Slow Cooker Balsamic Glazed Mushrooms

Slow Cooker Balsamic Glazed Mushrooms are so simple, giving you a wonderful side dish with minimal work.

Side dishes are a wonderful excuse to add more veggies to a meal. I often get in a rut and make the same plain four or five side dishes over and over.

Well, I say, ‘Make something new and flavorful and easy’. Mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, in particular, are just that new vegetable that needs to be included.

Only 6 ingredients and 10 minutes are all it takes to be on your way to a wonderful new veggie side. Using a crock-pot makes it so simple, too. Just throw everything into the pot, stir, cover, and turn it on. There’s no babysitting the mushrooms to make sure they aren’t burning up. Just walk away and feel confident that your dish will cook up perfectly all by itself.

They are so versatile, too! You can mix many vegetables right into this recipe, and that makes it new all over again. Broccoli or cauliflower come quickly to mind. So Slow Cooker Balsamic Glazed Mushrooms can become Slow Cooker Balsamic Glazed Mushrooms and Broccoli. I digress 🙂 My mind is always flying with recipes!

So take a big scoop-type spoon and pile some Crockpot Balsamic Mushrooms on your plate. They are a treat with a slightly sweet and tangy balsamic glaze. As you can see, this recipe is a keeper!

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Mushrooms 

• Mushrooms – I used baby portabella (also known as baby bellas or cremini mushrooms) for a dish with more bite. Button mushrooms would work with this recipe, too, but I was really going for the heartier taste of portabella.
• Extra virgin olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil adds more flavor.
• Balsamic vinegar – Is the new darling in the vinegar world. It has a sweet, tangy flavor.
• Tamari – Tastes very much like soy sauce, but tamari is a bit milder.
• Maple syrup – That healthy sweetener that we all love!
• Sea salt – A little bit goes a long way for this seasoning.
• Black pepper – Adds a bit of contrasting spice.
• Garlic – Has a pungent flavor, but when used sparingly, it is delicious.
• Chopped fresh parsley –  A bright pop of green and super fresh flavor to finish things off!

How to Make Slow Cooker Mushrooms 

1. Prep. Cut off the tip of the stem on each mushroom.  Don’t pop them out like you would with stuffed mushrooms. If one or two of the mushrooms are larger than you like you can cut them in half or quarter them. Your choice.
2. Combine. Add all of the ingredients (except parsley) into a slow cooker and stir.
3. Cook. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours. 
4. Garnish. Stir the mushrooms and transfer them to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

5. Enjoy! All done and ready to eat! Serve them warm or at room temperature. I forgot to tell you that these mushrooms are great cold too, and then added to a salad! Use a balsamic and oil dressing, and they fit right in. Oh, yeah, they also go great with a vegan ranch dressing.

Chef Tips 

How to Clean Mushrooms

Mushrooms soak up liquid, so you don’t want to float them in water to clean them. Instead, gently wipe each mushroom clean with a damp cloth or paper towel to brush off any dirt. 

How to Store 

Refrigerating. Store leftover balsamic mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing. Unlike raw mushrooms–which turn very mushy when frozen–cooked mushrooms freeze much better, experiencing only slight textural changes. Allow your mushrooms to cool, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze individually before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Frozen mushrooms can be stored for up to 2 months.

Thawing. Transfer your frozen mushrooms to the refrigerator the night before you plan to use them–they will defrost slowly and safely there. Or, reheat them directly from frozen. 

Reheating. Reheat your slow cooker mushrooms in a microwave-safe dish in 30-second increments, stirring in between until hot. You can also reheat them in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often.