Transform ordinary veggies into a flavor-packed side dish with a quick and easy recipe for Sautéed Mushrooms and Spinach with Spicy Garlic Sauce.
Mushrooms were high atop the list of foods that took me decades to love. If salmon was ranked #1, mushrooms were a very close #2.
I always approached them as slimy and flavorless, an afterthought in stir-fries, a filler in salads and a bland addition to just about any side dish you could dream up … that is, until this spicy garlic sauce entered the equation.
One look at that bowl above and you’ll see how any type of mushroom is transformed from bland to brilliant. The spicy garlic sauce balances the perfect blend of soy, sesame oil, chili flakes, scallions and sugar. It’s sweet, spicy, savory and the ultimate way to dress up veggies of all kinds.
I’ve opted for sautéed mushrooms and spinach, a less-than-popular duo that are more often dished up apart than they are together. And this is where the spicy garlic sauce comes in. It marries the two veggies by punching up their flavors and textures with a Korean-inspired spin.
Sautéed mushrooms and spinach are commonly served up a side to chicken, pork and shrimp recipes in our house, but it’d also be welcomed as a meat-free main.
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Add the sesame seeds to a small sauté pan set over medium-low heat. Cook the seeds, moving them around frequently in the pan, until golden brown and toasted.
Transfer the sesame seeds to a cutting board and use a heavy knife to crush them into smaller pieces.
In a bowl, whisk together the crushed sesame seeds with the garlic, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and sugar. Set the mixture aside.
Add the olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, then add the spinach.
Pour the sauce over the mushrooms and spinach and cook an additional 5 minutes then serve.
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you’d like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
