After tasting mushrooms with garlic sauce at a Christmas market in Cologne, Germany, I was on a mission to recreate the dish. This is my interpretation of those German style market mushrooms.
This time last year, I had just come back from visiting the Cologne Christmas Markets in Germany.
I had such a fabulous time for many reasons: it was my first time at the German Christmas markets, two cousins came to visit me while I was there, and the food was fantastic. I even did a post highlighting The Top 10 Edible Reasons to go to the German Christmas Markets.
You’ll see that one of those reasons is the Mushrooms with Garlic Sauce. I had seen people lining up to order these and then eating them nearby.
As you can probably understand from seeing a close up of these beauties, why I was so smitten with them and the creamy deliciousness of the garlic sauce. You probably already know that as I was eating them, I had already decided I was going to try to recreate this dish in my own kitchen. Now, I’m kicking myself that I didn’t go and ask some questions about how the mushrooms were cooked and the ingredients that were used! For a year now, I have done searches on both English and German Google for a similar recipe, to no avail. I did ask the cook what was in the sauce and I gathered it was garlic and dill, since he didn’t speak English and I don’t speak German.
So I’m asking you, Dear Readers, if you are German, or know someone who is, or who knows how these wonderful mushrooms and sauce are properly made, please share the recipe with me! The sauce I made tasted rather like the one in Germany although I didn’t put as much dill, and although mushrooms always taste good no matter how they are cooked, they definitely weren’t like the ones I had at the market. As you can see, there is some sort of reddish sauce with the mushrooms.
Until the time that I learn the proper way to make these, here is my version of the dish. It tasted good, but compared to the market mushrooms, it just wasn’t the same.
My Interpretation of German Style Market Mushrooms with Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
8 oz package of whole mushrooms, cleaned
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
black pepper, if desired
Garlic Sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup (5 1/2 oz) heavy cream
1/3 cup (5 1/2 oz) creme fraiche
1/2 tsp dill
1/4 tsp sea salt, to taste
Make the garlic sauce ahead of time, even the day before, if you like. Whisk the cream and creme fraiche together until smooth, then add the remaining ingredients. Chill for a minimum of 2 hours, so the flavors meld.
Saute the onion for about 4 minutes then add the mushrooms until cooked, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Serve the mushrooms, with the garlic sauce poured over the top, with a slice of bread in the side of the bowl (as served at the German Christmas market).
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- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 8 oz package of whole mushrooms, cleaned
- ½ small onion, minced
- ½ tsp sea salt
- black pepper, if desired
- Garlic Sauce
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- ⅓ cup (5½ oz) heavy cream
- ⅓ cup (5½ oz) creme fraiche
- ½ tsp dill
- ¼ tsp sea salt, to taste
- Make the garlic sauce ahead of time, even the day before, if you like. Whisk the cream and creme fraiche together until smooth, then add the remaining ingredients. Chill for a minimum of 2 hours, so the flavors meld.
- Saute the onion for about 4 minutes then add the mushrooms until cooked, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- Serve the mushrooms, with the garlic sauce poured over the top, with a slice of bread in the side of the bowl (as served at the German Christmas market).
Please do let me know if you find the proper recipe, or better yet, if you’re able to go to to this stall at the Cologne market and ask them directly at the source, I’d be forever grateful!
I am just taking a guess what the sauce might be by looking at the pictures of the sauce to try to determine what might be in there. The spices I saw resembled some sort of “barbecue” style sauces, so I looked it up and I think I may have found what the sauce is. I will post a link for you. https://barbecuebible.com/recipe/bratwurst-curry-sauce-currywurst/
I sure hope that is it. We have traveled through Austria, Germany, Italy, Azores, etc. Sometimes a certain food just stays in your memory and makes you long for it, again. I totally understand how you feel. Have a blessed day! :)
Thanks so much, Tena! Unfortunately, it’s not even close as this is a ketchup based currywurst sauce. Maybe when I go back I will get the proper recipe from the source. Thanks, though! :)
[…] Can I just tell you that this is simply “awesomeness in a bowl”? My version of this recipe. […]
Came across your blog as I was specifically looking for this recipe after being to the Christmas markets in Berlin! Any luck finding it? Your interpretation looks good, will be trying it :)
Actually, another blogger friend was in Cologne and I think she got it, but never forwarded to me yet! If she did, I’ll message you back here. Thanks, Andrea.
