Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my shiitake mushroom recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
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
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
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:
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.
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. Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. Nutrition info does not include optional garnishes.
