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Get It NowIt’s truly a wonder that I don’t have any shiitake mushroom recipes here on Wholesome Yum yet, because these are actually my favorite type of mushroom! I guess I wasn’t sure if you’d be interested because they are a little more exotic? But here you are. And here I am with these Asian-inspired, out-of-this-world-amazing shiitake mushrooms that I couldn’t wait any longer to share. When I made these (for the 3rd time in 2 weeks), my 9-year-old asked for seconds and my husband asked when I’m making them again. Time for your family to do the same thing.
Why You’ll Love My Shiitake Mushroom Recipe
- Earthy, savory flavor – I’ve sauteed mushrooms in butter many times, but let me tell you, my Asian-inspired twist on these shiitake mushrooms takes it to a whole new level. The combo of coconut aminos, garlic, and toasted sesame oil gives them this irresistible, lightly sweet, umami punch.
- Tender, lightly caramelized texture – You don’t really see the sauce on these too much, because they absorb most of it. There’s just this glisten left on the caramelized exterior, but make no mistake, the inside of these shiitakes is seriously the juiciest way I’ve ever eaten mushrooms. It’ll have you making double batches. 😉
- Easy, easy, and did I mention easy? – You need just 5 simple ingredients, plus salt, pepper, and maybe a handful of optional toppings if you’re feeling fancy. If you clean them ahead of time, my shiitake mushroom recipe will take you all of 10 minutes to whip up on busy weeknights.
- Versatile main or side dish – Whether you’re serving up a cozy family dinner, hosting a dinner party, or enjoying a quiet solo meal, make these mushrooms when you’re bored with the same thing over and over. I’ve got ideas below to use them as an entree or a side.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for my shiitake mushroom recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Shiitake Mushrooms – The star of
my(your) show! You’ll need whole, fresh shiitake mushrooms. You can find them in the produce section of most grocery stores or at your local farmers’ market. Look for firm ones with smooth caps and white stems. You can certainly make my recipe with cremini or button mushrooms, if that’s all you’ve got. - Olive Oil – You guys know I love my olive oil, but you can also use avocado oil.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic really pops in this dish, but I tried it with jarred minced garlic (use 1 teaspoon) and it was still amazing. Even 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder can do the trick, though less well. Choose what works for you.
- Coconut Aminos – This is the base of the sauce, and my fave soy sauce substitute. You can use low-sodium soy sauce instead, but coconut aminos works particularly well for these shiitake mushrooms because it adds a hint of sweetness.
- Toasted Sesame Oil – Adds a rich, nutty flavor. Regular sesame oil would work okay, but the flavor is less intense.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – You may need a bit less salt if you opt for soy sauce instead of the coconut aminos (above).
- Garnishes – You don’t have to add them, but to me, a shower of green onions and sesame seeds take this recipe from good to great.
How To Cook Shiitake Mushrooms
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Saute the mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shiitake mushrooms and saute, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften and start to brown.
- Saute the garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low and push the mushrooms to the sides of the pan and add the garlic in the middle. (You can add a little more oil if needed.) Sauté until fragrant, then stir the garlic into the mushrooms.
- Deglaze & simmer. Add the coconut aminos to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom. Simmer until the liquid sizzles away or absorbs into the mushrooms.
- Add finishing touches. Remove from the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.
My Recipe Tips
- Don’t submerge the mushrooms in water when you wash them. I either clean them with a damp paper towel, or run water over them briefly at low pressure with the cap facing down, so that it doesn’t soak into the gills. If your mushrooms get super wet, they turn out mushy and won’t brown well.
- Use a very large skillet with tall sides, preferably cast iron. Mushrooms take up a lot of space before they cook down, so they can overflow out of your pan if it’s not big enough. As for the material, I find that cast iron cooks the mushrooms faster than nonstick, and browns them better because the moisture cooks away so fast. If you use a nonstick skillet, you’ll need higher heat to avoid excess liquid, and the cook time may be longer.
- Preheat your oil before adding the mushrooms. It should shimmer and slide around the pan easily. If you skip this part, your shiitake mushrooms may end up soggy instead of beautifully caramelized.
- If the mushrooms still don’t fit in your pan, you can add half at first. Even my huge pan above was very full. If all the mushrooms just don’t fit in your skillet, add half first and let them cook down a bit, then add the rest. You can also use a Dutch oven if you don’t want to deal with the concerns of overflowing.
