Mushrooms frequently feature on Irish dinner menus.
Served with steak, lamb or pork chops, roast chicken Sunday dinner or with fried fish, they're extra delicious when sautéed with garlic.

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Pan Fried Mushrooms
Pan-fried white mushrooms with an extra garlic zing, take the fried mushrooms of my Irish childhood to the next level altogether.
This is an easy low carb recipe. The mushrooms are caramelized to a deep golden brown to produce a truly mouth watering vegetable side dish.
The deliciously rich earthy flavor of mushrooms compliments so many traditional Irish dishes.
Tasty goodness in a dish and even better still, they're quick and easy, and ready in just minutes.

These mushrooms may be easy to cook, there are however a few simple mushroom preparation and cooking rules you need to stick to for success.
My Irish granny used to gather wild mushrooms in the fields of her farm in County Cork, and we'd cook them in melted Irish butter with a little sprinkle of salt. Irish food at its very best!
Are Mushrooms Grown In Ireland?
Mushrooms are a very important crop in Ireland where they are grown all year round. Believe it or not, the humble mushroom forms the largest export crop in Ireland's horticultural sector.
Mushrooms are found in all large grocery stores or supermarkets in Ireland. White mushrooms are usually referred to as button mushrooms if they are less than an inch in diameter.
How do you clean mushrooms?
Mushrooms bought in the store, especially in Ireland, are usually speckled with a little dirt. It's important to clean them before cooking, but immersing them in water is a no-no.
My granny would always wipe mushrooms clean with a damp tea towel or dish cloth. She always warned that if you dip mushrooms in water, you'll end up with a soggy mess when you try to fry them.

If your mushrooms are really dirty it's alright to give them a very quick splash of water, but whatever you do, don't soak them in a bowl of water.
Their flesh is like a sponge that loves to soak up extra liquid. So it's a quick rinse only and then dry them with paper towels, or a damp cloth.
Mushroom brushes are designed to have soft bristles to brush the dirt off mushrooms without damaging the flesh. Well worth a try!
I cook these mushrooms with their stems, but if you prefer you can remove the stems.
Ingredients for Garlic Sautéed Mushrooms
Here's what you'll need. You'll find exact amounts required in the printable recipe at the bottom of this post. Here are the main ingredients:
- white mushrooms (cleaned)
- garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
- olive oil (plus a knob of butter for flavor if desired)
- fresh parsley
- salt and black pepper to taste
I keep this recipe very simple. You could add a sprig or two of fresh thyme to the frying pan with the mushrooms, if you like the flavor combination of thyme and garlic. Remember to remove these sprigs from the sauteed mushrooms before serving.
I use regular white mushrooms or white button mushrooms, as they are sometimes called in Ireland. This recipe also works great for cremini or chestnut mushrooms.
Parsley is my garnish of choice for this sauteed mushroom recipe. You can substitute many different ingredients of your choice such as chopped chives, chopped green onions, basil, cilantro, or Parmesan cheese.
Other easy additions that change the flavor profile of this dish include a few dashes of soy sauce, or Worchestershire sauce.

Directions for Garlic Sautéed Mushrooms
Add olive oil to a large heavy bottomed skillet. Turn the heat to high.
Add a knob of butter to this large frying pan, if you're not too concerned about calories. Using a mixture of olive oil with a little bit of butter adds extra flavor and helps to caramelize the mushrooms to a rich brown color. And heck, I'm Irish - we simply love our butter, especially creamy Irish butter.
Just a tablespoon of the butter is enough.

Add minced garlic to the oil in the pan and sauté for a minute. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to make sure the garlic doesn't burnt.
Add the mushrooms to the garlic in the pan.
Now, here's one of my mushroom cooking rules.
Do not crowd the pan with too many mushrooms.

They contain lots of moisture so if they're too close together in the pan they'll start to steam. That's the same rule I apply when making Irish roast potatoes.
Here's another rule. Do not stir the mushrooms at first.
They need to sit and heat in the pan to achieve a delicious brown coloring.

Sear the mushrooms for around 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Once they've started to cook and it's okay to toss them occasionally until they start to soften and turn brown.
Add a pinch of salt and season with pepper.
Continue to cook, tossing occasionally. Be patient and wait for the mushrooms to turn a deep brown color. Then you'll know they are truly caramelized. This process takes around 10 minutes.
Keep an eye on the heat, since you don't want to burn them. Turn it down low if your mushrooms start to burn.
Feel free to add additional flavors. I like to add a dash of Worcestershire sauce, or a tablespoon of sherry or Vermouth is delicious. In today's recipe I kept the mushrooms plain, but feel free to experiment if you like a little something extra in a dish every now and then.

Finally add a little chopped fresh parsley and stir. Parsley is a perfect finishing touch.
Once again, feel free to experiment. Fresh herbs are best for garnishing this dish.
Chopped chives or green onions add a little extra flavor to garlic butter mushrooms, if used instead of the parsley.
And there you have it - a simple mushroom side dish loved in Ireland.

