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Mushroom bruschetta are three-bite umami powerhouses. This quick, easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer is at home at any dinner party or holiday table.
Why we love this recipe
Mushrooms have a lot to recommend them. Long recognized as powerhouses in both the nutrition and taste departments, they can also be a lot of fun. Especially when you spike them with brandy and light them on fire.
These creamy mushrooms:
- Are deeply savory
- With a hint of complex sweetness
- Make the best mushroom bruschetta. But peep the FAQ section below to see how else to use them.
I first published this recipe here and on Serious Eats way back in 2010. I’ve since updated the post for clarity and added a few options to the recipe, but in essence it remains the same.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Cremini mushrooms are also called baby bellas. They have a mild flavor and meaty texture that’s perfect for this dish. They brown nicely because they don’t release nearly as much moisture as their white cousins (which, fun fact, are just a less mature version of the same cultivar).
- Use a good-quality standard baguette or loaf of crusty Italian bread. To make this recipe gluten-free, use a GF loaf.
- You’ve got so many options for the alcohol in this recipe. Fortified wines such as marsala, madeira, port (I like to use tawny port), and sherry (I like to use fino/dry or amontillado) can be simmered in the pan. If you choose brandy, it needs to be flambéed according to the directions below.
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make mushroom bruschetta. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Slice the bread on the bias, brush it with olive oil, and toast it in the oven.
- Sauté the shallot and garlic in the butter. Add the mushrooms and cook until reduced in volume by about half.
- Pour in the wine or brandy. If you’re using port, sherry, marsala, or madeira, simply simmer it until almost completely reduced. If you’re using brandy, you’ll flambé it. When alcohol is reduced, pour in the cream and simmer until thickened. Off the heat, stir in the parmesan and parsley.
- To assemble the bruschetta, spoon some of the mushroom mixture onto each toast. That’s it!
Expert tips and FAQs
Flambéing means briefly setting your food on fire to quickly burn off the alcohol and retain the flavor of brandy or another 80-proof alcohol.
If you’re using brandy rather than one of the fortified wines, here’s what you’ll do.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the brandy from a measuring cup. (Don’t pour directly from the bottle despite what you may have seen in the movies.) Very carefully light a long match and touch the surface of the mushroom mixture to ignite the brandy. Or, if you’re cooking with gas, you can tip the pan away from you into the burner’s flame until the brandy ignites. Stand back until the flame dies out. Return the pan to the heat and continue with the recipe.
These mushrooms go beyond bruschetta. They’ll top polenta, rice, pasta, or potatoes. They make a rich sauce for chicken or stake. They’ll fill an omelet or a small tart shell. And they’ll even stand up as a side dish on their own.
You can make the mushroom mixture and toast the baguette up to 24 hours in advance. Once cooled, store the bread in foil at room temperature and the mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Assemble bruschetta right before serving.
Leftover assembled bruschetta should be eaten on the same day, but the individual elements will keep for up to about three days — mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge, and toasts wrapped in foil at room temperature.
More favorite bruschetta recipes
More favorite mushroom recipes
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Mushroom Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 1 baguette
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- ½ pound (225 grams) sliced cremini mushrooms
- ½ pound (225 grams) sliced shiitake mushrooms
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup port, sherry, madeira, marsala, or brandy
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the center.
- Slice baguette on the bias into 1/4-inch thick slices and brush with the olive oil. Place onto a baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, flipping once, about 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a wide frying pan.
- Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring once in a while, until beginning to soften, about 1 minute.
- Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and stir to coat with butter.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have given off their liquid, browned slightly, and reduced to about half their original volume, 5 to 10 minutes.
- If using sherry, port, madeira, or marsala, pour it into the pan and simmer until almost completely reduced.
- If using brandy, you’ll flambé it. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the brandy from a measuring cup. (Don’t pour directly from the bottle despite what you may have seen in the movies.) Very carefully light a long match and touch the surface of the mushroom mixture to ignite the brandy. Or, if you’re cooking with gas, you can tip the pan away from you into the burner’s flame until the brandy ignites. I find this method maybe a little too entertaining. Stand back until the flame dies out. Return the pan to medium heat.
- Add the cream and stir to combine. Simmer until the cream has thickened enough to cling to the mushrooms, a minute or two.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and parsley.
- Spoon mushrooms onto toasted baguette slices and serve.
Notes
- These mushrooms go beyond bruschetta. They’ll top polenta, rice, pasta, or potatoes. They make a rich sauce for chicken or stake. They’ll fill an omelet or a small tart shell. And they’ll even stand up as a side dish on their own.
- You can make the mushroom mixture and toast the baguette up to 24 hours in advance. Once cooled, store the bread in foil at room temperature and the mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Assemble bruschetta right before serving.
- Leftover assembled bruschetta should be eaten on the same day, but the individual elements will keep for up to about three days — mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge, and toasts wrapped in foil at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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