I Tried Social Media’s “Fancy” Mushroom Toast and I Won’t Hesitate to Make It Again

Fanfare for internet food trends that end up on brunch, bistro, and wine bar menus usually gets my eyeballs rolling. (What can I say? I’m a cynic.) There are times, however, that I end up falling for the hype. And usually, if it’s something that’s simple to make, easy to customize, and can function as a meal at any time of the day, that’s all the better for me.

The toast craze is something that — despite said fanfare — has captured this cynic’s heart. So, when I happened upon Josh Elkin’s mushroom toast recipe, I couldn’t wait to try it. This toast recipe had all of my favorite things: thick, crunchy bread, creamy cheese, and — of course — mushrooms. With most of the ingredients already on hand and 15 minutes to make a quick lunch, I got down to business.

Get the recipe: Mushroom Toast

First off, you should know that this serves two people. Butter and olive oil are melted in a pan, then sliced shallots and garlic get sautéed until they start to get a little soft. Next, you add your thinly sliced mushrooms and season them with a little salt, pepper, and thyme. I couldn’t get my hands on fresh porcini mushrooms so I used baby bella mushrooms instead.

While all of this is cooking on the stove, toast up two thick slices of crusty bread. My preference is a yummy sourdough boule, but feel free to go with what you’d like! You’ll also need to whisk up some softened mascarpone cheese with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once your bread is crunchy, your mushrooms are flavorful, and your mascarpone is seasoned, spread the cheese onto the bread, top with the sautéed mushrooms, and sprinkle with some fresh chopped herbs, flaky salt, and grated Parmesan.

Uuuuuuumami! Wowza, did this knock it out of the park! This is such a hearty nosh. It’s loaded with mushrooms, which makes it super filling. It’s got loads of texture: The toast is crunchy, there’s creaminess from the mascarpone, and there’s meaty mushrooms. One toast was plenty for me, but everyone’s appetite is different. I did, however, find this to be a bit too oily so next time, I’ll cut back a bit on either the butter in the pan or use a little less olive oil. Other than that, I’d say this was pretty perfect. It feels so luxurious to eat. Toast to toasts!

1. Let the mushrooms and the bread cool. Spreading your cheese onto the hot toast then topping with hot mushrooms will cause the cheese to melt and make a mess. Let your bread and mushrooms cool before adding the cheese. Alternatively, once you’ve seasoned the mascarpone, you could refrigerate it to get cold again before spreading it onto the toast.
2. Customize it to fit your preference. Use any kind of mushroom you’d like. My favorites are hen-of-the-woods and oyster mushrooms, but it’s totally up to you. You can also substitute the mascarpone for cream cheese or ricotta. 
3. Get fancy with it! Finish the toast off with a drizzle of truffle oil or a smoked flaky sea salt to amp up the flavor.