Nigerian Mushroom Sauce
This vegetarian builds button mushrooms, sliced, vegetable oil and butter into a hearty meal you can have ready in about 65 minutes. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (1)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth and slice them; pat dry so they brown rather than steam.
- Heat the vegetable oil and butter together in a wide pan over medium heat until the butter foams, then add the chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the garlic, minced scotch bonnet and thyme and fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the sliced mushrooms, raise the heat slightly and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until they release their liquid and it cooks away and they begin to brown.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste, then pour in the milk gradually while stirring to make a smooth sauce.
- Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the mushrooms, then season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Serve warm over rice, boiled yam or plantain.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Saucepan · Steamer
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Nigerian Mushroom Sauce take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Nigerian Mushroom Sauce vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Nigerian Mushroom Sauce is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Vegetables sauce with mushrooms.jpg by Halima Waziri, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.