Recipe: $3.22 | Per Serving: $1.61 | Yield: 2 Sandwiches
This sandwich. It’s the best of the best of the best. It’s a Mushroom Melt. And it’s amazing. Between this and the Thai Coconut Soup, I’ve definitely got another mushroom eater in my house! This sandwich will convert you. Come to the dark side.
I made the garlic butter mushrooms in this dish after having a similar dish at a restaurant here in Japan. Secret ingredient? Soy sauce! I would bet that it’s got something to do with the umami-ness of soy sauce and the umami-ness of mushrooms that make this combo so awesome.
Mix in some greens (spinach!) and some cheese and you’ve got the makings of a Mushroom Melt. Which is basically grilled cheese with mushrooms and spinach. It can also be made open-faced in a toaster if that’s more your style.
We’re heading back to the states at the beginning of March (happy-sad), but I am excited for an American kitchen. More space, more gadgets, and an oven!
My mom has already been setting aside/purchasing some items for my kitchen when I return to the states. She’s excited for me to finally live in the same country, on the same coast, in the same time zone, just a couple hours away. (Me too actually!) And do you know what I’m so super stoked to get? This 3-in-1 Indoor Griddle.
I mean, we’re talking easy waffles, quesadillas, tortillas, french toast, and most importantly, grilled cheese! (My favorite food group – with grilled cheese recipes galore we can consider it a food group, right?) She’s probably not going to read this post because she HATES mushrooms, but THANKS MOM. You have no idea how excited I am. Grilled cheese bar? Si! Hai! Yes!
How to Make a Mushroom Melt
Regardless, you certainly don’t need a fancy appliance to make this mushroom melt! You just need your favorite bread, cheese, spinach, and of course, garlic butter mushrooms. You’ll want to make a double batch so you’ll have enough for this delicious bowl of kale & soba with garlic butter mushrooms.
I use shiitakes when I make this recipe, but you could get super fancy with trumpet mushrooms, or you can keep it simple with your basic cremini mushrooms. Either way, you’re going to have a delicious final product!
As for the cheese, I’ve been using mozzarella, because Japan is not a cheese country. I’d also recommend provolone, goat cheese, and maybe even some white cheddar.
You can use whatever bread you like, but I’m partial to the crusty, seed, whole wheat variety. You basically mix together all the filling ingredients, pile the mixture on top of butter-fried bread, and then let the sandwiches cook on both sides until everything is gooey. SO GOOD!
I recommend serving this with soup in the winter and salad in the summer. Enjoy!
Vegetarian: Yes!
Paleo: No, but I think you could finagle your way into something similar. Try Bread Srsly for Paleo-ish bread, coconut aminos for soy sauce, ghee for butter, and maybe some Kite Hill or Treeline nut-based cream cheese in place of cheese.
Mushroom Melt
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 24 mins
- Total Time: 29 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- For the Mushrooms:
- 1–1.5 Tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 ounces mushrooms (shiitake, button, cremini, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- For the Mushroom Melt:
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella)
- red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 4 slices bread (hearty wheat/seedy/whole grain bread is the bomb)
Instructions
- For the Mushrooms: Melt the butter in a large skillet (mine is nonstick) over low heat. Peel the garlic and crush it with the flat side of your knife, then slice it into strips. Add to the butter and cook over LOW HEAT for about 2 minutes. (It should not brown. If it does, the heat is too high.)
- Wash the mushrooms and slice them into 1/8-1/4 inch slices. Add to skillet, and stir to coat with butter, then spread out. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Stir and cook 5 minutes more. Increase the heat to about medium-low and cook for about 5 minutes to brown the mushrooms.
- Finally, add a splash of soy sauce (about 2 teaspoons). Stir well and cook for just another 30-60 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- For the Mushroom Melt: Combine the spinach with the mushrooms and sauté just until the spinach has wilted. Place in a bowl and mix with the shredded cheese and cayenne or red pepper flakes.
- Stovetop: Melt the 1 Tablespoon butter in the skillet and place two pieces of bread in the skillet. Top with the mushroom-spinach-cheese mixture and the other two slices of bread. Grill for a couple of minutes, until the bread has gotten dark and crispy. Flip and cook the other side another few minutes. Remove from heat, slice in half, and serve!
- Toaster: Top two slices of bread with the mushroom-spinach-cheese mixture and place in toaster (maybe on a toaster sheet to avoid spillage). Place the other two slices of bread in the toaster as well. Toast on about medium for 4-8 minutes. Every toaster is different so be sure to check your bread often! Close up the sandwiches, cut in half, and serve.
