Chef John's Best Mushroom Recipes for Comforting Dinners (2024)

Chef John's Creamy Mushroom Soup

"The secret to this deep, rich soup is a long slow caramelization of the mushrooms, the key to unlocking the mushrooms' magic," says Chef John. "This is just pure essence of mushroom. So easy."

Sausage-Mushroom Chicken

The sausage fat in this recipe makes everything taste meatier and better, including the chicken breasts and the mushroom pan sauce. "Though the name of this recipe is ordinary, the flavor is anything but," says Chef John. "Introduce this ultra-forgiving technique to any friend who's intimidated by cooking to prove just how easy it is to pull off a gorgeous dinner."

Short Ribs Braised with Mushrooms and Tomatoes

"The short ribs are slowly braised with easy-to-find dried porcini mushrooms until they turn into a triumph of fork-tender goodness," says Chef John. "I love these short ribs over mashed potatoes, but the rich tomato and mushroom gravy is fantastic over soft polenta as well. I really hope you give this cool weather wonder a try."

Chef John's Coq Au Vin

"Like all braised dishes, tougher cuts with lots of connective tissue work best," says Chef John. "And on a chicken that would be the thigh/leg section. "So I like to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs instead of an old rooster for my coq au vin. Of course, someone will ask if they can use chicken breasts; please don't. They just will not add that sticky goodness to the braising liquid that the thighs will."

"Better Than Beef" Meatless Meatloaf

There's some real magic going on in this meatless meatloaf, thanks to the caramelized mushrooms and onions. And that's the key to this recipe: cooking the mushrooms and onions until they are very well caramelized. The result? "Despite having no beef in it, it's super savory with a meaty texture and flavor," says Chef John. "With just enough binder to keep it together, it's slightly crumbly, but still melt-in-your-mouth tender and moist. Serve with mashed potatoes, green beans, and gravy."

Grilled Halibut Steaks with Corn and Chanterelles

"Seafood and mushrooms are really great together," says Chef John. "And when you add the smokiness from the grill, you have yourself a great autumn meal. Garnish with lemon wedges and micro greens. You can substitute red bell pepper for the roasted red pepper, if desired. You can substitute any mushrooms for the chanterelle mushrooms."

Chef John's Baked Mushroom Risotto

"The beginning and the end of this risotto recipe are pretty standard, but we've moved the middle 15 minutes into the oven in an attempt to eliminate those dreaded 'variables,'" says Chef John. "Besides being easier and more repeatable, this method produced a risotto that was identical in looks, taste, and texture to anything I can do on the stove."

Chef John's Mushroom Gravy

Here's Chef John's patented single-pan method for making mushroom gravy. "This is usually a two-pan recipe," says Chef John. "Chefs normally brown the mushroom in a large sauté pan and then add them to a sauce pan to finish the sauce, but why wash another pan when you don't have too? Mushroom sauce can be done with any type of stock. I used beef stock here since I'm going to be serving with meatloaf."

Chicken and Mushroom Chimichangas

"The chimichanga is a 100% American invention," says Chef John. "Moist chicken and earthy mushrooms combine with fresh green chiles and pepperjack cheese encased in a crispy tortilla. These are not deep fried; they are pan-fried in a little oil. I like to serve them with dollops of guacamole, sour cream, and salsa."

Chef John's Classic Beef Stroganoff

"This is a fairly lean version of beef stroganoff, as most recipes call for more cream," says Chef John. "This is something you can easily adjust to your tastes. I like a little thicker version, with just enough sauce to coat the meat, mushrooms, and noodles."

Chef John's Chicken Marsala

Chef John's recipe for chicken Marsala with mushrooms is quick, simple, and most importantly, delicious. "Certain dishes have a special place in my heart, and this is one of them," says Chef John. "The first real restaurant job I had in San Francisco was at a small place called Ryan's Cafe. This chicken Marsala dish was the most popular dish on the menu and the first one that I was taught."

Chef John's Creamy Mushroom Pasta

"A beautiful, aromatic, creamy mushroom sauce coats hot cooked fettuccine pasta in this quick dish," says Chef John. "You can use any kind of pasta you like." This dish starts with shiitake and button mushrooms sauteed in olive oil. Sherry wine, stock, and garlic then build flavors. You'll finish the sauce with cream, fresh herbs, and Parmesan cheese.

Pan-Roasted Halibut with Clamshell Mushrooms and Lemon Butter Sauce

"Mushrooms and halibut have a natural affinity for each other," says Chef John. "And both are wonderful with the lemon-parsley butter sauce. So, whether you fear cooking fish or not, I hope you give this super simple yet fabulous recipe a try soon."

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast

"The real secret here is making sure you sear the meat before the long, slow braising," says Chef John. Though you're using a slow cooker, there's still room for technique, and Chef John will show you the best methods for preparing the chuck roast, sautéing the veggies, and getting the most flavor from your sauce. See how it's done:

Creamy Wild Mushroom Ragout

This is "one of those magical side dishes that shines equally as bright whether you serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner." If you don't have creme fraiche, you can substitute heavy cream...but Chef John's homemadecrème fraîcheis highly recommended.

Chef John's Chicken and Mushrooms

Beautiful sauteed mushrooms top chicken breasts in a delicious yet extremely simple dish. "This chicken and mushrooms recipe is an experiment in extreme self-control," says Chef John. "I wanted to challenge myself to make a chicken and mushrooms recipe using only chicken and mushrooms," along with a little butter and olive oil.

Chicken, Mushroom, and Rice Soup

Thickly sliced mushrooms are well browned to create a meaty taste and texture. "They say chicken soup is good for the soul, but when you factor in the addition of mushrooms, onions, and garlic, and the always comforting effects of rice, this soup is good for a lot more things than just your soul--like your wallet, for example!" says Chef John. "Serve topped with sour cream, thyme leaves, and diced red onion."

Chicken Marsala Milanese

Chicken breasts are pounded thin and seasoned with flour, egg, and panko bread crumbs, pan fried, and served with a decadent Marsala sauce with brown mushrooms. This recipe improves on two classic recipes. "We're making chicken Marsala better by doing the chicken Milanese-style, and we're going to improve chicken Milanese with the same amazing sauce that goes on chicken Marsala," says Chef John. The results were incredible. Serve with an arugula salad."

Miso-Braised Beef with King Mushrooms

"This melt-in-your-mouth braised beef dish with sauteed trumpet mushrooms is cold weather comfort food at its finest," says Chef John. "Miso adds an extra savory element, balanced with a touch of maple syrup, which further enhances the autumnal feel. As much as I love a traditional beef stew, or braised beef short ribs, I like to shake things up sometimes by applying the same techniques to a few non-traditional ingredients. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles."

Chicken Mushroom Strudel

Sure, it looks fancy...but prepared puff pastry dough makes this easy to do. "Even if you are not great at braiding dough, this is surprisingly easy to accomplish." This recipe makes two strudels, so if you're not feeding a crowd, you can freeze one for a later meal.

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