Listen, sometimes dinner needs to be on the table yesterday, right? You look in the fridge, you have some sad-looking greens and maybe a log of mushrooms staring back at you, and you think, “Ugh, another boring side.” Well, don’t you dare throw those sad veggies out! This recipe for Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach has saved my weeknights more times than I can count. It takes about fifteen minutes flat, and the moment that garlic hits the hot butter? Wow. It smells like a fancy bistro meal, but you made it while waiting for the water to boil! I use this method almost every Tuesday because it’s the easiest way to get a ton of flavor and some real greens onto the plate without breaking a sweat.

Why You Will Love This Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach Recipe

It’s lightning fast—ready in under 15 minutes, the perfect last-minute side dish.
The flavor is huge! Browned mushrooms plus pungent garlic just taste expensive, trust me.
Absolutely no complicated techniques are involved; you just toss it in a skillet.
It’s a wonderful, veggie-packed side that happens to be naturally vegetarian too.

I’m telling you, it’s the absolute best way to get a healthy green on the table without stressing out over the stove!

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach

The beauty of this dish is honestly in its simplicity. You don’t need a pantry full of weird specialty items. You just need good, solid basics handled correctly. Seriously, grab these things—I keep them stocked at all times!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 ounces fresh spinach
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

A quick note on that spinach: Make sure you wash it really well, but for the love of all that is good, dry it afterward! Wet spinach steams, and we are trying to *sauteé* here, not boil everything into mush.

Ingredient Clarity and Preparation Notes

Let’s talk specifics because this is where the magic hides. When you get those lovely cremini mushrooms, please don’t soak them in water! I just wipe them down gently with a damp cloth to get rid of any dirt. They suck up water like tiny sponges, and we want them to brown, remember? That means dry surfaces!

Also, use the freshest garlic you can find! That one minute of cooking time is crucial, so you want it bright and fragrant. If you want a little zing at the end, hold onto about a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. A splash right when you turn off the heat brightens up the whole earthy dish. It’s my favorite little secret addition!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach

Okay, this is the easy part, but timing is everything so you don’t end up with soggy vegetables. Grab your biggest skillet—seriously, use the largest one you have—because we need room to move. We’re cooking these ingredients hot and fast, so we control the texture.

First up, combine the olive oil and butter in that big skillet over medium heat. You want the butter melted and just starting to look foamy, but definitely not brown yet.
Toss in all those sliced mushrooms. This is arguably the most important part! Don’t stir them for a solid two minutes. Let them sit and get some real heat concentration on the bottom of the pan. We need them to first release all their liquid. That moisture has to cook off before browning can happen, so give it about five to seven minutes total, stirring occasionally toward the end until they look nicely golden brown.
Once the mushrooms look happy and browned, push them slightly to one side and drop in your minced garlic. Keep the heat steady at medium! That garlic only needs about sixty seconds. You’ll know it’s ready because the smell will jump right out at you, but don’t let it burn or it gets bitter fast!
Now for the spinach. If you try to dump all five ounces in at once, you’ll get a big wet mess steaming on top of itself. Don’t do that! Add the spinach in two or three small batches. Stir until the first batch completely wilts down before you add the next handful. It only takes a minute or two per batch until everything shrinks down nicely.
Finally, pull the skillet off the heat. Season generously with salt and pepper right now—tasting as you go is key!
Serve this beautiful Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach right away while it’s piping hot. If you have that air fryer mushrooms recipe that uses garlic butter, this fresh taste is similar, only faster!

Achieving Browned Mushrooms in Your Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach

Listen, if you are tempted to push the mushrooms around the pan non-stop, resist that urge! The secret to great sauteed mushrooms spinach is moisture management. Mushrooms are mostly water, and if you stir them too soon, they will release all that water and just boil in their own juices. That’s steaming, not browning! You need patience here; let them sit on the hot metal until you see the liquid evaporate, *then* they will start taking on that gorgeous, savory brown color that gives the whole dish its deep flavor.

