Brown Butter Garlic Noodles with Oven-Roasted Mushrooms

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Cooking is kind of unfair. We all have to do some degree of it daily to stay alive whether we like it or not. What other hobby can claim that? Althought I love cooking, I don’t always hit the kitchen with a spring in my step and a song in my heart. But I also never view the activity with disdain. This is all to say that sometimes I’m bone tired, sometimes I have a mere 30 minutes to feed my household, sometimes my brain is at max capacity and anything complicated will trigger a meltdown. And when I’m in any one of those states, these Brown Butter Garlic Noodles are my go-to. Not because of some hack or shortcut. It’s because these noodles take a very short time to become delicious. There is no compromise – this is just how long this recipe takes. 

We’re going to kick things off by prepping the mushrooms. Start by removing the stems from a package of cremini mushrooms. Place both the stems and the caps in a large bowl – waste not, want not. Next break apart a cluster of chestnut mushrooms, removing the wooden ends. Chestnut mushrooms can be difficult to track down. I got these from Heartee, which is based here in Ontario. If you can’t find chestnut mushrooms feel free to sub in oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, or beech mushrooms. Really whatever mushroom you fancy and can get your hands on. 

In a small bowl, combine a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce. Pour the mixture over the mushrooms and give them a toss. I like to use my hands for this so I don’t bruise or tear the mushrooms. Arrange the mushrooms on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the caps bottoms-up. I like to do this so the mushroom juices collect inside the cap. So delicious! Roast the mushrooms for 15 minutes or until crisp and golden.

While the mushrooms are becoming their best selves, we’re going to get to work on the noodles. And this is where the timing gets a little delicate. The first thing we’re going to do is put a pot of water over high heat. While we’re waiting for the water to boil, we’re going to put two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet and leave it to brown over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan every so often to make sure it doesn’t burn. While the water and butter are doing their thing, we’re going to whisk some soy sauce, black vinegar, and honey together. This will combine with the butter to make our sauce. 

At this point your water should be boiling, so throw in your noodles. Be sure to give them a shake with your tongs every so often to encourage them to separate. Your butter should have a light amber color by now and smell like the nutty side of caramel. Immediately add 4 cloves of minced garlic and sauté briefly. Whisk the soy sauce mixture into the brown butter. Cut the remaining two tablespoons of butter into cubes and whisk them into the mixture one by one.

The noodles should be tender but chewy. Using tongs, pluck the noodles from the water and place them in the skillet. Give them a toss to coat them in the sauce and turn off the heat. Pile the noodles into bowls and top with the roasted mushrooms and a drizzle of chili crisp. Technically the chili crisp is optional but it rarely is for me. 

And that’s everything you need to know about these Brown Butter Garlic Noodles with Roasted Mushrooms. A quick full-flavoured meal you’ll revisit again and again.

Enjoy!