BY KATIE SULLIVAN MORFORD, RD
MUSHROOMS are having a moment. They’re highlighted on restaurant menus and packaged into adaptogenic drinks and snacks. They even starred in their own buzzy documentary on Netflix (Fantastic Fungi—worth a watch). And according to the Mushroom Council, grocery store sales are up 20% over the past decade.
The attention is well deserved. Mushrooms are loaded with nutrients and almost limitlessly versatile in dishes, says Hetty Lui McKinnon, author of the beloved veggie-centric cookbook Tenderheart. “Mushrooms play a central role in my cooking,” she says. “From a flavor point of view, they offer deep umami that’s hard to get from other meat-free ingredients.”
Even dedicated carnivores can find the fun in fungi. Read up and, just like these earthy veggies, you’ll have it made in the shade.
When it comes to mushrooms, looks do matter. Buy ones that are plump with a smooth, dry, bruise-free surface. Store your bounty in a paper bag in the fridge, and aim to eat them all within a week (sooner is always better).
These velvety mushrooms grow in clusters that can be cooked whole or torn apart.
“Mushrooms offer deep umami that’s hard to get from other meat-free ingredients.”
To wash or not to wash? Andrea Gentl, author of Cooking with Mushrooms, prefers gently brushing away dirt with a clean kitchen towel. “If you feel they need a rinse, do it quickly and wipe them dry,” she advises. Avoid soaking fresh mushrooms in water, because they can get soggy.
Once they’re clean and dry, slice or chop classically shaped mushrooms— like cremini and shiitake—with a knife (pop off the stems if they’re tough and save them for your next batch of stock). Tear shaggier varieties—like maitake and oyster—with your hands. “All the ragged edges make for a beautiful surface area for crisping up in butter, olive oil, or ghee,” Gentl says.
Don’t overlook dried mushrooms, a pantry essential, says Annie Fenn, MD, author of The Brain Health Kitchen. You’ll likely find porcini, reishi, maitake, shiitake, or a blend, usually in the produce section. Grind them in a food processor to make an umami bomb of a seasoning. Or rehydrate them and use them to flavor soups, sauces, and a million other things. McKinnon recommends a long soak (up to 24 hours) in cold water; in a pinch, put them in boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes, she says. Either way, be sure to save the liquid (strain out the grit at the bottom of the bowl). That stuff is gold!
Mushrooms may not have the same glowing nutritional reputation as, say, broccoli, but they should. Marisa Moore, RDN, author of the plant-forward cookbook The Plant Love Kitchen, shares a list of benefits: “They have B vitamins and antioxidants, and when they’re exposed to UV light, as many supermarket mushrooms are, they’re an excellent source of vitamin D.” Perhaps even more exciting is what they might do for your brain, says Fenn, who points to a 2019 study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. “Eating more than two servings of mushrooms a week reduced early dementia risk by 50%, compared with those who ate mushrooms less than once a week,” she explains.
Fresh mushrooms can be sautéed, roasted, grilled, seared, or fried. They’re pretty hard to mess up, as long as you follow these pointers: First, don’t crowd the pan, Gentl says. “That prevents their liquid from cooking off and can result in a soggy texture.” Second, unlike with most vegetables, which you season at the start of cooking, Fenn suggests holding your horses with mushrooms. “Salt draws liquid out of the fungi, which may delay or prevent mushrooms from browning. So season them toward the end of cooking.” Plus, mushrooms shrink in the heat, so you may end up needing less salt than you thought.
FOOD STYLING BY JULIAN HENSARLING; PROP STYLING BY CHRISTINA DALEY