Whenever I see cremini mushrooms in the produce section of the grocery store, I tend to purchase pounds and pounds of them. They are my favorite and I add them to everything. I top my tostadas with them, make chili , pasta and even fill enchiladas with them.
I could confidently say that it is my all-time favorite vegetable and I am so glad my family loves them just as much as I do.
Since you will be seeing many recipes to serve for Super Bowl and Oscars in the next couple of weeks, I wanted to include these garlic fried mushrooms to your recipe inspiration.
They pair perfectly with beer. The darker the beer, the better. They are versatile. You can eat them right out of the bowl or you can scoop them with tortilla chips. And best of all, they are so simple to prepare with just a few ingredients. Because mushrooms cook quickly, this flavorful appetizer is also ready in just under 15 minutes, including mushroom cleaning time.
The spice is not overpowering. It’s smokey, subtle and perfect. If you don’t have a whole dried arbol pepper, use red pepper flakes. No problem.
You can use any button mushroom of your choice. I’m a big fan of cremini but this appetizer can be prepared with baby bella mushrooms, shiitake, and even white button mushrooms. Whatever is available. It’s all about the garlic/arbol chile seasoning that makes this dish so tasty with any mushroom of your choice.
Champiñones al Ajillo | Garlic Fried Mushrooms
Lightly fried and slightly spicy. These tender mushrooms can be served as an appetizer or a side dish. Make them with your favorite mushroom and serve it with a strong dark beer.
Ingredients
1 pound cremini mushrooms
¼ cup olive oil
1 dried arbol chile
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound cremini mushrooms
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp cloth. Slice into bite-sized pieces.
Heat oil in a large sauté pan over low heat. Add dried whole chile and sliced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes or until garlic is golden; do not burn. Add mushrooms, stir and increase heat to medium-low. Stir with a large spoon to distribute oil, season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
Transfer to a large serving bowl. Top with cilantro. Serve as an appetizer with a dark beer.