Wilting the Spinach Perfectly in Your Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach

While the mushrooms are cooking down, you might be looking at this giant pile of fresh spinach and thinking, “There’s no way that fits!” Trust me, it will. The key is adding it in stages. Throw in about half, stir until it totally collapses down into itself, and then add the rest. That ensures every single leaf gets direct contact with the heat and the flavorful fat, so you don’t end up with random pockets of raw, crispy spinach hiding under wilted parts.

Tips for Making the Best Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach

We’ve covered the basics, but if you really want to take this simple side dish from “good” to “wait, what did you put in this?”, you need to remember a couple of key habits I bring to my own kitchen. These little tweaks are what separate a rushed vegetable side from something truly delicious.

First, let’s talk about the fat situation. While the recipe calls for butter and oil, and that combination helps prevent the butter from burning too fast, you could swap that out entirely for something more decadent if you’re feeling fancy. If you happen to have some homemade garlic herb butter ready to go, use that instead of heating the oil and plain butter separately. That instantly infuses everything with extra layers of savory flavor!

Next up: Seasoning timing. I know the recipe says to season at the end, and you should definitely give it a final check then, but I always sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt on the mushrooms *just* as they start to release their moisture. This might seem counterintuitive since salt draws out water, but a little bit early on helps season them deep down as they release that liquid. Just be careful not to add too much!

And finally, mushroom choice matters! Cremini are foolproof, but don’t be afraid to mix them up. I love using a few shiitake mushrooms in the mix if I have them—you just have to chop the stems off really well because they can be chewy. That adds a nice, slightly meaty texture contrast to the softer spinach. It all depends on what you have on hand; never stress too much, but mixing varieties really ups the complexity!

Variations for Your Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach Side Dish

While this Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach recipe is gorgeous just as it is—a perfect quick side dish—I never stop tinkering, especially when I know what I’m planning to serve it with. It’s so incredibly flexible! You just have to think about what flavor profile you want to boost.

If you’re serving something really mild, like perhaps a simple baked chicken breast, you might want to kick the heat up a notch. A small pinch—and I mean tiny, maybe a quarter teaspoon—of red pepper flakes added right when the garlic goes in gives this a fantastic little surprise kick at the end. It wakes everything up without making it truly spicy.

Another thing I absolutely adore? Shallots! If you have a shallot handy, chop one up fine and toss it in with the mushrooms. It gives a gentler, sweeter onion flavor than regular yellow onion, and it melts into the butter beautifully. It adds complexity that goes so well, especially if you pair this side with something like my black pepper chicken!

And honestly, herbs are your best friend here! I always try to finish with something fresh if I can. Thyme is my go-to; it complements mushrooms so perfectly. Add about half a teaspoon of fresh, chopped thyme leaves right alongside the salt and pepper at the very end. If you don’t have fresh, dried works too, but use just a tiny pinch because dried herbs are intense!

Serving Suggestions for Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach

I feel like this Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach is the supporting actor that always steals the show! Because it’s savory, garlicky, and has such a fantastic texture from the mushrooms, it needs a good main event to pair up with. It’s versatile enough to go almost anywhere, but here are the pairings that I happen to make over and over again at my house.

If I’m making a really simple, hearty weeknight meal, this side dish is non-negotiable next to a perfectly pan-seared steak. I mean, if you’re going to take the time to sear a nice piece of meat, you need something green and earthy next to it, right? My own absolute favorite way to eat this is next to a steak cooked using the method in my divine steak recipe. The wine reduction or garlic butter you make for the steak just drips down onto the mushrooms and spinach, tasting heavenly.

It’s also fantastic alongside baked chicken or pork chops. Think about it: plain chicken breast needs flavor, and this dish brings fat, salt, umami from the mushrooms, and freshness from the spinach. It rounds out the plate perfectly without requiring you to cook a second complicated side dish.

And don’t forget starches! If I make a simple creamy risotto or even just some fluffy mashed potatoes, this sauteed vegetable mixture is spooned right over the top. Potatoes love the buttery, garlicky flavor, and the spinach adds that much-needed color and texture contrast. It turns a simple starch into a real vegetarian-friendly main course if you skip the meat entirely!

