5 Types of Mushrooms Explained 鈥 Flavor, Health Benefits and Recipes

Meet your new favorite mushroom recipe (plus everything you ever wanted to know about the flavorful fungi).
Pamela Vachon
Chanterelle mushrooms and white sauce sauteing in cast iron pan with wooden spoon.

Mushrooms are having a moment. We鈥檝e been consuming them for centuries, of course, but "mushrooms as a trend" is an idea that's proliferated in recent years.  

Much of the frenzy has focused on nutritional benefits 鈥 specifically, mushrooms as an adaptogenic superfood worthy of a role in your morning coffee routine. Mushrooms have also been , furniture and Pantone color palettes. 

Call it fungi infatuation. Call it an after effect of our rekindled romance with foraging.

Whatever it is, it鈥檚 a love affair that, among chefs and epicureans, has a long history and deep roots. 

鈥淢ushrooms are so versatile, which I think is why they鈥檙e so exciting, with so many different flavors and textures,鈥 says Chef Emilie Symons, MS, lead Chef-Instructor of Plant-Based Culinary 天美传媒 at ICE's Los Angeles campus. 鈥淲hen you cook with mushrooms, your kitchen becomes a world of possibility.鈥

This is why we鈥檙e highlighting the origins, flavor profiles, and uses for some of the most common types of mushrooms, as well as a few lesser-knowns.

Button or Chestnut Mushrooms

button mushrooms

Button mushrooms 鈥 or chestnut mushrooms when darker in color 鈥 are the world鈥檚 most common and most consumed mushrooms. As such, they can be found in almost any supermarket.

  • Origin: Native to North America and Europe, button mushrooms are believed to have been cultivated for the first time by the French in the early 1700s.
  • Flavor: 鈥淭he white button mushroom is the least earthy and flavorful of all the mushrooms,鈥 says Chef Symons, 鈥渂ut its robust little body is sturdy, which makes it great for saut茅es. Any flavor it will gather is from browning it.鈥
  • Use: Beyond saut茅ing button mushrooms in stir fries and using them as a topper for omelettes and steaks, 鈥渢hey鈥檙e also great for a cream of mushroom soup,鈥 says Chef Symons.

Recipe: Oats with Saut茅ed Mushrooms & Fried Eggs

Oyster Mushrooms

oyster mushrooms

With their unique texture, lacy fan shape 鈥 reminiscent of their namesake bivalve 鈥 and array of colors, oyster mushrooms have a multitude of culinary applications.

  • Origin: Oyster mushrooms are prevalent throughout the Northern hemisphere. However, they were first cultivated in Germany during World War I, providing a cheap and readily available source of sustenance.
  • Flavor: 鈥淭heir earthy flavor is more pronounced than your average white button mushroom,鈥 says Chef Symons. 鈥淏ut not too much,鈥 she adds, noting that they鈥檙e 鈥渢ough enough to sear, and go beautifully with pur茅ed potatoes.鈥
  • Use: 鈥淚 like to give oyster mushrooms a hard sear,鈥 says Chef Symons, who suggests using them as taco filling swaps for pulled pork and chicken. 鈥淏ecause of their elegance, you don鈥檛 want to hide them. Showcase them proudly on your plates.鈥

Recipe: Sweet Pea Gnocchi with Oyster Mushrooms

Portobello / Cremini Mushrooms

portobello mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms 鈥 and their baby version, cremini 鈥 are among the most easily identifiable mushrooms because of their dark, feathery gills.

  • Origin: Portobello and cremini mushrooms are closely related to button mushrooms and are found widely throughout the world, though they are native to North America and Eurasia. While their cultivation is believed to have begun in France, their name is Italian 鈥 legend has it, after a town on the Northern coast of Sardinia.
  • Flavor: 鈥淚 experience portobello and cremini mushrooms as a little more 鈥榙own to earth鈥 鈥 in flavor, texture and affordability,鈥 says Chef Symons. 鈥淭hey are firm in character and almost meaty,鈥 she says.
  • Use: 鈥淧ortobello mushrooms work well as a burger substitute,鈥 says Chef Symons. 鈥淚 love to marinate them with balsamic and olive oil and herbs, and then grill them. Served with pesto, they鈥檙e wonderful in a wrap or bun,鈥 she says. She also suggests using them in a 鈥渞oasted vegetable combo with red onions, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts.鈥 (Pro tip: Scrape out the gills before use so they don鈥檛 darken your dish or add unwanted moisture.)

