How to Roast Mushrooms (Oven Baked Mushrooms |+ Flavor Variations)

Learn how to roast mushrooms to transform them into super savory, juicy, tender, umami-rich flavor bombs! Oven baked mushrooms are fuss-free, hands-off, and make for a diet-friendly (Paleo, Keto, Whole30, Low Carb, Gluten-Free, Vegan) appetizer, side, or main!

The Ingredients for Roasted Mushrooms

All you need for these simple thyme mushrooms are 3 ingredients, plus salt and pepper (and water).

• Mushrooms: I usually make roasted baby Bella mushrooms, button mushrooms, or (this time) cremini mushrooms, which are the easiest, low-budget mushrooms to source. However, you can make oven-baked mushrooms with many mushrooms. Including portobello mushrooms (make thick slices of the stems and cap), shiitake (remove tough stems), oyster, mixed wild mushrooms, etc.
• Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil, like avocado oil, olive oil, etc. Alternatively, you could use melted vegan butter combined with oil.
• Herbs: I used fresh thyme. However, you can make all sorts of herbed mushrooms with rosemary, oregano, marjoram, etc. You could also garnish the oven-baked mushrooms with fresh herbs after baking them, like dill, parsley, or chives. If you have to use dried herbs, use half the amount. Looking to keep your herbs fresh, check out this article!
• Salt & Pepper
• Water: Helps to keep the baked mushrooms tender and juicy without being slimy. You can substitute this with other liquids (mentioned below).

More Ways to Flavor Oven Roasted Mushrooms

• Garlic: One of the easiest (and my favorite) variations is for garlic roasted mushrooms! Use four cloves of minced garlic with the above.
• Lemon: Add 1-2 tbsp of lemon juice (or lime juice). For even more lemon flavor, add a teaspoon or so of lemon zest. I recommend adding some before baking the mushrooms and an extra drizzle of lemon juice before serving them.
• Soy sauce: To pack in more umami flavor, add 1-2 tbsp of dark soy sauce (and reduce the other salt in the baked mushroom recipe). *Note: use gluten-free soy sauce, if needed.
• Balsamic: Add 1-3 tbsp of good-quality balsamic vinegar (pairs well with soy sauce and garlic, too).
• Spice: Add a pinch (or more) of red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, OR use a little chili oil in place of other oil in the baked mushroom recipe.
• Other vegetables: Several veggies will cook in the same time frame. This includes asparagus (cut into 2-inch pieces), broccoli (in bite-sized pieces), zucchini (in thick slices/wedges), green beans (whole or halved), cherry tomatoes (whole), bell pepper (diced), etc.
• Garlic vegan parmesan roasted mushrooms: Use vegan butter in place of oil, 4 cloves of garlic (minced), and around 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast for the ‘cheesy’ parmesan flavor. Optionally, combine with a tablespoon or so of vegan parmesan-style cheese.
• Other vegan cheese: Crumble some vegan feta over the roasted mushrooms for a simple yet flavor-packed veggie side dish.
• Breadcrumbs: Add a sprinkle of breadcrumbs (panko or regular). Use gluten-free if necessary. 

One of my favorite options is thyme and garlic roasted mushrooms with a squeeze of lemon/lime and topped with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs before baking. In other words, feel free to mix and match the options above to find your favorite roasted mushroom recipe!

How to Roast Mushrooms?

The entire process requires just three super-simple steps!

Preparations:

1. First, preheat the oven to 400F/205C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. Meanwhile, clean (with a barely damp cloth) and thickly slice the cremini mushrooms.

The way you slice the mushrooms will depend on what type you’re using. You may even want to leave some varieties whole. Just note that this will affect the baking time. 

The mushrooms will have released lots of their liquids and be browning. If you want to take them further, drain the liquid from the pan and continue to roast for 10+ minutes to your desired results. Alternatively, they’ll naturally drain if you cook the mushrooms on a wire rack above a pan. 

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Don’t crowd the baking sheet: Just like pan-fried mushrooms, the key to browning baked mushrooms comes in not crowding the tray. Instead, spread them evenly across the tray with some space in-between to avoid them ‘steaming’ and give them a chance to brown.
• Consider the size of the mushrooms: The size of your mushrooms will impact how brown/caramelized they become while baking. The thinner the slices, the more caramelized the results. Make sure to choose even-sized mushrooms (or cut them into even pieces) for the best results.
• For crispy roasted mushrooms: Drain any liquid from the pan after the 18 minutes and continue to bake for a further 10-20 minutes (to your desired color/flavor), mixing them several times. And/or broil them for a minute or so at the end of the baking time.
• When using different mushroom varieties: Note that the time may vary based on their size, and the storage instructions may also vary (read the storage section for details).
• Don’t waste the liquid: If you find that there’s a ton of mushroom liquid in your pan at the end of the roasting time (especially when using larger mushrooms like roasted portobello mushrooms), there’s no need to waste it. Instead, add it to soups, sauces, etc.
• When making roasted oyster mushrooms: Remove the rubbery stems and separate the mushrooms into small bite-sized pieces. Roasted oyster mushrooms may take slightly longer (between 20-30 minutes).

FAQs for How to Roast Mushrooms

How to Serve Oven Roasted Mushrooms?

The options are endless, limited only by your imagination!

• Breakfast: Serve the roasted sliced mushrooms over breakfast toast (optionally with avocado or scrambled tofu) or on crostini as an appetizer
• Holidays: Enjoy at the holidays as part of your Thanksgiving or Christmas meal
• Pizza topping: Sprinkle over pizza, flatbreads, and focaccia
• Burger/sandwich fixing: Add to burgers, wraps/burritos, and sandwiches
• Over grains: Serve with grains like rice, quinoa, couscous, etc. And, of course, risotto
• In soups: Use to make cream of mushroom soup or a mushroom-based gravy/sauce
• With pasta: Mix into warm pasta dishes or cold pasta salads
• With potatoes: Over creamy mashed potato, or on a loaded baked potato
• To flavor dips: Use as a garnish for dips like hummus or white bean dip
• As a garnish: Garnish soups like this veggie-packed potato leek soup, pumpkin soup, spicy carrot soup, or mushroom orzo soup!

How to Store Roasted Mushrooms?

Fridge: These herbed mushrooms are best when freshly roasted. However, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Freezer: To freeze, spread the cooled baked mushrooms across a baking tray and flash freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer-safe container/Ziplock/Stasher bag to keep frozen for 2-3 months.

Reheat: You can reheat the roasted sliced mushrooms either in the microwave (topped with a lightly damp paper towel) or back in the oven. However, my favorite method is to add a small amount of vegan butter to a skillet and pan-fry until heated through and slightly crispy once more.

Make sure you reheat them thoroughly. Otherwise, reheated mushrooms can cause some stomach upset. It’s also important to note that some wild mushrooms aren’t safe to eat more than a day after cooking. So if you are using a wild mushroom, I recommend double-checking before saving any leftovers!

More Delicious Ways to Enjoy Mushrooms!

Vegan Lunches

Mushroom Sandwich

Vegan Snacks

Mushroom Jerky Recipe (Protein Packed!)

Vegan Dinners

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta

Vegan Dinners

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

Or browse through my entire list of vegan mushroom recipes!

If you tried this oven roasted mushrooms recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla