Serves: 4 | Time: 45 min
Roasted mushrooms and blistered cherry tomatoes come together in a spiced sauce with Aleppo pepper, cinnamon, and ginger. Serve over polenta rounds, grits, or couscous for a satisfying lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Mushrooms & Tomatoes
- 1½ lbs (680 g) brown or baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
- 2 cups (300 g) cherry tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt, divided
- ½ tsp black pepper, divided
Spice Sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper (or ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes)
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable broth or water
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To Serve
- Polenta rounds, grits, or couscous, prepared according to package instructions
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped
Preparation
Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roast the mushrooms. Spread the mushrooms in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until the mushrooms are golden and their edges are lightly caramelized.
Blister the tomatoes. While the mushrooms roast, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, undisturbed, for 3–4 minutes until they begin to blister and burst. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Build the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the Aleppo pepper, cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, and smoked paprika and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the honey or maple syrup. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
Combine. Add the roasted mushrooms to the skillet and stir to coat them in the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or more Aleppo pepper.
Serve. Spoon the mushrooms and sauce over polenta rounds, grits, or couscous. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.
Notes
Mushrooms: Keep them in a single layer on the baking sheet so they roast rather than steam. Crowding leads to soft, watery mushrooms.
Aleppo pepper: Milder and fruitier than standard red pepper flakes. If you can’t find it, use ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne.
Polenta rounds: Store-bought pre-cooked polenta in a tube works well here. Slice into ¾-inch rounds and pan-fry or broil until golden before plating.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.
Make ahead: The spiced tomato sauce keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days. Roast fresh mushrooms and reheat the sauce before serving.
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