Storage of Cooked Garlic Mushrooms
Since these mushrooms are so simple to prepare, I tend to cook just the right amount for every meal.
If you do happen to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They tend to really change texture after excessive time in the refrigerator.
I do not recommend freezing this dish. Mushrooms contain quite a bit of water, and tend to turn soggy when defrosted after being in the freezer.
Recipe Card
Here's the printable recipe card.
Garlic Sautéed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole white mushrooms cleaned
- 3 whole garlic cloves minced or chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon butter optional
- 1 teaspoon parsley chopped
- salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and butter if using in a large heavy bottomed skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute. Stir to prevent the garlic from burning.
- Add mushrooms. Sear for 2-3 minutes without stirring. Then toss occasionally until the mushrooms start to soften and brown.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to cook for up to 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms turn a deep brown color.
- Remove from the heat. Add fresh chopped parsley and stir. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.
Serving Mushrooms As Part Of An Irish Fry
Fried mushrooms or sautéed mushrooms are often served as part of a full Irish breakfast or an Ulster fry, especially on a cold winter morning.
Irish breakfast mushrooms are served alongside pork sausages, rashers or bacon slices, black pudding (blood sausage), white pudding, eggs and fried tomatoes. Baked beans tend to feature on an English breakfast rather than in a traditional full Irish breakfast.
Eggs can be fried sunny side up, over easy or over hard. I like to keep the egg yolks soft so that I can dip the mushrooms in the ooey, gooey, eggy goodness.
Slices of toast, Irish soda bread, Irish brown bread, boxty or potato fadge finish off an Irish breakfast, and everything is served with a nice hot cup of tea (Barrys or Lyons of course).
These mushrooms are delicious when dipped in brown sauce, a condiment often used in Ireland rather than tomato ketchup.
Potato bread is another great accompaniment for a full breakfast.
Tasty Mushroom Side Dish
I hope you enjoy this tasty mushroom side, which is a perfect side dish in my book. I love these mushrooms served with smashed potatoes, mashed potatoes, steak or chicken tenders.
Thanks so much for following my recipes and ramblings. Don't forget to share this recipe with friends and family on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.
I truly appreciate your support in helping to spread the word about Irish American Mom's recipes and ramblings.

Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Here are some more Irish side dish recipes you might enjoy...
Plus here's a graphic for anyone who likes to file their favorite recipes on Pinterest.

Irish Side Dishes
- How To Cook Rutabaga Or Turnip Irish Style
- Chips And Curry Sauce
- Irish Potato Cakes
- How To Roast Potatoes Irish Or English Style
Irish Main Dishes
- Delicious And Flavorful Whiskey Pork Chops Recipe
- Guinness Glazed Chicken Tenders
- Easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Leftover Turkey and Ham Rissoles
Sally
I love mushrooms. Nice to learn mushrooms feature in Irish cuisine.
Irish American Mom
Hi Sally - Mushrooms are grown en masse in Ireland and are loved by most Irish people. I think a huge percentage of Irish mushrooms are also exported to the UK. It's a big export business. And mushrooms are always delicious in my book.
All the best,
Mairéad
Helen
I love how simple and delicious these are! Great recipe.
Irish American Mom
Hi Helen - This truly is a simple recipe, but truly delicious. You can't beat a simple side for any dinner. I love no hassle cooking.
All the best,
Mairéad
Claudia Lamascolo
these were so flavorful I will never make mushrooms any other way from now on~
Irish American Mom
Hi Claudia - I'm so glad you enjoyed these mushrooms. The garlic takes them to the next level of deliciousness.
All the best,
Mairéad
Allyssa
This mushroom recipe is very tasty and easy to make, so glad to know this! Thanks a lot for sharing!
Irish American Mom
Hi Allyssa - Thanks for stopping by to check out this recipe and for rating it. I really appreciate it. So glad you like this recipe.
All the best,
Mairéad
Devy
Oh, I love mushrooms and I can never get enough of them. Your recipe makes such flavoursome mushrooms with those garlic and herb fragrant. Just delicious.
Irish American Mom
Hi Devy - I'm so glad you like this recipe for simple, flavorful mushrooms. Thanks so much for taking the time to rate my recipe.
All the best,
Mairéad
Jo
This will be my go-to side dish! So filling and tasty,Love it!
Irish American Mom
Hi Jo - Thanks for stopping by to check out my garlic mushroom recipe. It's a simple, go-to side dish in my house.
All the best,
Mairéad
Midmodtom
I recently found out that I am almost 80% Irish! Those results have brought out the Irish Cook in me. Very happy to have found this recipe and learned that the mushrooms I buy probably come from Ireland! Thank you!
Irish American Mom
Hi there - Your love of mushrooms may run in your genes. Lovely to hear you discovered your Irish heritage recently. Thanks for checking out this recipe.
All the best,
Mairéad
Mimdmodtom
Fascinating! The woman who adopted me had Irish heritage and she loved mushrooms too. Oddly, her daughter, who she birthed, didn't acquire that love, in fact she hates them!
Irish American Mom
Hi there - Our love of mushrooms may or may not run in our genes. Amazing how mother and daughter didn't share the same taste buds. Thanks for stopping by to share your family story.
All the best,
Mairéad