Asparagus with Mushrooms and Thyme
Asparagus with Mushrooms takes an already tasty vegetable and puts it over the top with shallots, mushrooms and thyme. Happy spring!
Is there any food that heralds spring quite like asparagus? Yes, someday I hope to have my very own patch. How lovely would it be to watch the sweet lacy spears shooting up as winter’s chill dissolves!
In the meantime, well, life can be busy, so it never hurts to have an asparagus recipe that’s easy but still special. Yes, kids ending school. Brunches to celebrate. Vacations to plan. Who’s busy?
Asparagus and Mushrooms is a dish that my mother has made for years. And while I’d eat asparagus all by itself, the mushrooms, chopped onions & thyme give it such a wonderful depth that it’s worth the small amount of chopping.
It’s even delicious inside an omelet. Thanks, Mom!
Why You’ll Love This!
Flavorful. Start with a great vegetable and add some extra umami flavor with mushrooms, shallots and thyme. I’m in!
Easy. Chop (just a little), sautee and enjoy. How good is that!
Company-ready. I love something a little special for guests—or just for us. And since it’s so easy, you won’t miss any dinner conversation!
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- Olive oil. This is used to sautee the ingredients. You may use another oil if you prefer.
- Shallot. This adds flavor. You can use a small onion instead. Or even some spring ramps (just be sure to pick responsibly if you do).
- Mushrooms. These add a nice umami flavor. I usually use cremini but my husband brought home white button so I used those. And some of the more exotic mushrooms like oyster would be delicious too!
- Asparagus. This is the main ingredient. Thick or thin stalks will both work well.
- Thyme. Thyme adds flavor. I usually keep fresh around since it can last up to a month sealed and refrigerated. But you can use dried if needed.
- Soy sauce. This adds flavor.
- Salt, pepper. These are flavor enhancers. You may not need salt, given the use of soy sauce.
Special Tools
- No special tools are required
Step by Step Overview
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan with lid. Add chopped onion, chopped mushrooms and top with a grind of pepper. Sautee until tender and slightly golden, about 10 minutes.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, soy sauce, thyme and cut asparagus. Place lid on pan and steam for about 5 minutes until almost tender (if the pan is too dry add a tablespoon or two of water first).
When almost tender, turn up heat and complete stir frying until done. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Variations
If you like garlic, feel free to add some, finely minced. Or include another harbinger of spring, the wild ramp!
And for some other tasty asparagus dishes, take a look at my Truffle Risotto with Mushrooms & Asparagus and Horseradish Crusted Salmon with Asparagus.
If it’s mushrooms that you’re looking for check out:
- Boeuf Bourguinon from That Recipe
- Mushroom Risotto from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
- One Pot Mushroom and Herb Rice from Creative Cynchronicity
- Three Mushroom Pot Roast from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Tips & FAQs
If you’re not familiar with preparing asparagus, the bottom ends can be woody. Most people will snap off and discard (compost hopefully) the bottom ends, using the snap spot as an indicator of where the toughness begins.
My mother, who was born during the depression, always found this practice wasteful and had an alternative. She’d simply peel the ends of the asparagus using a vegetable peeler. The insides were always lovely. Sadly, I must admit, I usually lack the patience for this.
Asparagus & Mushrooms with Thyme
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 shallot or small onion chopped
- 4-5 ounces mushrooms chopped
- salt pepper
- 12 ounces asparagus cleaned & sliced in thirds
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan with lid. Add chopped onion, chopped mushrooms and top with a grind of pepper. Sautee until tender and slightly golden, about 10 minutes.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, soy sauce, thyme and asparagus. Place lid on pan and steam for about 5 minutes until almost tender (if the pan is too dry add a tablespoon or two of water first).
- When almost tender, turn up heat and complete stir frying until done. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Nutrition
Updated from the Original post June 3, 2016
When it is right for you and your family,…
It is easy and will provide you with plenty of food in season for a decade plus. (after a few years of establishing itself)
If you can get more male than female plants, you will have plants that put less energy into producing the fruit (which also means you will have less volunteers though and asparagus loves to volunteer itself all over the place which is also a treat to see).
Each year, I harvest spears for awhile and then let them keep growing. And then in the fall I cut them to just below ground level, add to the compost pile, and mulch the bed heavily with leaves or wood chips until spring. (I live in the south so don’t know what makes sense up there for you.) One also gets the treat of eating white asparagus in the spring. At some point I unmulch the whole bed (of leaves) and enjoy green asparagus for weeks, if not months (every year is different). And it is also cool to be able to just have a couple of spears a day here and there or munch while walking by. And it is amazing to go out in the morning and harvest and by evening have more to harvest, especially since you love them so much.
Oooo, this sounds wonderful Soph! It sounds like you have a great bed (and system)! Inspiration for me to start my own (next spring???)
The first house we bought had strange, fringy shoots that I had never seen before. So we pulled them out, thinking they were weeds and put in a rose garden instead.
Once I started gardening and discovered we had destroyed an established bed of asparagus I was miseraby unhappy. Live and learn, right?
Ooooh dear, I can feel your pain! At least we get wiser as we get older! I’m sure you got a lot of joy out of your roses at least…
This looks delightful, Inger, and a nice change from my version, which has an Asian flair. We grew asparagus when I was young, and it was wonderful to see the spears poking out of the ground in the spring time. Good luck!
Nice to have that confirmed David (not that I had much doubt).
Yes, I too like asparagus…and I am loving the way you prepared it in this dish…simple and yet so tasty.
Have a great week Inger 🙂
Thanks Juliana.
I think I would love this!
Thanks Freeda!
Delicious! Throw it over whole-wheat pasta.
Mmmm, then with some added protein a complete meal! Great idea!
Yes, I love asparagus that much too! I just can’t get enough of it.
What an exciting (and whirlwind) time with your kids home! We’re in the same situation, with the girls leaving for camp jobs next weekend.
I just caught up with your post–yes, lots of excitement at this time of life!
This looks utterly delicious. Something we would enjoy!
Thanks Kathy!