Running through five common types of mushrooms and how to use them to add savory, meaty flavor and texture to your vegetarian cooking!
I was firmly on the side of people-who-hate-mushrooms up I decided to really give portobello burgers a go. Which led to giving portobello gyros a go. Which let to branching out from Portobellos to king oysters, where I fell in love with BBQ “pulled pork” mushrooms (which I’ve since worked into our weekly weeknight dinner lineup).
I guess what I’m trying to say is…I sort of love mushrooms now. And so to share that love, I thought I’d jump in to walk through the most common types of mushrooms and how to use ’em!
1. Button Mushrooms
Ah the humble button mushroom (a.k.a. cremini or common musrooms), the most well-known and omnipresent of the mushrooms. They can be either white or brown – the brown ones are older and have a deeper flavor, while the white are younger and have a more mild flavor. Button mushrooms are perfect steeped in soup for umami mushroom flavor, or sliced and scattered through your dish (raw or cooked).
- Vegetarian Shepard’s Pie
- Easy Mushroom Risotto
- Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff
- Mushroom Meatloaf
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup
2. Portobello Mushrooms
Similar in texture and flavor to the button mushroom, but much MUCH bigger (in fact, they’re the exact same type of mushroom, the portobellos are just the grown-ups)! Portobello mushrooms are great for throwing on the grill as a plant-based burger substitute.
- Portobello Mushroom Gyros
- Portobello Mushroom Burgers
- Portobello Steaks with Avocado Chimichurri
- Mushroom Bulgogi Bibimbap
- Roasted Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms
- Stupid Easy Veggie Fajitas
3. Oyster/King Oyster Mushrooms
With a delicate texture that shreds easily with a fork, oyster mushrooms are great for shredding into pulled meat substitutes.
Regular oyster mushrooms have a small stem and thin caps, making them great for quick cooking. The king oyster mushrooms have a large stem that can also take on a shredded texture, but that are also great for slicing into planks (like to make the bacon below!)
4. Shiitake Mushrooms
Distinct from the other types of mushrooms with a more intense mushroom, almost woody flavor. The shiitake mushroom is great for bringing a lot of flavor, and has a texture that is chewier than it is spongey.
5. Clamshell Mushrooms
Clamshell mushrooms (a.k.a. shimeji or beech mushrooms) come in both white and brown varieties. They have a mild seafood flavor and are bitter if eaten raw, so be sure to cook them before consuming!
Erin says
The “enoki” in your picture is actually shimeji mushrooms! I know because they are my favourite kind of mushroom and delicious sauteed in butter and miso.
Sarah says
Thanks so much for pointing that out, Erin!
Corrine Thomas says
What mushroom do you feed dogs for better gut health
Sarah says
I’m not sure actually. Some advice on dogs and mushrooms here!
Josh says
You should always cook mushrooms. Fungi have a keratin cell wall that has to be broken if our bodies are to extract any nutritional content.