How to Cook Oyster Mushrooms Perfectly Every Time (3 Ways!)

Get ready to impress your family and friends by learning how to cook oyster mushrooms perfectly every time. They're easy to prepare and taste fantastic!

Oyster mushrooms are a culinary treat packed full of flavor. They are tender and meaty in texture, so they make an excellent meat replacement. Oyster mushrooms are common in Asian cuisine but are becoming more popular in North American cooking.

There are several ways to cook oyster mushrooms. They can be served alone or added to more complex dishes. We offer easy-to-follow guidance on how to cook oyster mushrooms perfectly and some delicious recipes where oyster mushrooms can provide extra magic.

Oyster mushrooms get their name from how they grow. They form in clusters, like oyster beds. However, they don’t taste at all like oysters.

You can grow mushrooms at home or find them in grocery stores or supermarkets. You might even forage some oyster mushrooms, but be sure to know what you’re doing before eating wild mushrooms. If you like this idea, you can follow our handy guide on how to get started foraging mushrooms.

Before you cook your mushrooms, clean them thoroughly. If store-bought, you can clean mushrooms to get rid of all pesticides. Oyster mushrooms can be cleaned using a brush to remove any debris (more likely dirt if foraged). You can also use a cloth to wipe them off. Avoid washing mushrooms, as they soak up water and can get soggy.

Cooking Oyster Mushrooms by Pan Frying

Pan-frying oyster mushrooms draws out their exquisite flavor. You can use your favorite cooking oil and herbs. Add garlic, a little sea salt and black pepper to get your first perfect way of cooking them.

How to pan-fry oyster mushrooms:

Ingredients:

• Oyster mushrooms
• Olive oil for frying
• Garlic
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Thyme

Instructions:

1. Evenly chop the cleaned mushrooms.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan. You can use other oils if you prefer (chili olive oil works well too).
3. Let the oil heat up.
4. Add the mushrooms in a single layer if possible, and let them cook for 3-5 minutes on medium heat. Don’t stir, as you want them to brown.
5. Toss them and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until browned all over.
6. Add some crushed garlic and thyme.
7. Lower the heat and cook for a few more minutes, allowing the garlic and herbs to infuse the mushrooms.
8. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Pan-fried oyster mushrooms are beautiful alone, paired with avocado and tomato, in pasta dishes or on pizza, like this wild garlic pizza

Scroll down for some more delicious recipe suggestions that oyster mushrooms work especially well with.

How to Cook Oyster Mushrooms: the Sautée Method

Sautéeing is similar to pan frying, with some subtle differences. Sautéeing uses a higher heat than typical frying. The method is sometimes known as jumping because the high heat makes the food appear to jump around as it sizzles. Here, what matters is how you manipulate the pan as you toss the mushrooms.

A tip when learning how to cook oyster mushrooms: don’t chop them when sautéeing to keep them soft inside.

Ingredients:

• Oyster mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, or vegan butter alternative
• Garlic
• Chopped shallots
• Fresh cilantro 
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Instructions:

1. Add the oil or butter to the pan and heat it on high heat.
2. Add the shallots, and toss as you cook.
3. Add the garlic and the mushrooms, continuing to move the mushrooms around the pan. Turn down the heat if you notice burning, and add more oil or butter to taste.
4. Once the mushrooms are browned, remove the pan from the heat.
5. Throw in some chopped or torn coriander and salt and pepper. Toss once more to distribute the flavors.
6. Serve, garnished with a sprig of cilantro.

Baking and Roasting Oyster Mushrooms

You can also oven-bake or roast oyster mushrooms with a few simple ingredients. Again, you’ll be drawing the flavors out with herbs and seasoning, but this time leaving out the garlic. Baked or roasted mushrooms are delicious alone and also make a beautiful salad topping — as on this healthy spring salad, for example. You can swap the rosemary for another herb, but keep in mind that hardy herbs work best in the oven.

Ingredients:

• Oyster mushrooms
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Fresh rosemary

Instructions:

1. Lightly oil a baking tray and spread out the mushrooms. You can decide whether to tear or chop them first. The smaller they are, the crispier the result.
2. Cook for 15 minutes at 230° with the rosemary sprig(s). If you want your mushrooms crispier, wait another few minutes. You don’t need to turn them during cooking.
3. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

You can get similar results using an air fryer. Lightly spray the mushrooms with oil for a tender-yet-crispy result.

Did you know you can also dry mushrooms in the oven?

Oyster Mushroom Recipes

Once you know how to cook oyster mushrooms, you can enjoy these versatile fungi in any number of recipes. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Some suggest using oyster mushrooms; in others, you can swap oyster mushrooms in place of different varieties. 

• Vegan “Chicken” Pot Pie: An Easy & Comforting Recipe
• Vegan Calamari Recipe: Make It Taste Like the Real Thing
• Delicious Vegan Rendang Recipe With Mushrooms
• Easy and Delicious Vegan Birria Tacos
• 5 Vegan Shrimp Substitutes (with Seitan Shrimp Recipe)
• 9 Bacon Substitutes for Vegans & Vegetarians
• 9 Mouthwatering and Cozy Vegan Crockpot Recipes

Note: Don’t throw away the stems when cooking with mushrooms! Instead, read these 10 magical ways to cook and eat mushroom stems to reduce food waste.

Read more:

• Cast Iron Pancakes 3 Ways
• How to Cook Fresh Beets in 3 Different Ways
• 12 Herbs For Your Kitchen Garden

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