Vegan Recipe: Mushrooms Saut茅ed with Hazelnuts & Cardamom

Hen of the Woods / Maitake Mushrooms

maitake mushrooms

No matter what you call them, a bundle of Hen of the Woods (aka Maitake mushrooms) are a real statement piece.

  • Origin: Maitake mushrooms are indigenous to China, the Northeastern United States, and Japan, where their name means 鈥渄ance mushrooms.鈥 In English, their name refers to their cluster formation (which resembles a head of feathers).
  • Flavor: Known for their earthy flavor 鈥 commonly considered the classic mushroom flavor 鈥 Maitake mushrooms are frequently described as nutty, savory, or woodsy.
  • Use: 鈥淢aitake mushrooms can be used like oyster mushrooms, with a hard sear or a roast,鈥 says Chef Symons. 鈥淚鈥檝e also had them in a chili, and it was surprising and most welcome.鈥

Chanterelle Mushrooms

chanterelle mushrooms

Elegant in name and striking in appearance, Chanterelle mushrooms have a couture vibe about them.

  • Origin: Chanterelles are wild mushrooms that grow in heavily forested areas in North America, North Africa and Eurasia. They first became popular in the 18th century as they were foraged for use in gourmet French cuisine.
  • Flavor: 鈥淭hese are one of the more prized mushrooms in terms of flavor and texture,鈥 explains Chef Symons. 鈥淭hey cannot be grown or cultivated and must be obtained from the wild, making them quite precious and expensive. They often grow in pine coves, and I think their flavor is slightly reminiscent of that,鈥 she says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e more delicate, and the flavor hits you high in the bridge of your nose.鈥
  • Use: Chef Symons describes a classic Chanterelle preparation that鈥檚 worthy of their star pedigree: 鈥淢y preferred method for cooking these is simply seared in a little butter, drifted through some heavy cream and swirled with a dusting of minced parsley,鈥 she says.

Recipe: Penne with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Chanterelle Mushrooms

 

MUSHROOM FAQs

What are the health benefits of mushrooms?

&苍产蝉辫;鈥淭丑别 health benefits of mushrooms depend on the type of mushroom, and more rigorous studies need to be done to know exactly what鈥檚 what,鈥 explains Chef Symons. 

Generally speaking, 鈥渕ost mushrooms will have some B vitamins, which are great for mood stability and energy.鈥 They are also a good source of fiber, and one of very few foods that are a natural source of Vitamin D.

What should you look for when purchasing mushrooms?

Regardless of the precise type of mushroom you are working with, 鈥測ou want to look for mushrooms that are firm and not slimy,鈥 says Chef Symons.

What is the best way to store mushrooms?

Depending on how you purchased them, it may be advisable to switch the packaging. 鈥淚 store mushrooms in a paper bag in my refrigerator,鈥 says Chef Symons. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 do well stored in plastic.鈥

What is the best way to clean mushrooms?

The argument over whether to rinse or not rinse mushrooms is a source of much debate.

Chef Symons offers practical advice depending on the type of mushroom: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 wash mushrooms unless they鈥檙e button or cremini, at which point I will fill a bowl with cold water and give them a quick dunk, shake-shake-shake, lift out, and place on a clean kitchen towel,鈥 she says.

鈥淥ther types of mushrooms I use a damp cloth or paper towel to brush clean. Generally I don鈥檛 fuss much about removing every speck of dirt 鈥 we need the minerals!鈥
 

Food writer and cheese expert Pamela Vachon wearing green shirt, wavy brown hair and glasses standing against a curtained backdrop and smiling.

Pamela Vachon is a freelance food and travel writer and ICE graduate (Culinary '11) whose work has appeared in Bon Appetit, Travel + Leisure and Wine Enthusiast, among others. She is a certified sommelier and non-certified cheese expert who teaches at NYC's Murray's Cheese.