Garlic Parmesan Mushrooms Remix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Sauté mushrooms with garlic in butter and olive oil until browned and soft. Melt cream cheese in the pan, then stir in parmesan, heavy cream, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for a rich, creamy sauce. Sprinkle parsley to finish. Serves four. Slight ingredient swap for a tangier twist—swap oregano for thyme. Cook slow enough to coax out mushroom juices without stewing. High fat, low carb. Flavor punch without fuss.
Prep:
6 min
Cook:
16 min
Total:
22 min
Servings:
4 servings
#mushrooms
#low carb
#Italian herbs
#sauté
#cream sauce
#garlic
#weeknight meal
Mushrooms absorb flavor like sponges but can flop if overloaded or hit with too high heat. Butter and oil combo gives a richer flavor boost with smoke point balance. Garlic—don’t scorch it or bitterness ruins the dish. Found cream cheese brings stability and silkiness without dairy bitterness I got from straight cream in past fails. Parmesan’s sharp saltiness anchors it. Italian herbs create depth but thyme swap cuts edge for earthiness. Timing is key. Mushrooms must brown but not steam. Sauce thickens slowly—not rushed. I’ve banged this out with varied mushrooms—button, shiitake—each changes texture. This version nails balance of creamy, garlicky, earthy. Not delicate, but approachable. Makes weeknight sides less boring. Easy to scale and twist—try swapping parsley for chives or smoky paprika for heat. If pressed, skip the cream cheese; just enrich with more parmesan but watch clumping. Mushrooms scream flavor when you respect these steps.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 16 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper fresh cracked to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
About the ingredients
Butter and olive oil isn’t just fat, it’s method—butter lends flavor, olive oil prevents burning. Don’t skip softening cream cheese before melting; cold cream cheese causes uneven lumps. Parmesan aged preferably, for sharpness; low quality parmesan can taste chalky or bland. Heavy cream smooths but too much dilutes mushroom’s meatiness—adjust if you want lighter version with half and half or milk but sauce will be runnier and require longer reduction. Thyme instead of oregano adds woodsy, subtle notes that soften herbal punch. Garlic fresh minced; powdered just won’t do here due to flavor fade and odd bitterness on heat. Mushrooms cleaned quickly with damp towel—not soaked or they turn spongy and water down sauce. Fresh parsley at end keeps the dish bright; dried offers little punch and can feel dusty. Salt and pepper done to taste late, because cheese brings salt already, better to under-salt and adjust than overshoot.
Method
- Heat butter and olive oil in a wide 12 inch skillet over medium high. Toss in garlic and mushrooms right away. Listen—should hear sizzling and see moisture bubble up. Mushrooms will soften and brown edges appear. Watch for edges to turn golden but don’t let juices drown them, about 4 to 6 minutes. Stir occasionally but not constantly; let bottom catch a little color.
- Turn heat to medium low. Dollop cream cheese on top. Let it melt slowly, stirring just enough to fold it into mushroom juices creating a creamy base. Patience here. Low heat stops curdling and helps smooth sauce. Takes about 3 minutes if cream cheese is room temp.
- Add parmesan, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, thyme, salt, and plenty of freshly cracked pepper. Stir gently but thoroughly. Sauce will thicken slightly but remain loose. Taste timing—if sauce looks too thin, simmer a bit longer; too thick? Splash a bit more cream or a spoon of broth if you have.
- Lower to low heat to maintain gentle bubbling. Simmer for 6-7 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid sticking or clumping parmesan. The aroma should be rich, garlicky, cheesy, with herb hints. Mushrooms will be tender, sauce coating them velvety. No burning edges—adjust heat as needed.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle parsley over top for freshness and color contrast. Serve immediately, best scooped onto toasted bread or mixed with pasta. Leftovers keep but texture slightly shifts as cream firms up.
Cooking tips
Cook on medium high until mushrooms start caramelizing but avoid steaming—if they release too much water, increase heat briefly or drain excess to get that nice crust. Garlic added upfront to sizzle and infuse oil, but watch so it’s fragrant not charred—burnt garlic ruins flavor instantly. Cream cheese melts in at medium low because high heat risks curdling or separating fats; slow melting evens texture. Parmesan and cream combined on low to incorporate fully; stirring often prevents grainy clumps. Italian seasonings added here allow them to bloom in warm sauce. Simmer slowly to develop and thicken; rushing with high heat can split sauce or scorch bottom. Observe sauce consistency—should coat mushrooms, not pool or feel greasy. Finish with fresh parsley—adds color and a herbaceous lift that cuts through richness. Letting mushrooms cool too long thickens sauce awkwardly; better warm eating. Pro tip: reheat gently or add dash of cream to loosen.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter and olive oil combined gives smoke point balance, don’t skip oil or risk burning butter. Start garlic in hot fat but watch close; quick sizzle means flavor locked in but if blackened, bitterness spoils dish.
- 💡 Cream cheese melts best at low heat, patience required. Stir too fast, it clumps or breaks. Room temperature cream cheese is key. If cold, sauce texture suffers, weird lumps appear. Slow fold cheese into mushroom juices gently.
- 💡 If sauce thickens too much, thin with splash cream or broth. Too thin? Simmer longer but watch closely; reduce without drying mushrooms out. Timing control is tricky here. Low heat bubbles gently, no furious boil. Keeps sauce smooth, mushrooms tender.
- 💡 Fresh parsley sprinkled at end lifts dish with color and aroma; dried parsley lacks punch and can feel dusty. Also salt near the end since parmesan already salty. Adjust seasoning slowly to avoid overshoot.
- 💡 Mushrooms brown but avoid steaming by stirring only occasionally, let edges crisp a bit. If liquid pools, increase heat briefly or drain. Mushroom texture depends on proper heat control, juicy but not soggy. Garlic added upfront to infuse oil, fragrant but not burned.
Common questions
Can I use other mushrooms?
Button or shiitake work but texture and flavor shift. Shiitake more intense, button milder. Adjust cooking times, some soak more moisture thus might need higher heat.
What if sauce splits or curdles?
Happens if heat too high or cream cheese cold. Low heat melts cheese gently. Stir just enough to combine. Adding parmesan and cream slow prevents separation. If split, try whisking in small amount warm cream to rescue.
How to store leftovers?
Cool quickly, keep in airtight container, refrigerate up to 3 days. Sauce may thicken or firm up; reheat gently on low with splash cream to loosen. Not great frozen because texture changes, cream separates a bit.
Can I skip cream cheese?
Possible but sauce loses silkiness, clumps more likely. Use extra parmesan and cream carefully, stir frequently. Or swap cream cheese for mascarpone for similar richness but milder tang. Watch for graininess, adjust heat.