We visited a Christmas Market today, 12 Dec 2015, near Nuremburg, The Romantischer Weihnachtsmarkt Gut Wolfgangshof in the small town of Anwanden (Zirndorf). They had the mushrooms and they were so great, I had to see if I could find the recipe online. I wish I had taken pictures for you!! Here is the link to their site. Will try your recipe and the other one as well. Thanks!!!
Lana and Roger
I love your take on this recipe Christina. Never heard of these mushrooms before but last time we were in the Black Forest they were serving a different kind of mushroom and putting it in all sorts of dishes. I’ll have to ask around – and come April next year we have a German school student staying with us for a week so I’ll be pestering her for a recipe!
My recipe is close, but I just wish I could find someone who knows the original and authentic version of these. Yes, please pester your exchange student when she arrives! :)
How could you go wrong with mushrooms in a cream sauce no matter how it is made! :)
Looks delicious.
Good point, Cathy! :)
I love the Christmas markets in Europe – Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany they are wonderful. I have never tried this dish and now I have lots of regrets. I am very interested to see if someone comes forward with a recipe – which I hope you share – because I want to try this at home.
It looks delicious. Have you considered using criminis for the mushrooms. They have a lot more flavor than regular button mushrroms. I am going to make this.
Happy holidays to you!!
Dear Christina,
Great post and yes I do remember you going to Germany and all the food that you showed us. I did find something on Google, not sure if this is what you are looking for, but it may be close. Here is the link: http://germanfood.about.com/od/celebrations/r/Mushrooms_in_Garlic_Sauce.htm I am sure yours is delicious as well. Looks so good. Thanks for sharing your love of all types of foods. Hope that you have a wonderful weekend.
Dottie :)
The mushrooms look so good, love that cream sauce on them too. So nice that one of your readers knows the recipe.
You spent a year searching when you could have just asked me??? :) Yes, this is a popular dish at the Weihnachtsmarkt and Jahrmarkt throughout Germany. First of all, your version looks delicious!!
For the mushrooms served in Germany, “Champignons mit Knoblauchsoße,” the mushrooms are fried and then served with a fresh cream sauce (not a cooked sauce). I’ve never seen this particular dish made with dill (though that sounds yummy, too, and is more Hungarian in style). It’s typically made with fresh thyme. There are two keys to achieving the right flavor: The pan has to be super hot to sear the mushrooms. The second key is to use crème fraîche, and it’s usually combined with some plain yogurt. Added to the sauce is fresh minced garlic, chopped fresh thyme, salt and pepper. The sauce is made in advance so the flavors have time to meld. The mushrooms are brushed clean and quickly fried in a very hot pan with oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. A bunch of chopped green onions are added and briefly fried with the mushrooms,and then butter and garlic are added. Some, but not most, versions add sweet paprika for flavor and color (it looks like this was the case with the ones you had in Cologne). The crème fraîche sauce is then served over the mushrooms and often garnished with some more chopped fresh thyme. It’s typically served with baguettes that are spread with garlic butter and then grilled. It’s fabulous!
Every time I come here, I end up salivating. I NEED to try these. Preferably in Germany. (Not because I don’t want to try your recipe, but because I love to travel.) I also speak a little German! If I go, I’ll try to track down a recipe for you. :)
these mushrooms look amazing! i am so sad i never ate them while visiting the christmas markets in germany. i think i was more focused on the gluhwein back then. oops!
Delicious! I love Christmas markets and can’t wait to one day explore those in Germany.
Until then we have a great German Christmas Market in Vancouver where many of the products sold are from German, Austria and Ukraine. Some of the vendors even have German accents so it really feels like an authentic German market.
They are always expanding adding more food, both Canadian and Eastern European foods. I do hope they add these mushrooms with garlic sauce!