“Mushrooms are recyclers,” said Olga Katic, owner of Mushroom Mountain, a mushroom farm and educational center in South Carolina. They can grow on natural by-products like corn husks, wood chips, sawdust, seed husks — and yes, manure — that would otherwise be discarded.
Mushrooms are also a sustainable crop because they don’t require many resources to thrive. “They really don’t need a lot of water, and they don’t need a lot of space either,” says Katic. It only takes 2 gallons of water to grow a pound of mushrooms compared to approximately 1,800 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef.
Because mushrooms can be grown indoors, arable land is not required for crop production. According to the American Mushroom Institute, one hectare can produce 1 million mushrooms per year. Also, mushrooms emit very little carbon dioxide as they grow — less than 1 pound per pound of mushrooms.
Aside from their environmental benefits, mushrooms are also good for our bodies. They’re a healthy source of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals while being low in fat, cholesterol and calories.
Mushrooms can be a powerful source of vitamin D, which can be “recharged” with sunlight, according to studies. “If you get some mushrooms from the store and expose their gills — the feathery ribs on the underside of the mushroom cap — to sunlight, their vitamin D levels skyrocket,” Katic said.
“They contain so many interesting compounds,” added Katic, including selenium, potassium and beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that may help fight heart disease and lower cholesterol.
The earthy, savory flavor of mushrooms makes them a versatile and delicious ingredient in so many dishes. So get cozy with mushrooms this fall and explore the many common varieties – both wild and cultivated – you can find at your local markets with these recipes and cooking ideas.
But before you start, clean your mushrooms. It’s a common misconception that you can’t clean mushrooms with water. Despite having a high water content themselves, nutritionists have shown that mushrooms don’t absorb much water when rinsed or even soaked.
Save time in the kitchen and stop wiping individual mushrooms. Instead, rinse the stalk mushrooms in a colander or colander, then gently place them on a cotton (not terry) kitchen towel. Gently roll up the towel to dry the mushrooms, then slice or prepare them as needed for the recipe you are preparing.
Immerse yourself in the wide world of mushrooms
Button mushrooms and cremini mushrooms are the most common varieties you’ll see at the grocery store: both are round and the size of a ping pong ball and have a mild flavor. They are easy to cut and sauté, and take on flavors that complement many recipes.
Mushrooms are the baby of the Agaricus bisporus species of fungus – the most common fungus – and are the earliest to be harvested. Cremini mushrooms are grown a little longer so that they turn brown in color and have a little more flavor.
If you don’t know what kind of mushrooms to buy and use in your meals, start with these as they go with everything. Make easy sautéed mushrooms that can be added to pasta, served over polenta or risotto, or used as a bruschetta topping.
These varieties are also suitable for classic, rib-like dishes such as mushroom bourguignon or beef goulash.
Whether spelled Portobello or Portabella, the mushrooms are the same. These mushrooms are the mature, adult version of the cremini mushroom and have an earthy flavor. (You’ll often see cremini mushrooms, nicknamed “Baby Bella” mushrooms because they’re the immature version.)
Sliced portobello mushrooms take up a lot of room to cook, so they’re ideal candidates for a sheet pan, where they can caramelize and char around the edges. Try them in sheet pan mushroom fajitas or as a main course in teriyaki mushroom rice bowls.
Whole portobello capsules can be grilled like steaks or filled with just about any combination of ingredients you like, whether it’s spinach and cheese, veggies and quinoa, or pizza toppings.
Shiitake mushrooms have a springy, chewy texture and can tolerate high-heat cooking methods such as roasting or grilling. Marinate and toss whole shiitake caps on the grill, or toast them in slices to give them crispy browned edges.
Stir-fried or stir-fried shiitake mushrooms retain their meaty texture in stir-fry recipes like this Shrimp, Shiitake, and Kale Stew or Coconut Curry with Soba Noodles.
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Also known as the hen of the woods, maitake mushrooms look like feathery petals growing from a thick, trunk-like stalk. Remove the beige, petal-like caps from the stem for cooking and save the stem for a homemade mushroom stock.
Because of their shape, maitake hats can be both fleshy at the thicker stem end and delicately silky at their ruffled edges. Use this to your advantage and oven roast maitakes or air fry them to crisp up the edges, using the same method as with cauliflower florets. For the ultimate crispy mushroom appetizer, prepare breaded and fried maitakes in the fryer, air fryer or oven.
Oyster mushrooms come in two different sizes: there are smaller oyster mushrooms, which grow in clusters similar to maitake, and the larger king oyster, a thick-stemmed mushroom also known as king’s trumpet. Use the small oyster mushrooms, which have a soft texture and mild flavor, like maitake. They’re also great for soaking up sauces in stir-fries.
King oyster mushrooms are incredibly firm, making them a vegetarian’s best friend for making many meat and seafood substitutes.
Slice them horizontally into coins and make vegan scallops or mushroom calamari. Cut them lengthwise into planks and make BBQ mushroom bacon. Or shred up the mushroom stalks – unlike most other varieties mentioned here, you should eat the stalks of oyster mushrooms – and make vegetarian pulled pork.
Enoki mushrooms are paper-thin and have a tender texture resembling al dente noodles. As with oyster mushrooms, their long stalks are the main event. Try them simply steamed and topped with a flavorful garlic sauce, or as an ingredient in mushroom boy choy ramen or other pasta dishes. When enoki mushrooms are pan fried, they also shred into crunchy strings for a vegetarian substitute for shredded pork carnitas.