Storage and Reheating Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach

Don’t let those leftovers go to waste! This Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach holds up surprisingly well for a quick sauté. Store any extras immediately in an airtight container in the fridge. They should be good for about three days.

When you want to reheat them, please, for the love of texture, avoid the microwave if you can! Microwaving turns the spinach slimy. Instead, just toss them back into that same skillet over medium heat for just a couple of minutes until everything is warm through and happy again. If they look a little dry, splash a tiny bit of broth or even water in there to steam them back to life quickly!

Frequently Asked Questions About Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach

Can I substitute frozen spinach for fresh spinach in this recipe?

Oh, I get asked this all the time! While this recipe really shines with fresh spinach because it wilts down so beautifully and stays vibrant, you *can* use frozen spinach in a pinch. The trick is you absolutely must thaw it completely and squeeze out every single drop of excess water you can manage. I mean squeeze it until your hands hurt! If you don’t, that extra water will turn your sauté into a sad, soupy mess, and your mushrooms will steam instead of brown. For the best results, stick to fresh if you can, but frozen works if you prep it correctly.

What if I skip the butter completely? Can I keep it dairy-free?

Yes, you certainly can skip the butter if you need to keep this dairy-free! The butter really adds a certain richness and depth of flavor that oil alone just can’t quite replicate, especially when it starts foaming up with the garlic. However, if butter isn’t an option, just use all olive oil—maybe a tablespoon and a half total. To compensate for that lost richness, I highly recommend adding that tip I mentioned earlier: a tiny splash of fresh lemon juice right at the end, or maybe a teaspoon of a flavorful vegan cooking substitute if you have one you like. It helps bring back some of that needed brightness!

Can I make a bigger batch of the mushroom mixture ahead of time?

This is a great advance prep question! You can absolutely sauté the mushrooms and garlic ahead of time—I often do! They hold up really well on their own for a couple of days in the fridge. When you want to eat, just reheat the mushrooms and garlic mixture in the pan, and *then* add the fresh spinach in batches right at the end. That way, the spinach stays perfectly bright green and tender-crisp, and you just manage the final seasoning before serving. It cuts the cooking time down to about three minutes total when dinner time rolls around! If you’re looking for other ways to use up those mushrooms, you should peek at my recipe for cream of mushroom soup mix.

Estimated Nutritional Snapshot for Sauteed Mushrooms Spinach

I always try to be upfront that nutrition facts are estimates, not gospel! Since we’re dealing with natural ingredients where oil absorption can vary wildly, please take these numbers as a general guide for planning your meals. This assessment is based on one serving, remembering this recipe yields about two good side dish portions.

Here is a quick look at what you’re seeing nutritionally from our lovely garlic, butter, mushrooms, and greens base:

Nutrient	Amount
Serving Size	1/2 recipe
Calories	120
Fat	9g
Saturated Fat	3g
Carbohydrates	7g
Fiber	3g
Protein	4g

See? Not bad at all for a flavor-packed side dish! We’re getting good fiber from the mushrooms and spinach, and the fat content is coming mostly from the healthy olive oil we start with—though the butter certainly helps the taste!

Sauteed Mushrooms and Spinach

Author: ferecipe.com
Total Time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

A simple recipe for cooking mushrooms and spinach together with garlic and butter.

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 ounces fresh spinach
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add mushrooms to the skillet and cook until they release their moisture and start to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add spinach to the skillet in batches, stirring until it wilts down completely.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.

Notes

You can add a splash of lemon juice at the end for brightness.
Use any firm mushroom variety you prefer.

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Category: Side Dish
Method: Sauteing
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/2 recipe
Calories: 120
Sugar: 2
Sodium: 150
Fat: 9
Saturated Fat: 3
Unsaturated Fat: 6
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 7
Fiber: 3
Protein: 4
Cholesterol: 10

Keywords: sauteed mushrooms, spinach, garlic, side dish, quick vegetable