Packed with umami and earthy flavors, shiitake mushrooms are a delicious ingredient to add to soups, risottos, fried rice, pastas, stir fries, and so much more. Not only are they tasty, they are also a superfood powerhouse! Learn how to clean, prepare, and cook shiitake mushrooms with this quick tutorial.
Table of contents
What Are Shiitake Mushrooms?
Shiitake mushroom is an edible fungus that’s mainly found in the forest of Japan and China, in East Asia. The mushrooms grow in bunches on the decaying wood of trees such as the shii tree (Japanese chinquapin), oak tree, maple tree, and beech tree. It’s shaped like an umbrella with a cap and a long stem, and is light to medium brown in color. The taste is earthy and smoky which makes them the second most popular mushrooms (after button mushrooms) used in cooking. They are also often used for medicinal purposes for their high levels of bioactive compounds and nutrients.
Shiitake mushrooms are low in calories and high in vitamin B, making them a popular ingredient to use for weight management. It’s also a great alternative to meat – and perfect vegan recipes – because of their meaty and chewy texture.
How to Prepare Shiitake Mushrooms
Preparing fresh shiitake mushrooms is very easy but there are a few rules to follow in order to get the best texture.
- Clean them first: Place your shiitake mushrooms in a colander and quickly rinse them under water and drain well. I say quickly because you don’t want the mushrooms to absorb too much water as they are quite porous.
- Wipe the caps with a damp paper towel: Use a damp paper towel and gently wipe the top of each cap and under, where the gills are, to remove any dirt. No need to clean t stems as we won’t be using them.
- Cut off the shiitake stems: Use a sharp knife (I like to use a paring knife) to slice the stems close to where they connect to the cap.
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
To prepare dried shiitake mushrooms, place them in hot water and let them soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Some mushrooms will reconstitute quickly while others may take longer. The mushrooms are ready to use when they feel bouncy and can easily be bent. If you feel any hard part, leave then in water for a bit longer.
Take the shiitake mushrooms out of the water and gently squeeze them to remove any excess water. Pat them dry, cut off the stems, and use as is, or chop them however you like.
Keep the mushroom water, do not throw it away!
The water is full of umami and can be used just like any other broth. Strain the mushroom water to remove any dirt or bits and use it in soups, stir fries, stews, or to make a sauce (such as a mushroom gravy).
Substitutes
If you cannot find fresh shiitake mushrooms, the first and best substitute to use are dried ones. If that’s not an option, you can use small portobello mushrooms (not the big ones since they are too watery), or oyster mushrooms.
These are the types of mushrooms closest to having the same texture as shiitake mushrooms. Personally, I will use button and brown mushrooms as well if that’s all I have in my fridge. It won’t taste exactly the same since shiitake mushrooms are quite smoky, but the dishes are still tasty nonetheless.
How To Cook Shiitake Mushrooms
Cooking shiitake mushrooms is as easy as cooking regular mushrooms. They can be sauteed, deep fried, steamed, or boiled into soups, sauces, and stews. However, I don’t recommend eating them raw as the texture can be a bit chewy. Regular mushrooms are better for salads.
You can cook them just the way they are, slice them into strips, or dice them if you are using them as a replacement to ground meat. They are very flavorful on their own so they can be served pan fried with a little butter or olive oil, and seasoned with a little soy sauce, or just salt and pepper.
I have created an easy stir fry at the bottom of this post that showcases the nutty and smoky flavors of this East Asian mushroom. The recipe is simple and only takes about 25 minutes to make.
Storage
Fresh shiitake mushroom
Take the shiitake mushrooms out of their packaging. Grab a storage bag and place a paper towel in it. Add the shiitake mushrooms and place the bag in the refrigerator, leaving it opened, preferably in the vegetable crisper. This will keep the mushrooms fresh for about 1 week.
Dried shiitake mushrooms
Keep the dried shiitake mushrooms in a cool, dry place. That’s all you need to do if the bag hasn’t been opened. If it is opened, transfer the mushrooms to an airtight container or jar with a lid to prevent them from drying even more (do not use a paper bag). They should keep for months, if not years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can eat shiitake mushrooms daily and there are a lot of health benefits attributed to including them as part of your diet. Shiitake mushrooms can reduce inflammation and strengthen the immune system, preventing us from getting colds and flu. This East Asian fungus can also improve sleep quality because of its high dose of vitamin D (a deficiency of vitamin D can cause insomnia). Also, other health benefits such as slowing the growth of tumors, improving heart health, and fighting obesity, are also linked to the consumption of shiitake mushrooms.
Eating somewhere between two to eight mushrooms a day seems to be the magic window where improvement in health can be seen. Be careful not to go overboard as mushrooms contain purines, a chemical component that may cause gout if taken in large amounts.
Recipes with Shiitake Mushrooms
If you are looking for different ways to use shiitake mushrooms in recipes, here are some of my favorites:
- Sauteed Japanese eggplant
- Spaghetti vongole with shiitake mushrooms
- Stir fried veggies with garlic sauce
- Mushroom cabbage dumplings
- Hearty cream of mushroom chicken casserole
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Sautéed Shiitake Mushrooms with Bamboo Shoots
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Stir fries
- Method: Stir frying
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
This is a quick and easy sauteed shiitake mushroom and bamboo recipe with savory and earthy flavor.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil
- 160g (about 1/3 pound) fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced in half
- 200g bamboo shoots, drained well
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
Sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine, dry sherry, sake, or mirin
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
- In a wok or deep skillet over medium high heat, add the oil and swirl it around to coat the surface.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are soft and slightly caramelized.
- Add the bamboo shoots and stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the sauce and toss well to evenly coat the ingredients.
- Turn the heat off and transfer to a dish. Top with green onions. Serve.
Notes
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 194
- Sugar: 10.3g
- Sodium: 491.1mg
- Fat: 12.1g
- Saturated Fat: 6.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18.7g
- Fiber: 4.4g
- Protein: 5.9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
This sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing! May I add tofu to this recipe for protein?
Hi Maren! Yes, you can add anything protein or vegetable you like for this stir fry. Just make sure to make a little extra sauce so it retains the same amount of flavor 🙂