to a good pasta with some fresh butter – total comfort food!

      Reply
  19. John N says

    February 11, 2023 at 5:47 pm

    Crimini, portabella and chestnut are not the same mushrooms
    Portabella are just grownup older crimini. Both Argicus bisporus

    But Chestnuts are Pholiota adiposa

    On the other hand, the recipe is good.

    Reply
    • Devan says

      March 20, 2023 at 7:26 pm

      Glad you liked the recipe.

      Reply

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