- Stir gently — I recommend tongs. The mushrooms can break rather easily when they are still raw, or tear as they get soft. I find tongs helpful to work with a full pan, plus they make it easier to turn the mushrooms and ensure each browns on both sides, without breaking them.
- Don’t stir constantly. Stirring every once in a while gives different pieces the chance to cook, but the caps need some time to soften as they touch the pan. Plus, you won’t get good browning if you stir all the time. The stems tend to stick out a lot at first, but they will fold over as they get soft as well.
- Reduce the heat if necessary. If you notice that your shiitake mushrooms have browned but are not soft yet, simply reduce heat to medium-low. You just don’t want it so low that the mushrooms cook in their own juices — we need those to sizzle away.
- My cook times are based on whole shiitake mushrooms. You can use sliced mushrooms, which will actually cook a bit faster. I mainly used whole ones because they were available and I didn’t bother to slice them, ha.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: I’ve been so happy with how well this shiitake mushroom recipe reheats and stays juicy! You can warm them up in a skillet over medium heat, but my microwave actually worked surprisingly well.
- Leftover Ideas: Don’t want to eat leftovers the same way again? The easiest way to use up extra shiitake mushrooms is to add them into vegetable stir fries or pasta dishes, but I was surprised at how interesting and different they were tucked into an omelette the next day! You can also toss them into soups (like my egg drop soup) or a pizza bowl for extra umami flavor.
Serving Suggestions
There are many ways to serve these sauteed shiitake mushrooms, from a meatless main to an easy side. Here are some of my favorites:
- Chicken – Teriyaki chicken with cauliflower rice is my combo du jour lately, but you can’t go wrong with my chicken stir fry, either. They also work well alongside my sesame kelp noodles.
- Beef – Try my saucy pepper steak or beef stir fry. And while you could just toss the mushrooms right into those, I love this shiitake recipe on the side instead.
- Veggie Bowls – The meaty texture of shiitake mushrooms is enough to be a vegetarian main course! Serve them over a bowl of rice (or my fried rice to jazz it up) with sauteed broccoli or roasted red peppers, avocado, cashews, and extra green onions. I love a drizzle of spicy mayo over these bowls!
- Protein Bowls – Make my suggested version above more hearty by adding sliced pork belly, sauteed shrimp, or flank steak.
- Salads – You could either eat the shiitake mushrooms on the side with my Thai salad (veggies only) or Thai beef salad (obviously not), or throw them right in.
More Easy Mushroom Recipes
Whether you need a healthy appetizer, a side dish, or a flavorful sauce, there’s so many ways to enjoy mushrooms. Try some of my other favorite recipes next:
My Favorite Skillet For This Recipe
I recently got this cast iron skillet (pictured in this post) and absolutely love the size and tall sides. Not to mention the sunny yellow color just makes me happy.
Shiitake Mushrooms (10-Minute Recipe)
These Asian-inspired shiitake mushrooms are tender, juicy, and packed with savory umami flavors. Make this easy recipe in just 10 minutes!
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Heat the olive oil in an 11- or 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the oil shimmers and slides around the pan easily. Then, reduce the heat to medium.
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Add the shiitake mushrooms. Saute for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally but not constantly, until the mushrooms soften and start to brown. (Reduce heat to medium-low if they are browned but not yet soft.)
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Reduce heat to medium-low. Push the mushrooms to the sides of the pan and add the garlic in the middle. (You can add a little extra oil if the pan is very dry.) Saute the garlic for about 1 minute, until fragrant, then stir in with the mushrooms.
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Add the coconut aminos to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the liquid sizzles away or absorbs into the mushrooms.
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Remove from heat. Stir in the toasted sesame oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions for serving, if desired.
Did You Like It?
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
Nutrition info does not include optional garnishes.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
4 Comments
Cheryl S
0The toasted sesame oil was a great addition to this easy recipe. A new favorite at our house!
Shar
0Are you looking for healthy and satisfying dish, try this SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS RECIPE. A very tasty, good looking delicious dish and a healthy one too. My family and friends loves it every time we have family picnic.
Emma D
0My new favorite side dish! Even my picky husband that doesn’t like mushrooms loved these!
Levi
0Quick and easy, took me 10 minutes! I love the savory umami flavors.